Headed to Cumberland

[campinman]

Were they dragging live bait or casting into the jumps?
Thanks.

[adam7456]

This time of year if you are Striper fishing you should fish the lower end of the lake from Difficulty Creek to the Dam and there is only one reason for fishing this area.........99.999999999999% of the Stripers in the lake are THERE!!!
The jumps should be great this week so come on down here and have some fun!
LOL

I've heard this claim several times over the years but I'm not buying it. There are plenty of guides way up the lake that seem to have no problem catching fish. In fact the guide that I use moved from Beaver Creek Marina to Lee's Ford Marina. His business seems to be doing very well. If 99.99999% of the stripers were below Difficulty Creek I don't see how they would stay in business. I've got a guided trip with him this Sunday and plan on asking what his opinion is on this topic.

[campinman]

Let us know how you do Adam. I live 4 miles from Cumberland Point and catch my share of stripers without spending the gas to go to the Dam. I would catch alot more if I was any good at it...

[missionFISHIN]

99.9999% was just a number to make a point that there are more stripers on this end of the lake at this time of year.
Actually it is probably more like 90% on the lower end of the lake.
If they are releasing 500,000 or so stripers into the lake that would give you about 50,000 on your end of the lake.
Actually that is probably enough for a guide to have plenty of action for his clients.

My point is that most reports come from this end of the lake simply because most people know that fishing in an area
of the lake that has 9 times more fish than the other area of the lake is much more productive!!!

Good Luck Sunday

[mhall]

99.9999% was just a number to make a point that there are more stripers on this end of the lake at this time of year.
Actually it is probably more like 90% on the lower end of the lake.
If they are releasing 500,000 or so stripers into the lake that would give you about 50,000 on your end of the lake.
Actually that is probably enough for a guide to have plenty of action for his clients.

My point is that most reports come from this end of the lake simply because most people know that fishing in an area
of the lake that has 9 times more fish than the other area of the lake is much more productive!!!

Good Luck Sunday

Welcome to fishin.com, lol.....Thus one of the MANY reasons I quit posting some things on here...SMH.
I totally understood what you were trying to say and even agreed.

[adam7456]

99.9999% was just a number to make a point that there are more stripers on this end of the lake at this time of year.
Actually it is probably more like 90% on the lower end of the lake.
If they are releasing 500,000 or so stripers into the lake that would give you about 50,000 on your end of the lake.
Actually that is probably enough for a guide to have plenty of action for his clients.

My point is that most reports come from this end of the lake simply because most people know that fishing in an area
of the lake that has 9 times more fish than the other area of the lake is much more productive!!!

Good Luck Sunday

Thanks, I'll post back how things go and what the guide says. Hopefully this trip finally happens. I tried to go about 2 months ago and sank my boat. I was supposed to go with a guide about 2 weeks ago and one of his motors stopped working. Third time is the charm I hope.

Are you sure the fish move to the dam or does it just seem like it? The lower end of the lake has a lot more water, which means more fish. When they school up in the fall that means more schools with more fish. It may just seem like all the fish in the lake are down there and more noticeable because they are all schooled up. I don't know but that would be my guess. The stripers go where the bait fish go. So unless all the bait fish are migrating down to the dam I don't see why the stripers would leave their upriver habitat.

[missionFISHIN]

I think from early summer to mid-fall when stripers are really out on the main lake that the reason more come this way probably has to do with the water temperature. The upper end of the lake is shallower and thus is warmer than our end of the lake. I would say the bait and stripers simply move to a more comfortable place that time of year. I totally agree that we have more and larger schools of fish on this end at this time of year. I still find even on a larger part of the lake and in open water that these fish still will favor certain spots within this large area and when you learn their preferred spots it makes it easier to catch several fish. As I said before, you still have thousands of fish on that end to catch to keep the guides happy. I hope you figure it out, let me know when you find out if this is just a Myth or not.

[apb]

...Are you sure the fish move to the dam or does it just seem like it? The lower end of the lake has a lot more water, which means more fish. When they school up in the fall that means more schools with more fish. It may just seem like all the fish in the lake are down there and more noticeable because they are all schooled up. I don't know but that would be my guess. The stripers go where the bait fish go. So unless all the bait fish are migrating down to the dam I don't see why the stripers would leave their upriver habitat.

In saltwater (the striper's original home), they migrate twice a year. Once in spring and once in fall. Our lake/river stripers do the same. They'll head up to the head water areas (or up the major creeks) and back out to the main lake. During the fall migration you'll get large numbers of stripers forming massive schools. Bait such as gizzard shad and threadfin also move out to open water various times during the year. Alewifes also seek cooler water. Stripers follow the bait, in addition to their own migration patterns. Add to that the temp issues that Missionfish mentioned and you'll get larger numbers of stripers concentrated in certain parts of the lake at different times. Does that mean that you cannot catch stripers in other parts of the lake, no. You'll always get a few that will stick around mostly in one area. If you are chasing the odds, you go where you are more likely to run into larger numbers of stripers. That is why more folks target them Wolf Creek to the dam in the fall.

Andrew

[HURRICANEBOB]

Pics of our last trip 31 Oct-3 Nov. FYI

http://www.facebook.com/bob.hamme.33?ref=tn_tnmn

[tbair]

Went out of Jamestown last night just before dark. Stripers were jumping in decent size pods and would stay up long enough to get them and get hooked up once. One of the pods let me get 2 but had to reel in and release quick and get back in as going down. White/Green doll flys working best but top water was getting hit as well. Would not touch a Hopkins jig though, threw in 2 different schools jumping very aggressively nothing, reeled in threw a doll fly bam hit right away. All jumps seen were just outside of Marina straight across give or take a 100 yrds. Was only there in evening but others said they were jumping in morning along the wall but not staying up long. Guys were catching on umbrellas and live bait in morning.

Justin you dont have time to fish.. Race season isnt over yet..lol

[JUSTINHALL]

Justin you dont have time to fish.. Race season isnt over yet..lol

LOL, We race in between fishin round here Tim!!

[JUSTINHALL]

Fished out of Jamestown last Saturday and headed out tomorrow as well. Plenty of fish in the jumps that lasted till about 10:30 local time. Only fished the jumps no live bait and stripers were liking top water baits 3-1 to doll flys. Which is always fine by me, top water is always more fun.
Good luck this weekend guys.