Lake Cumberland updates?

[peter]

I just came off the water a couple hours ago. Water was 69 degrees out in the middle of the main lake. As far as the striper go, I'm just trying to figure them out this year and have been out of the game all summer. I have located what I believe to be striper, and have been on good arches for 3 weekends now and all we've come up with is 1 short, 1 hybrid striper, and a blue cat. Fish were in 70' of water and holding around 50' for the past couple of weekends. The past 2 days they've moved out to 85', holding 60' to 70'....but I honestly don't even know if they're striper. The sonar arches sure look nice though!

As far as bait, I've heard a few say it's been tough recently. Saturday morning I managed to catch 2 alewives before sunrise caught up with me. But, I'm still figuring out how/where to catch bait also.

Anyone care to share what the striper are doing right now? I assume they will begin heading into creek arms before too long, but do they do so in schools, or do they begin to scatter? I have yet to find a big school in the past couple weeks, so maybe I'm just not in the right spot yet.

If they ever come to the surface maybe the gulls will point me in the right direction.

Thanks for posting that. It is good information to know.


As far as bait right now, if you can't get alewives under a light, go up the creek after daylight to where the channel is about 10 to 20 feet deep and look for bait-fish flipping and look on your graph.
It will mostly be threadfins. If you see a single flip that's a little larger splash try to get over there and throw where you saw that flip. You could end up with the net full of gizzards.

As far as when the fish head up the creek I believe it has more to do with temperature than anything. Maybe some will go up there at 65. Definitely fish up there at 60°. I don't think they all go up there at the same time. Right now my guess would be that there are still on the main lake and maybe some up into the creek a bit. Maybe some of the back? Speculation. I haven't been down there in 2 months.

Keep in mind the fish got whacked out this year as a result of very little oxygen at the depths they were holding. That was maybe mid to late September? This could be part of your problem with seeing arches and not catching anything.

It has been my experience that striper fishing this time year is just plain difficult. Once they are in the back of the creeks I believe it is much easier. Problem is right after that happens it gets cold and windy and the holidays are on but there are some nice days you can get out.

Good luck and keep at it.

[OutInKy]

Yep, there are threadfin everywhere, but I seemed to only cast on the small stuff. 1/2" mesh gets nothing and 1/4" will get you a bucket full of 2" shad! Saturday morning was rough. 2 alewives and couldn't land the net on any decent threadfin. I knew where some gizzards were, and have even seen guides up that way netting them, but I didn't feel like running that far to go get them. Couldn't find any in the few spots I looked just off the main lake.

The nets wore me out and I was aggravated, so I finally just fished my 2 alewives trying to pull off a 2 bait/2 fish miracle. Spent a good portion of the day just cruising around graphing. Sunday afternoon I cheated and just bought shiners.

One of these days I'll find all the pieces of the puzzle and get some fish in the freezer!

[luvtohunt]

Head to the backs of the creeks like was mentioned earlier. Learn the subtle difference in a 2 inch shad and 4 inch shad flipping in the water and throw after them. They can be found right in the same areas the 2 inch are. Mud flats typically pretty shallow. Good polarized glasses also may help with the net fatigue. Won't be throwing at the small ones so much when you can better see the size. We catch them all winter that way when we striper fish. Usually have enough bait in 30-45 minutes. Almost always gizzards between 4-7 inches. My buddy likes big live baits!!

[OutInKy]

Learn the subtle difference...

Well now you're going to make me look like a goofball, because I WILL be going to the flats and sit and stare/listen at shad flipping the surface! If I go crazy, y'all tell 'em the striper did it!

[luvtohunt]

If you are a goof ball I too am a goof ball brother. I spend many mornings in the fall, winter, and spring doing just that!!! I'm not saying it is always easy because I have gone out and blanked before myself on getting bait. Twice in Fishing Creek as a matter of fact in the early spring and had to switch gears to salvage the day crappie fishing. It happens but persistence pays off usually. Its been my experience that in the fall/winter when they school in the backs of the creeks, you can better see their size because they are usually so shallow.

[Shellkat]

Cast net recommendation for beginners?

[luvtohunt]

I started with a 6 footer. Don't buy expensive. I mostly throw on flats with sticks and stumps. Ripped and lost a few in my years. Buy it new, stick it in a bucket with some water and fabric softner a day or so to soften up the line a bit, then stand on the tailgate and learn to throw it. Tons of videos out there.

