best time and place 2 boat a 25 lb striper

[shaner]

Looking to do something different than our usual dale hollow trip this spring. Their will be 5 of us all together and we are looking at stripers, probably with a few guides. If their is someone you can recommend, a time frame or anything at all, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks Alot,

Shaner

[elnutsmalljaws]

I went out with Gerald Bates 5 years ago and highly reccommend him for any Striper trip at Cumberland. He strictly Striper fishes and guides all year round and keeps in touch with the fish. Plus he will answer any questions that you have during and after the trip. I have called him many times since our trip and he has always been helpful in what the stripers are doing at that time. Very good guide and a very nice fella. Elnut

[apb]

Second the Bates recommendation. I've fished with him a few times and always learned a few new things.

Andrew

[Tim_T]

I will recomend Gerald Bates as well. I fished with him about 12 years ago and caught a striper pushing 30 pounds. He does a good job and is easy to fish with.

Also check out Striper Fun Guide Service. I haven't personally fished with him, but have heard good things about him from some who have.

[MJ]

I highly recommend Mike Beckham. He will stay out as long as it takes for you to get fish. I have taken several trips with him and he is great. 1-270-866-5360

[elnutsmalljaws]

Technically the best time and place would be to fish the Cumberland River on the full moons of April, May and June when the Stripers make their false spawning run back up the river towards the dam. With to low water the last couple of years they have not been making it all the way back to the dam but according to Fred McClintock, who has caught more trophy stripers than any many alive, these 3 months on the full moon on Cumberland River are the best. He has been fishing Cordell Hull and the river section as far north as he can go the past couple of years with success. Good luck in booking him for he is booked 3 years out for these 3 months and only has a few days period open all of 2009 and they are in August. He will be fishing Cordell Hull then with downriggers. But if you dare to wreck your boat and have a nice cold swim then the river is actually the best place to catch a 25-60 pounders and I would say the section between Burkesville Ky and Celina TN would be your best bet. I have wanted to try it for 3 years now but too chicken to try it for I don't know the river and love my boat too much plus not very interested in swimming that cold water that time of the year.

[striperjoe]

I highly recommend Mike Beckham. He will stay out as long as it takes for you to get fish. I have taken several trips with him and he is great. 1-270-866-5360

Go with bates for beckham is very new and inexperienced at guiding.
He really ain't bad but I know Gerald Bates personally. He had guide stripers for his whole
life. If you know how to catch fish you don't have to stay out "as long as it takes".

[mhall]

I've also used Bates and he knows what he's doing.
Another VERY good guide on the Big C is Lance Sasser, that man can find stripes when the rest are still looking.