Cumberland Stripers

[MJ]

Fished friday and saturday nights.

Friday night we found lots of bait but not many blow ups, at least that classic stripper blow up. Missed one and did not get any fish in the boat. Fished the jamestown to beaver creek area. Used mostly red fins and slivers. The weather was not ideal friday.

Saturday the conditions were great. Fished difficulty to wolf/lilly area. Did not hear anything until 130 area to 5am. We did hear some nice striper blow ups (like 5) in a cove at the mouth of wolf. Landed 2 on thunderstick. Still limited activity but we had a good time.

I guess I'm old. The good ole days of limiting out at night in a couple hours are long gone and I don't know if they will ever return. Hard to fish for them now when you know how much fun it used to be.

[bsg2121]

I guess I'm old. The good ole days of limiting out at night in a couple hours are long gone and I don't know if they will ever return. Hard to fish for them now when you know how much fun it used to be.

My problem with it now is the size of the fish. Back in the day every fish was a keeper and it would easily be 7-15 pounds. These 23 inch fish just dont get me excited like those big ones. I hope the lake can get back to those 30-36 inch plus fish. I loved wowing people with the pictures and fish frys. I am hoping the increased water level, increased brush and the stocking of more striper can get the lake back to the quality striper lake i fell in love with.

[mhall]

My problem with it now is the size of the fish. Back in the day every fish was a keeper and it would easily be 7-15 pounds. These 23 inch fish just dont get me excited like those big ones. I hope the lake can get back to those 30-36 inch plus fish. I loved wowing people with the pictures and fish frys. I am hoping the increased water level, increased brush and the stocking of more striper can get the lake back to the quality striper lake i fell in love with.

I hope so to but I say pressure keeps this from happening. Just way to many folks day after day, week after week, month after month year after year keeping every 2 that are legal. Back in the day the pressure was not even close to what it is now.
What is there about 100 guides on Cumberland now.......
I'll get slammed for that comment but that's my opinion...

[stripernut1]

mark, I couldn't agree with you more !! the pressure is overwhelming at times. the guides are plentiful for sure, and collectively there is o arguing they "ice down" a bunch of fish throughout the year. I will add to your post by saying there are some pretty deadly "civilian striper chasers" out there each weekend, some of them are conservation minded, and some (I understand why, they are fun to catch) will catch and release and catch and release until they run out of bait. I know we have beat the "striper mortality horse" to death on here before. but if me and my partner catch 4 legal stripers and "ice em" , we have only killed 4. the catcher and releaser guy has fought , stressed and ran the risk of delayed mortality on "umpteen" stripers during that same time period. just another obstacle that in my opinion will hamper the goal of a trophy fishery. and some will argue that a 30 incher is a trophy, and I couldn't be happier for that person. But a lot of you guys, mark duayne, bob etc etc remember when you didn't even keep a ruler on the boat, why would you need that thing. im talking about measuring in pounds, not inches.until then I will do like everybody else, keep getting up at 3am, catching bait, rigging 12 rods, fighting the wind, the crowds, the gar and whatever else gets in the way just to get that chance to yell "FISH ON"!!!!

[mhall]

Spot on Jeff....Point well taken. I keep an occasional Striper or two for the table but release waaaaaaaay more than I keep. I usually do this in the early times of the year and again late in the Fall when the water temps will support catch and release much better. I do not pull bait and don't fish for Stripers in Cumberalnd during the warm water months. I catch them in the Ohio and release them but that is a different animal all together for the most part.

I mostly chase them ole Brown fish but I do love the Striper fishing and will try and support and help the conservation efforts in any way I can..

[jsnschmidt]

Was thinking of heading up to lake Cumberland this weekend and was wandering were the stripers are at by now and were to catch the shad. Any input would be much appreciated!

[stripernut1]

the stripers are on the move big time.....I know of stripers being caught on mainlake rock walls, flats close to the bank, flats in the middle of the lake, mouths of the creeks to mid creek, man you have just got to put your stuff out and start hunting. for bait you need to look at the thread that is titled "Cumberland Bait", its all there. P.S. YOU DO REALIZE WHAT WEEKEND IS COMING UP ? YOU WILL HAVE A MINUTE OR TWO OF PEACE AT DAYLIGHT, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE A WELL PLANNED ESCAPE IN PLACE FOR WHEN THE ZOMBIES WAKE UP

[mhall]

the stripers are on the move big time.....I know of stripers being caught on mainlake rock walls, flats close to the bank, flats in the middle of the lake, mouths of the creeks to mid creek, man you have just got to put your stuff out and start hunting. for bait you need to look at the thread that is titled "Cumberland Bait", its all there. P.S. YOU DO REALIZE WHAT WEEKEND IS COMING UP ? YOU WILL HAVE A MINUTE OR TWO OF PEACE AT DAYLIGHT, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE A WELL PLANNED ESCAPE IN PLACE FOR WHEN THE ZOMBIES WAKE UP

The man flat tells the truth....I would rather be beat with a real fat stick than be anywhere near Cumberland on a Holiday weekend. I LOVE the lake almost as much as my wife.... But on Holiday weekends............OH HELL NO...