[peter]

I started with a 6 footer. Don't buy expensive. I mostly throw on flats with sticks and stumps. Ripped and lost a few in my years. Buy it new, stick it in a bucket with some water and fabric softner a day or so to soften up the line a bit, then stand on the tailgate and learn to throw it. Tons of videos out there.

6’ radius or diameter?

Betts “Old Salt” makes a good dourable moderately priced net.
I’ll wouldn’t go super cheap.

Practice in your yard.

[luvtohunt]

6’ radius or diameter?

Betts “Old Salt” makes a good dourable moderately priced net.
I’ll wouldn’t go super cheap.

Practice in your yard.

Sorry, I was referring to 6 foot radius so 12 feet when opened. I have owned several Betts nets. At the rate that I have torn and hung them, that is the mid grade net I stay with. I have purchased cheaper and actually learned to throw with cheaper nets. In my experience if you can get one of the cheap nets opening all the way consistently, a good net is no issue. I practiced throwing in my yard out of the back of my truck or off a picnic table. I'm definitely not a professional though, only a guy who likes to fish now and again with live bait.

[JeremyCLS]

I talked to a buddy today that said it recently turned over

[OutInKy]

Cast net recommendation for beginners?

Well, I am a beginner, but I've also bought 5 nets since spring and the one main thing I've learned is that you get what you pay for. I wouldn't suggest going straight for a high end net, but don't go too cheap either. My first net was a cheap 4' and I realized real quick it was both too small and too light to sink and catch bait on LC. Bought a slightly better 8' Betts next and just wasn't impressed with it. Next was a higher end Betts 10' that I really liked...until a few hours after getting it I sent it to the bottom of Lily Creek. Then I added another higher end Betts 1/4" mesh to my collection, which I have caught a lot of bait with and even a 4' Sturgeon! (Yep, had to mend a good sized hole that night.) My latest and by far my new favorite to throw is a 10' Barracuda.

Nets are a tool, the same as a hammer. You don't build picture frames with a sledge hammer, so you shouldn't look at nets as "one tool to do it all" either.

There are three key numbers to a net:
1 - The radius. A 10' net (which is the max legal size in Ky) spreads out to 20' when thrown properly. Sounds great right? The bigger the net, the more bait! Well, the big nets are also harder to throw...especially the heavier ones. And you won't throw them far. Basically, you end up laying the lead line down just out from the boat a couple feet. But, if you are going for deep bait they are necessary because a net will slowly close as it falls through the water. A 4' net only spreads to 8', so you better be dead on with your cast, but you can really get it out away from the boat.

2 - The weight. Nets range from less than a 1/2 lb to nearly 2 lb per foot . That means a 6' net with 1/2 lb/ft can really be chucked to the end of the handline, but it will sink slower. On the other hand, a 10' with 1.5 lbs/ft is not going to be thrown far, but it will sink quite a bit faster. Also, throwing and hauling a big heavy net will wear you out quick...don't scoff unless you've done it! Believe me, after my luck last Saturday I know.

3 - The mesh size. Mesh ranges from 3/16" for very small baits up to over an inch (again, 1" is the max legal size for Ky) which will net nothing but big bait. Small mesh sinks slower than the larger mesh, but you catch all sizes of bait. The question is, "Do you cull a lot of baits, or target a specific size with the appropriate size mesh." 3/8" is usually the "go-to" size for most bait. If you ever Christmas Tree a net, mesh size options will definitely be on your mind...once you clean up the mess.

So, are you targeting big gizzards in 5' of water where there might be sticks and stumps, or midsize alewives in 70' with a nice clean bottom? I would use my cheaper, lighter 8' Betts on the gizzards, but the heavier 10' Barracuda on the alewives. Obviously, there are a ton of variables and the choice is up to you.

As far as casting, YouTube is your best source of info and there are tons of different ways to throw a net. You have to choose what works for you and don't give up if you don't succeed in the first few throws. (I didn't, but I persevered) To me, casting a nice pancake a few times and having nice healthy bait swimming in the bait tank is almost as rewarding as actually catching fish with them! I think StriperNut once told me "Catching good bait is the hard part, catching fish with good bait is easy." From what I've learned and seen so far this spring, that statement is spot on.

[Shellkat]

Thanks, OutInKy