Lake Cumberland striper fishing help!!

[Stratos Pro201XL]

Anyone been to lake Cumberland lately catching striper's? Do you think the water clarity will be good for striper's by Saturday? Any tips would be greatly appreciated

[JUSTINHALL]

See one of the other posts. Stay on the lower end, Burnside area is a mess very, very dirty. Best bet is to find clean water in the back of the creeks find the shad and you should find the stripers. If it is dirty in the creeks then move out to main lake and look for the birds. Some seagulls are here now so they will make your life easy, find them find the fish.
Following the birds is my favorite time of the year. It's pretty exciting to have 20-30 fish jumping everywhere and 50-60 birds going nuts trying to get the shad at the same time. It can get pretty intense at times.

[Stratos Pro201XL]

If I put in at Jamestown are there any bait shops open on Saturday where I can get live bait or do I even need live bait? Or will dollflys, and umbrella rigs work? This is my first time going to lake Cumberland to fish for the striper's? Looking for all the tips I can get. Thanks

[JimDi]

There is a BP store on the left before you go into Jamestown square. They usually have shiners.

[JUSTINHALL]

There are two places one is the BP/Bass pro on your right but if you go past that about 2 miles on your left is another BP gas station only they have live bait. Bass pro is closer to HWY Cumberland Pkway and the other is closer to Jamestown just on the edge before you get to Jamestown. It is cheaper at this BP gas station only and also better bait much more active.
You shouldn't need live bait though just doll fly, top waters etc and if they are not jumping you can use your umbrellas this time of year. You can use live during the winter but part of the winter fun is casting to them with lures. If you have a cast net shad is very easy to get in the back of the creeks right now.

[Stratos Pro201XL]

At what point of the water clarity do the striper's quit biting and why do they not bite when the water is dirty? Also I am trying to come down Saturday, do you think the water will be ok by then? Thanks

[JUSTINHALL]

If the water has a green tint to it you are OK, but if its brown its a no go. Why do they not bite? It's real simple they are not there they are gone, where they go though I don't know. I have spent 3 days all day in a row trying to find them in dirty water to see where they go and can't find them in dirty water. My guess is they keep swimming until they get to clear water. I am sure it is clearer towards the bottom but I don't see them there anywhere in dirty water. Striper studies in other water systems, fish with micro chips show that they can migrate 80-100 miles in one day so its pretty easy from them to go to clear water then come back when it clears up.

Now I am sure somebody has caught a striper in dirty water but as whole it is not common to do that.

[Stratos Pro201XL]

Thanks for the help. Do they have gas stations open on the lake in the winter time?

[JUSTINHALL]

Beaver does for sure and Jamestown I believe still does they close at some point but I think is still open now.