Cumberland ?

[kstonich]

I don't have the history on this lake like many here, but I find that this year is really strange. Not sure if the summer we had or what but I find the lake striper fishing is nothing like what I am use to for the first week of
November. Don't get me wrong I am getting my 2 fish but that's about it.
I am catching more smallies than stripers at least 4 or 5 to 1. Yesterday it was only 7 smallies so maybe my ratio is a little off.
I'm fishing small swim baits in front of any cove on the main lake catching nice ones up to 4lbs which would be great but the difference between hooking a 10lb + striper and a 4lb smallie is like night and day don't get me wrong the smallies fight good but a stripper hits it like its going full steam in the opposite direction when it hits. I have to say I love fishing 10lb braid with about a 20ft section of 12lb fluorocarbon zero stretch, they can just about yank your rod out of your hands if your not paying attention. .
I'm graphing most of the stripers sitting on the bottom in 70ft to 80ft of water. I can get to them with my downriggers but you lose that freight train of a hit.
Not sure why there is nothing up more mid water column by the first week of Nov. Typically I'm getting some fish in the jumps starting in mid October maybe not allot but if when on the water during the week I could always cruise around until I would find a school and fish it as it would come up and down and have some fun.
Is it the water temp? Is it a drain down pattern rain flows. Was it the amount boats out this summer?
Is this just an odd year. I'm off work the week of thanksgiving so I'll go back and give it a try. Hopefully things change or I'll have to.
Anyone have any incites I'd like to hear hem.

PS: is it just me or do some of our local bass fishermen seem to be clueless to someone using planner boards.
During my down time I'll break out planner boards and troll to take a break and it never ceases to amaze me how inconsiderate people can be. My boards will be 50-75ft off to the side of me bright yellow with orange flags on them and bass boats come flying by 25ft away from them apparently clueless to how that screws up my fishing. When I flip them off they look befuddled There is lots of room I mean lots a whole freaking lake on either side where they can stay clear me room. I stay as far away from fisherman as I can. Its not all bass boaters but enough to make me wish I had brought my wrist rocket sling shot.

[Shellkat]

Yes fished the 10th all day 40 ish deep water at mouth of coves, caught 5 and released Texas style , no stripes, saw 1 small boil right at dark.

[peter]

I don't have the history on this lake like many here, but I find that this year is really strange. Not sure if the summer we had or what but I find the lake striper fishing is nothing like what I am use to for the first week of
November. Don't get me wrong I am getting my 2 fish but that's about it.
I am catching more smallies than stripers at least 4 or 5 to 1. Yesterday it was only 7 smallies so maybe my ratio is a little off.
I'm fishing small swim baits in front of any cove on the main lake catching nice ones up to 4lbs which would be great but the difference between hooking a 10lb + striper and a 4lb smallie is like night and day don't get me wrong the smallies fight good but a stripper hits it like its going full steam in the opposite direction when it hits. I have to say I love fishing 10lb braid with about a 20ft section of 12lb fluorocarbon zero stretch, they can just about yank your rod out of your hands if your not paying attention. .
I'm graphing most of the stripers sitting on the bottom in 70ft to 80ft of water. I can get to them with my downriggers but you lose that freight train of a hit.
Not sure why there is nothing up more mid water column by the first week of Nov. Typically I'm getting some fish in the jumps starting in mid October maybe not allot but if when on the water during the week I could always cruise around until I would find a school and fish it as it would come up and down and have some fun.
Is it the water temp? Is it a drain down pattern rain flows. Was it the amount boats out this summer?
Is this just an odd year. I'm off work the week of thanksgiving so I'll go back and give it a try. Hopefully things change or I'll have to.
Anyone have any incites I'd like to hear hem.

PS: is it just me or do some of our local bass fishermen seem to be clueless to someone using planner boards.
During my down time I'll break out planner boards and troll to take a break and it never ceases to amaze me how inconsiderate people can be. My boards will be 50-75ft off to the side of me bright yellow with orange flags on them and bass boats come flying by 25ft away from them apparently clueless to how that screws up my fishing. When I flip them off they look befuddled There is lots of room I mean lots a whole freaking lake on either side where they can stay clear me room. I stay as far away from fisherman as I can. Its not all bass boaters but enough to make me wish I had brought my wrist rocket sling shot.

Thanks for the report. Very interesting.

[HARDROCK]

Water temp was still 66.8 Tuesday on Main lake around Jamestown Marina.
Still pretty warm for this time of year. Probably plays into it.