[bsg2121]

mark, I couldn't agree with you more !! the pressure is overwhelming at times. the guides are plentiful for sure, and collectively there is o arguing they "ice down" a bunch of fish throughout the year. I will add to your post by saying there are some pretty deadly "civilian striper chasers" out there each weekend, some of them are conservation minded, and some (I understand why, they are fun to catch) will catch and release and catch and release until they run out of bait. I know we have beat the "striper mortality horse" to death on here before. but if me and my partner catch 4 legal stripers and "ice em" , we have only killed 4. the catcher and releaser guy has fought , stressed and ran the risk of delayed mortality on "umpteen" stripers during that same time period. just another obstacle that in my opinion will hamper the goal of a trophy fishery. and some will argue that a 30 incher is a trophy, and I couldn't be happier for that person. But a lot of you guys, mark duayne, bob etc etc remember when you didn't even keep a ruler on the boat, why would you need that thing. im talking about measuring in pounds, not inches.until then I will do like everybody else, keep getting up at 3am, catching bait, rigging 12 rods, fighting the wind, the crowds, the gar and whatever else gets in the way just to get that chance to yell "FISH ON"!!!!

If we could get more people to fish for something else that might help.....which i hear the lake is loaded with walleye but not many people fish for them. I have caught a few during nite bite but dont really know how to fish for them. I would be willing to pay to learn. Anyone know a good walleye guide?

[stripernut1]

we had a keeper walleye this morning, first one since a 29 incher in march. I know a couple people that "claim" to offer walleye trips but they are striper trips hoping to catch a by-product walleye. I also know 4 older gentlemen that would be a bona fide sure enough excellent chance to catch/learn the Cumberland walleye game, they regularly catch limits of big eyes. But they are part of some super secretive walleye society and will go to their grave with their bag of tricks.

[Duayne]

But a lot of you guys, mark duayne, bob etc etc remember when you didn't even keep a ruler on the boat, why would you need that thing. im talking about measuring in pounds, not inches.until then I will do like everybody else, keep getting up at 3am, catching bait, rigging 12 rods, fighting the wind, the crowds, the gar and whatever else gets in the way just to get that chance to yell "FISH ON"!!!!

I remember those days. There hasn't been a reason to consider a return to measuring in pounds until they get\got this dam situation under control. I am thinking the current level will work as long as they aren't worried about pulling the heck out of it when big rains come late in the summer. The last few years they've been throwing striper numbers at the bait management part of things. I am sure that has effected growth patterns and I haven't been all that upset about it. At least the smaller ones make it through the recent late summers. I still firmly believe the days of those trophy fish had as much to do with dumping rainbows in the lake but I have no facts to back it up. I know there were several factors but the size decline came right after they stopped dumping the rainbows in there. I still have old rainbow pattern large redfins that used to be deadly at this time.

Not gonna get started on the warm weather catch and release issue other than to say +1.

I'm gonna brave an early morning or two this weekend and maybe a night. But I have a plan! BBBBWWWAAAAAA!!!

[HURRICANEBOB]

Okay here's the plan. We call it "operation lower unit for anglers" (OLUFA)

We need volunteers.

All anglers ramp in and fish all night in the calm and piece and quiet. At 4 AM CST, we put "OLUFA" in to effect.

Using rubber boat bumpers, we string 1/4 braided steel cable out from bumper to bumper, 25 foot apart, from one side to the other, of the outside of the no wake buoys at the major marinas. We need deployment teams to volunteer for J-Town, Ally 2, Grider Hill, and Beaver Creek Marina. Wolfe Creek Marina is not a problem because Houseboats do not troll Stripers or bass fish. Teams deploy the bump-cable lines by NLY 0445 hrs CST.

With this obstacle defense line in place, all anglers continue to conduct maritime/angling operations knowing pleasure boaters, jet ski's, and thunder boats will be either disabled, confused, or just plain to drunk to get passed the emplaced cable bumper lines.

Operation OLUFA will terminate 10:00 CST as marina personnel dismantle the bumper cable deterents to navigation and the lake again returns to "Lake Party Time".

Plan first effective date is Saturday, 25 May. All volunteer deployment teams will maintain sufficent stocks to be prepared to re-emplace obstacles and reactivate the plan on order 0400 CST 26 and 27 May. Plan will terminate once all anglers have been invited and are on board a houseboat with hotties, hot tub, hot jams, and free beer.

Acknowledge receipt, encrypt response, acknowledge with code phrase "Burbon Barrier Bob" (short text "BBB")

Bob-06, ........OUT.