Stripers in the jumps..but no fish

[mhall]

Some good advice in the above posts. Stripers can get finicky like that. If they are targeting small bait, you gotta present a small lure or bait to them or they'll leave them alone. They can also spook easily when shallow like that too. Quiet approach, cast from a distance is best. I was lucky a few years back and had an acre sized school come up and beat bait for about 45 minutes. I was the only boat there and quite enjoyed the topwater experience School split into several smaller pods. I stayed with one. At one point I had the trolling motor off just moving with the breeze. Stripers were busting shad right at the boat. Even heard a few hit the bottom of the boat. Hard to put away that topwater plug when they are blowing up like that, but a spoon or jig worked below the madness can pull out the larger fish.

Andrew

I wish I would have been with you that day Andrew, you had to be having a blast with that much activity around you. It does make the heart beat a few times don't it, lol ??

[apb]

I wish I would have been with you that day Andrew, you had to be having a blast with that much activity around you. It does make the heart beat a few times don't it, lol ??

Stripers slamming a topwater plug, knocking it 6 feet off the water, slamming it again, several times, hitting it harder each time. Yeah, a deadman woulda had a pulse that day

Andrew

[PRO V LE]

Stripers slamming a topwater plug, knocking it 6 feet off the water, slamming it again, several times, hitting it harder each time. Yeah, a deadman woulda had a pulse that day

Andrew

It was a dead calm overcast day midweek in Oct. I was sitting in my favorite area with downrods waiting on them to come thru. Eagles soaring, not another boat around all morning and then it happened. The lake kept exploding, it got bigger and bigger they were slapping the side of the boat, the shad were flying everywhere.
My knees were like jelly, my heart pounding and I had a magnum PopR in my hand along with a 15#Striper and the landing net had every hook imbedded.
After I cut the hooks I just sat there and laughed for awhile.
I'm at the lake now, will fall ever get here?

Dave.

[motalot]

How long do the jumps last through the Fall usually?

[elnutsmalljaws]

How long do the jumps last through the Fall usually?

I always thought it was more related to the water temp than anything. I will be the first to admit that I am not a very good striper fisherman, but whent he temp hits the low to mid 60's is when I think it is the best. I have heard that the jumps last way up into November, but you have to travel up into the creeks to find these by then. From what I know, October the fish could be on the bottom, could be feeding on top or anywhere in between. I don't have down riggers but pull boards and set them out to the depth that I find the shad to a bit above the shad. Good Luck, I am still waiting when all 5 of my rods go down at once. Had a three bagger on one time and that was enough being by myself but never the 5 bagger.

[mhall]

How long do the jumps last through the Fall usually?

It can be late in the year at times. Very hard to predict. Some of the better jumps I've ever seen was late in November and in December as well.

[apb]

I've seen them as late as early January. Mostly a mid Oct to Nov deal, though with the lower water levels, who knows. Lake may turn sooner and change a few things around.

Andrew

[PRO V LE]

Andrew have you noticed the difference in the jumps before Alewives and after. The threadfins and gizzards stay in the upper water colum, the alewives will go deep over open water and the Stripers just stay there and feed in the cooler water.

[cumberlandguy1]

We actually saw jumps and caught fish last year from October all the way until mid February. After November we fished exclusively in the creeks. The jumps would happen all day long off and on. Sometimes you would catch fish just blind casting in the middle of the creek as well.

[mhall]

Andrew have you noticed the difference in the jumps before Alewives and after. The threadfins and gizzards stay in the upper water colum, the alewives will go deep over open water and the Stripers just stay there and feed in the cooler water.

Good point Dave. I think it has really hurt the jumps, not like it was back in the day when I first starting going down there.

[apb]

I was not fortunate enough to have fished Cumberland before the Alewifes, so really cannot coment directly. My impression is that you'll have more jump action if the main bait is Gizzard or Threadfin than you will with Alewifes. The former two stay shallower, so more likely to head for the surface to escape.

Andrew

[JoeB]

That's not true at all. The jump fishing was not better before the alewives, but it was different. The school jumps in the spring and fall are as good now as they ever were. What's different is the spring top water bite. Before alwives, during late April thru early June you could cast redfins all day long and stand a good chance of catching fish. Now, that has turned into an almost 100% night bite, and I do miss that daytime redfin action. Alwives have also changed fall fishing depths. Before alwives, I never fished below 40 ft or so. But, I sure wouldn't change it. I dang sure dont miss throwing for gizzards in the creeks before each trip.