[TimE]

I think it is due to amount of fishermen on the water in 2020. It is insane. Water temp isn’t any higher than last year as we had 90* days in October I think, I know the first week of October was extremely warm. Also I’m not here to talk about strippers as they do not interest me, I do enjoy bass fishing though.


To that point, your planer boards with whatever color flags mean zilch. It doesn’t mean you own entire creek arm. It doesn’t mean you get preference over water. It doesn’t mean anything other than you believe you are entitled to water 50-75’ off the side of your boat. Your post reeks of hurricane bobs video of him trying to wave off a houseboat??????? The wolf creek dam wasn’t built to cater to stripper fishermen, I doubt if stripper fisherman is even a blip in local economy currently or ever as far as that goes.


Bottom line is if you are trying to take up entire creek with your boards, you may be the one with the problem.


ETA- better leave your slingshot at home!

[Moveon]

I think it is due to amount of fishermen on the water in 2020. It is insane. Water temp isn’t any higher than last year as we had 90* days in October I think, I know the first week of October was extremely warm. Also I’m not here to talk about strippers as they do not interest me, I do enjoy bass fishing though.


To that point, your planer boards with whatever color flags mean zilch. It doesn’t mean you own entire creek arm. It doesn’t mean you get preference over water. It doesn’t mean anything other than you believe you are entitled to water 50-75’ off the side of your boat. Your post reeks of hurricane bobs video of him trying to wave off a houseboat??????? The wolf creek dam wasn’t built to cater to stripper fishermen, I doubt if stripper fisherman is even a blip in local economy currently or ever as far as that goes.


Bottom line is if you are trying to take up entire creek with your boards, you may be the one with the problem.


ETA- better leave your slingshot at home!

Now you at telling others how to fish? You have the problem TimE.

Anyone that comes that close to any boat at high speed needs to get a ticket planner boards or not. 25 yards is too close IMHO.

I also fish with planer boards and found that other have no clue. You need to fish when there are no other boats around to use planner boards IMHO. Unless you want to contend with idiots out on the lake that doesn't know how to avoid your boat and planner boards. People are clueless at times. I think it's because the lakes are overpopulated with too many boats. I grew up fishing KY lake in the 1960s when we had the lake to ourselves during the weekdays. We could fish all day long on a Tuesday and not hardly see any other boats out on the lake. The same happened up in Canada on Eagle Lake where we hardly saw any other boats out on the lake. And if we did run into another boat they would be passing us and not get too close. Fisherman back in those days respected other fishermen on the water. We have way too many people out on the lakes these days. And people don't always respect the other boats.

Remember that the water temperature at 30 ft is much colder than at the surface. Unless you are fishing your baits at the surface the fish won't care if they are down deep.

[kstonich]

I think it is due to amount of fishermen on the water in 2020. It is insane. Water temp isn’t any higher than last year as we had 90* days in October I think, I know the first week of October was extremely warm. Also I’m not here to talk about strippers as they do not interest me, I do enjoy bass fishing though.


To that point, your planer boards with whatever color flags mean zilch. It doesn’t mean you own entire creek arm. It doesn’t mean you get preference over water. It doesn’t mean anything other than you believe you are entitled to water 50-75’ off the side of your boat. Your post reeks of hurricane bobs video of him trying to wave off a houseboat??????? The wolf creek dam wasn’t built to cater to stripper fishermen, I doubt if stripper fisherman is even a blip in local economy currently or ever as far as that goes.


Bottom line is if you are trying to take up entire creek with your boards, you may be the one with the problem.


ETA- better leave your slingshot at home!

Seriously its just manors. Fist off I mentioned colors as to show that they are highly visible. Secondly without even asking you assume I'm trying to block an entire creek arm with planner boards. Of course if that's the case I'd have no complaints to them going by however close they needed to be.
To help you understand the situation better I was out on the main lake about 100yards off shore. The fish I am targeting at 10-15ft deep so yes when they fly by 25-50ft away I shuts down the fish I'm fishing for but since you don't striper fish you might not be aware of that.
Quick question for you how would you feel if you were casting on a particular stretch of shore and I decided I wanted to drive my boat between you and where you are casting. Given there is enough room to squeeze in that is or even just pull up and start fishing in front of you. I know that's a cardinal sin /no-no in fishing circles a real D%$K move. But I guess because its someone is fishing other than you bass they don't count
I would think doing that would be a pretty D*&K move on my part but you would feel its OK?
If lets just say your up Wolfe in the spring fishing shallow water and I go blowing thru your water and shut it down for you then again that's ok because no one owns any stretch of the water and no one should care about the other guy?
Maybe I was raised differently from you, and that's to be considerate of everyone. Thankfully there are more of us than those who feel their needs are not more important than those that they share the water with.

