Cumberland Stripers

[tstevens51]

I'm planning on trying to hit Cumberland this June for my first striped bass. My friends usually fish Barkley, but want to try Cumberland. What general area and techniques are people successful with for stripers in June.

[kent]

Lower portion of the lake is best, usually from Wolf Creek to the dam. Main lake to front half of the creeks. As for technique, I would say live trolling live shad/shiners/alewives would be hard to beat.

[redfishman]

We fished for them on Friday. Got on the water about a 1/4 5 central time at the ****. We headed up the lake towards the beaver creek area. We were limited out by 930 central time. Caught em all on alewives. Caught most of them on planers. Had a few hit the down rods in about 30ft of water but the majority came on the planers between 10 and 20 feet out from the bank around points and rock walls and had a few hit us right out in creek mouths. Look for pods of fish on your graph before putting lines out. The fish are moving out to the main lake and you will waste a lot time just trolling around, they are hard to stay on top of but when you find em they are willing to hit. They were biting kind of soft so be on your toes. Hope this helps a little..........

[JoeB]

Lower portion of the lake is best, usually from Wolf Creek to the dam. Main lake to front half of the creeks. As for technique, I would say live trolling live shad/shiners/alewives would be hard to beat.

I've limited out every day I've fished this month by 9:00 am and haven't been anywhere near the lower portion of the lake. You can see pics at www.conleystriper.com. I'm not trying to start an argument, but the myth that you have to go to the lower end to catch stripers in just not true.

[FlyLie]

I've limited out every day I've fished this month by 9:00 am and haven't been anywhere near the lower portion of the lake. You can see pics at www.conleystriper.com. I'm not trying to start an argument, but the myth that you have to go to the lower end to catch stripers in just not true.

Thanks Joe,
Thats good enough for me. So there is still hope for the rest of us??? But I do fish the lower end, launch out of Halcombs...sorry, but have not been out on the lake fishing for stripers for about 6 weeks now, time to get the boat wet....

[peter]

I was on the lower end last weekend June 5 and 6 in the mouths. Fish were hitting 16 feet down in 20-30 feet of water and also caught one in 100 feet of water on a ballon with the sinker at 12'. Maybe hitting a little deeper too but I did hot try deeper. Some nice fish too. I was not disappointed with catching the small fish but did catch a few 16" inchers but they put up a pretty good fight right now--guess it is something to do with spawning. There are some updated reports from guides in the fishing report section of this site if you are interested.

[peter]

Sun and Mon

Caught fish in about 30' of water (near deep water) on 16' downlines using alewives and a few on threadfins. The first fish, 35 incher, hit on a downline so ditched the planner boards and fished all down. Three keepers, nice one got off near the boat due to operator error I think and quite a few 16 to 23 inchers. Nice smallie too.

Sat Bottom fished with shinners on a flat at bugwoods (straight out from James toward the radio tower) caught nothing at all. Not all that far from where I fished Sun and Mon.

[tstevens51]

I'm looking at going in late July and just using a guide. I understand summer striper mortality, but I'm concerned about dishing out 300$ catching 2 fish and being done. Are most fish caught under the limit or what is it like.

[apb]

I'm looking at going in late July and just using a guide. I understand summer striper mortality, but I'm concerned about dishing out 300$ catching 2 fish and being done. Are most fish caught under the limit or what is it like.

Any respectable guide will stop fishing for stripers once the limit is boated. Yes, that may mean you catch two fish and you are done.

Andrew

[lovetofish]

Used a striper guide in Tn last year we fished all day did not keep our limit until late in the day and caught lots of fish and only lost one fish to the heat but he did insist they were released quickly

[Duayne]

Used a striper guide in Tn last year we fished all day did not keep our limit until late in the day and caught lots of fish and only lost one fish to the heat but he did insist they were released quickly

They do not die right away (they will swim off) and when they do, they do not float. If the water temp was anything close to where Cumberland is right now, you guys probably killed every fish over 21 inches and even the smaller ones are iffy..

Stressed stripers in warm water causes a build up of lactic acid, which depletes the ability to retain oxygen. Without oxygen, the fish becomes paralyzed, suffocates and sinks.

Any respectable guide would know this. If it were water temps in the low 70's or lower, it's a little different story.

[BRS]

Are the strippers still hitting top water baits at night or is that over now?