Cumberland/Dale Gizzard, threadfin, alewifes

[plowboy]

Seems like years ago the only baitfish in Lake Cumberland were gizzard and threadfin shad. I think herring and alewifes are now the main bait fish. I could be wrong on the names here. Just wondering if you think this has helped the bass fishery and what the make up of baitfish in Cumberland and Dale is now (Percentage wise?). Are you striper fishermen still catching any gizzard shad? Threadfin? Or have the other species taken over? Just wondering... I still see large schools of Gizzard shad at Barren but never at Cumberland. How has it affected the Cumberland river?

[JoeB]

I still use gizzard shad on Cumb. in the late summer and fall when the stripers seem to prefer bigger baits. The last couple of years they have been easy to catch at this time of year. Most of the year though, alewives are the primary forage fish. What has it done for bass???? I think for smallmouth, alewives have improved the fishery a lot. I never used to catch the numbers of 3 to 5 lb. smallmouth that I catch today before the alwives arrived.

[opie13]

How hard has it been to catch bait out of the lake lately? I am going down Friday and was wondering where is the easiest place to catch it right now. Thanks

[JoeB]

Alewives have been very easy for me under lights at the marina.

[apb]

You can still get Gizzards and Threadfin at Cumberland, though the Alewifes are the predominant baitfish there. Don't know what it has done for the bass fishing. I know stripers stay deeper, longer cause of the alewifes.

Andrew