I only fish for bass occasionally as I don't find them to challenging to pattern and catch. Been there done that.
Just trying to learn new stuff. Stripers Walleye. Ironically I've learned to catch allot of big smallies in ways I never would have thought of and do so on a consistent bases and.

And what the hell does this have to do with anything
" I doubt if stripper fisherman is even a blip in local economy currently or ever as far as that goes."
So if you spend more money for the "local" economy your have more rights on the water?
I could be mistaken but I would assume recreation boaters probably bring in more to the economy than Bass or lowly striper fisherman combined.
Your right I'll leave the wrist rocket at home, But what you have encouraged me to do with the elite Bass fisherman's thought process is to put a 2oz Hopkins on a rod which I will have no problem reaching the inconsiderate "A" holes who just happen to be racing thru in my fishing area. Of coarse I'll be fan casting fishing for smallmouth so I hit them it's OK as no one ones the water

[TimE]

Seriously its just manors. Fist off I mentioned colors as to show that they are highly visible. Secondly without even asking you assume I'm trying to block an entire creek arm with planner boards. Of course if that's the case I'd have no complaints to them going by however close they needed to be.
To help you understand the situation better I was out on the main lake about 100yards off shore. The fish I am targeting at 10-15ft deep so yes when they fly by 25-50ft away I shuts down the fish I'm fishing for but since you don't striper fish you might not be aware of that.
Quick question for you how would you feel if you were casting on a particular stretch of shore and I decided I wanted to drive my boat between you and where you are casting. Given there is enough room to squeeze in that is or even just pull up and start fishing in front of you. I know that's a cardinal sin /no-no in fishing circles a real D%$K move. But I guess because its someone is fishing other than you bass they don't count
I would think doing that would be a pretty D*&K move on my part but you would feel its OK?
If lets just say your up Wolfe in the spring fishing shallow water and I go blowing thru your water and shut it down for you then again that's ok because no one owns any stretch of the water and no one should care about the other guy?
Maybe I was raised differently from you, and that's to be considerate of everyone. Thankfully there are more of us than those who feel their needs are not more important than those that they share the water with.

I only fish for bass occasionally as I don't find them to challenging to pattern and catch. Been there done that.
Just trying to learn new stuff. Stripers Walleye. Ironically I've learned to catch allot of big smallies in ways I never would have thought of and do so on a consistent bases and.

And what the hell does this have to do with anything
" I doubt if stripper fisherman is even a blip in local economy currently or ever as far as that goes."
So if you spend more money for the "local" economy your have more rights on the water?
I could be mistaken but I would assume recreation boaters probably bring in more to the economy than Bass or lowly striper fisherman combined.
Your right I'll leave the wrist rocket at home, But what you have encouraged me to do with the elite Bass fisherman's thought process is to put a 2oz Hopkins on a rod which I will have no problem reaching the inconsiderate "A" holes who just happen to be racing thru in my fishing area. Of coarse I'll be fan casting fishing for smallmouth so I hit them it's OK as no one ones the water

You sure make a lot of assumptions and mischaracterizations. While you are in middle of lake trolling 10-15’ deep do you think bass fishermen are trying to screw up your fishing? While you claim 150’ of water to yourself? What else to do but flip them off or shoot them with a slingshot,right? Almost forgot hitting them with a two oz spoon.

Also, I said I don’t specifically fish for strippers, to expensive. I didn’t say I didn’t know several people that only fish for strippers. Usually boat traffic has very little effect on fish 10-15’ on main lake, you can actually see that on some lakes as people sit in channels waiting for boats to pass. Gulls/birds start diving instantly eating shad that it brings to surface. Maybe you should try casting at them instead of other boaters.


I doubt you were raised any differently than me, other than you claiming a 150’ strip of water around boat. Plenty of dick bass fishermen out there, equally or more dick stripper fishermen out there. I have had multiple pontoons pass between me and banks, even had one try to rip lower unit off on a point. That’s is life, and agreeably it is getting worse.

Some lakes, green for example is as cutthroat as it gets in springtime. From crappie fishermen,musky fishermen, bass fishermen. I’ve exchanged unpleasantries more than once, never felt better about myself afterwards either. Stripper fishermen take it a bit further with their antics though, as you can see with with claim to 75’ on each side of boat.


