Lake Cumberland Stripers

[MrPike]

Hi Guys,
Im headed to Cumberland tommorow to striper fish for the first time this year. Im debating whether I should bring my live bait set ups or if I should pull downriggers and slide divers. I will be camping with the family so it would be easier for me to rig since I wouldnt have to get up super early to get bait but I will do whatever I have to do. Is anyone catching them deeper rigging? Or are they still feeding up close to the top and catching them with live bait?

[Duayne]

Best chance based on past experience and last weekend would lean toward bait fishing. But they could hit slide divers. I don't think you need riggers if you can get some cranks down 18-22 ft or so. That's unless they've changed in the last few days which is possible.

[stripernut1]

Had 4 keepers in 10 minutes yesterday evening on live bait on downrods at 28 and 34 ft. Im not sure how many or if any fish the rigger and diver guys are catching but i do know they are still out there way after the live bait guys have cleaned fish and gone home.

[MrPike]

Had 4 keepers in 10 minutes yesterday evening on live bait on downrods at 28 and 34 ft. Im not sure how many or if any fish the rigger and diver guys are catching but i do know they are still out there way after the live bait guys have cleaned fish and gone home.

Thank you so much for the response. I have never rigger fished prior to July heat but was hoping something was happening. I always do very well with live bait in June and usually dont rig until bait goes too deep for me to catch or keep alive for very long. I will load the planer boards and leave the downriggers at home for now. Thanks

[stripernut1]

Thank you so much for the response. I have never rigger fished prior to July heat but was hoping something was happening. I always do very well with live bait in June and usually dont rig until bait goes too deep for me to catch or keep alive for very long. I will load the planer boards and leave the downriggers at home for now. Thanks

hey i sent you a pm, not sure if it went through or not, everything froze up, let me know if you got it or not

[MrPike]

hey i sent you a pm, not sure if it went through or not, everything froze up, let me know if you got it or not

I checked my inbox and don't have anything from you. Please re-send.

[stripernut1]

I checked my inbox and don't have anything from you. Please re-send.

I just re sent the msg, should come thru this time

[headbanger]

Are they still keying on the main lake channel or have they moved back to the cliff walls?

[stripernut1]

Are they still keying on the main lake channel or have they moved back to the cliff walls?

usually the cliff walls are channel banks so the answer to your question is YES lol. no seriously they will be wherever the bait is and that is generally going to be just about anywhere over deeper water right now. they are schooling up and you have to hit em right on the x, spend a lot of time graphing and you wont spend very much time fishing.

[boskeet]

Some good info here. I consider myself to be a decent striper fisherman but I fished Saturday with live bait and got skunked. Couldn't tell you the last time that happened. I couldn't find fish anywhere, and I tried several of my go-to spots.

Sorry I don't have anything to add to your original question, just venting my frustrations!

[stripernut1]

Some good info here. I consider myself to be a decent striper fisherman but I fished Saturday with live bait and got skunked. Couldn't tell you the last time that happened. I couldn't find fish anywhere, and I tried several of my go-to spots.

Sorry I don't have anything to add to your original question, just venting my frustrations!

thats pretty much what i was saying in a previous post, if youre not directly on the X you might miss them completely, but wow if you hit the X its a full cooler quick. it really pays off to spend some time graphing and systematically eliminating bad water. i like to think i can cover a lot more water in a lot less time with the graph than i can with planner boards at 0.6 mph, and i know that i stand a really good chance of completely missing the school with the boards also. i have nothing to lose if the fish arent there it doesnt matter how many boards i have in the water.

[Duayne]

thats pretty much what i was saying in a previous post, if youre not directly on the X you might miss them completely, but wow if you hit the X its a full cooler quick. it really pays off to spend some time graphing and systematically eliminating bad water. i like to think i can cover a lot more water in a lot less time with the graph than i can with planner boards at 0.6 mph, and i know that i stand a really good chance of completely missing the school with the boards also. i have nothing to lose if the fish arent there it doesnt matter how many boards i have in the water.

This is exactly right. It can be difficult when everything is close to the surface. I just have to make a best guess, put lines out, and change locations if I guessed wrong. It becomes much easier to find them once they are down a little bit and you don't have to waste bait in the process.