As far as economic value.? No doubt the enemy of all fishermen is pleasure boaters. No doubt they own Cumberland. I still wouldn’t flip them off or think about shooting them with a slingshot though, I can’t imagine hooking one with a two oz spoon. Might not work out so well.

[kstonich]

This is all im going to say on this as you seem to just accept bad behavior as it's just the way it is and to bad for me if I don't just accept it. I could be mistaken on that but your reply suggests that that is the case.
Tim you just seem to be missing the point of my post and that was perhaps others might read it and say and think maybe just maybe I should be more aware and if I have the option give the other guy his space as I would hope he would do for me. To educate those who don't understand what their actions have on another fisherman. You seem to articulate that I should have no expectations to think I can't fish in a space any wider than my boat. And its ok for another boater to travel past me 100ft feet away at 50-60 mph. When he can merely turn his wheel slightly and give the other guy some room. It might add seconds to his travels especially when I'm out on the main body of a lake. That doesn't seem to be an unreasonable thought process on my part , or is it?
And if a striper fisherman cuts you off that's so wrong. But some maybe not all have been pulling bait on a course for a long way and. Your paths just meet up.
Its a chicken or the egg deal. Who was on path first. I troll lures for the most part at 1.5mph - 2.5mph so it's easier for me to move out of their way and reestablish my course past them. To me not a big deal. I do the same with bank beaters I loop out and around them.

And of course I have no plans of injuring another boater but you know we all get pissed when we are slighted by inconsiderate a holes. That was just me venting here
Fyi the fish I am fishing for are shallow they aren't coming to the surface where I am fishing. Please take my word that where and how im fishing another boater coming by like the ones I describe does have a negative impact to the fish I'm targeting Does it last for hours no its totally unnecessary

Good luck in Your fishing ventures.

[Les Young]

How i got the smiley face up top i don't have a clue. lol Tims reply may be a little over the top, but here's another bass fishermens take on it. I'll have to say myself that it's a little rough running up a creek sometimes when there are a half dozen or more striper boats in the middle of the creek pulling boards or balloon fishing. I try to steer clear myself, but sometimes it's kind of hard to maneuver between or around them. I do the best i can personally & really don't think much about it & it's not being rude towards striper fishermen, but really never thought about it like that which i'm sure a lot of bass fishermen don't either. Main lake i'm more than likely going the same direction i was unless i see you from a long ways away & am able to steer clear. For the record i striper fish in winter some & especially at night in the spring & understand what you're saying, but especially if not on the main lake it's hard to maneuver around you guys sometimes because you're in the middle of the creek channel say like in faubush creek where most boats run. Not dissing you at all because i understand your point. I also know that a lot of the younger bass fishermen nowadays haven't been taught the respect that we grew up with & never give it a thought to pull in wherever they want because i've had it happen to me more than once & most of that stems from the high school fishing thing. Don't get me wrong i'm glad these kids are outdoors fishing, but lots of their captains (boaters) are clueless & bought boats just to take these kids fishing which is kind of a double edge sword for all of us. I work with one of these boat captains that had never bass fished & never driven a boat & have answered many a question about boating & fishing & i can assure you it's not always seasoned bass fishermen that cut you off. I also absolutely understand your frustration too because it ***** when it does happen. It takes all kinds & we just have to try to get along as fishermen although it's hard to do sometimes. I bet the crappie fishermen hate us all. lol

[RangerBob52O]

I agree with the high school kids needing taught some things. I had some high school kids pull in on me and I just went over and explained to them that they need to give someone 100 yards. They said they hadn’t heard that. We all need to confront this stuff or it’ll keep getting worse.

[TimE]

I agree with the high school kids needing taught some things. I had some high school kids pull in on me and I just went over and explained to them that they need to give someone 100 yards. They said they hadn’t heard that. We all need to confront this stuff or it’ll keep getting worse.

100 yards? This is a problem we are all going to have to deal with. 2020 is the perfect example, I don’t know where all the boats or fishermen came from but they are here. Where did 100 yard rule come from though? I don’t want to ruin anyone’s day fishing but I’m not idling 100yds or more to pass someone. In Kstonich’s? Case idling has to be worse on “his” fish than burning by on plane making little wake.


I’m glad everyone is out fishing, I think. One thing is certain lakes are crowded and everyone would be best served by getting attitudes in check at ramp. Plenty of people out there trying to escape problems, probably not looking for another one.