Cland Striper Report 4/29

[kygun]

On the spur of the moment I decided that I would roll the dice last night on getting wet and make the 2 hr trip to Cland after striper/walleye. Last weeks trip yielded nothing but one short stripe and I figured with all of the recent warm rain and sunshine the shad would be going.

I didn't get on the water until 10pm and fished mid lake till 5am. In the end I boated 7 walleye with only one being short, the biggest 24". Also boated my biggest striper at 41". I was by myself and wanted to get him back in the water so no weight but nice gut. I figure based on pics of others I've caught with weight/length that it went 35 lbs. I cranked the trolling motor up on high and lipped him by the boat for about 10 minutes until he got good life back in him and left go.

Additionally caught a 17" SM, a 14" KY and one short stripe.

The shad activity was low with just a few flipping about 12' off the bank but not steady starting about midnight. I probably didn't hear more than 5 blowups all night. The best activity was from 1-3. Eyes were caught on a variety of baits including Bomber, Gizz4 and even though they wern't busting shad topwater, the Redfin was the go-to bait producing the most including the striper. Things are getting ready to bust loose for the topwater night bite. Hope this helps.

Striper Pic
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medi...042909_002.jpg

[thunderstorm]

Nice fish.

Thanks for the report. We didn't do any good the night before, but were up in a creek.
Your report keeps my hopes up for next time.

[Chubminnow]

Great report, nice looking striper too...sure do appreciate the Cumberland reports, keep'm coming!

[Fisherjoe]

Congrats on the nice fish and a good night. Plan to get down there in the next coupla weeks.

[kyjake]

Nice fish,thanks for the report.I haven't fished Cumberland since 1977 but reports like this may drag me back down there.The stripers are fun but the walleys are eaters.
Jake

[Scum_Frog]

great report keepem coming......thought bout going to the races at junction city tomorrow night but if it gets rained out, maybe,just maybe ill hit C_Land tomorrow night.....i got the bait just need to put them to use....hehehe

[FlyLie]

For sure, that is a nice fish. Thanks for sharing with the board. Oh, by the way, do you need a net man???

[thepoorehouse]

Hi,
Do you mind telling me how you were doing your fishing?

Trolling? Casting? Main lake? Creeks? Points?

I've got the baits you mentioned, just wouldn't know where to start.

Thanks. This was a great report.

On the spur of the moment I decided that I would roll the dice last night on getting wet and make the 2 hr trip to Cland after striper/walleye. Last weeks trip yielded nothing but one short stripe and I figured with all of the recent warm rain and sunshine the shad would be going.

I didn't get on the water until 10pm and fished mid lake till 5am. In the end I boated 7 walleye with only one being short, the biggest 24". Also boated my biggest striper at 41". I was by myself and wanted to get him back in the water so no weight but nice gut. I figure based on pics of others I've caught with weight/length that it went 35 lbs. I cranked the trolling motor up on high and lipped him by the boat for about 10 minutes until he got good life back in him and left go.

Additionally caught a 17" SM, a 14" KY and one short stripe.

The shad activity was low with just a few flipping about 12' off the bank but not steady starting about midnight. I probably didn't hear more than 5 blowups all night. The best activity was from 1-3. Eyes were caught on a variety of baits including Bomber, Gizz4 and even though they wern't busting shad topwater, the Redfin was the go-to bait producing the most including the striper. Things are getting ready to bust loose for the topwater night bite. Hope this helps.

Striper Pic
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medi...042909_002.jpg

[HURRICANEBOB]

Poor House,

This might help. KYGUN, correct me if I'm wrong. This time of year, if they are hitting on the main lake, then start on the main lake, and head to the banks. Usually, you'll find shear rock clifts, or rock banks to be the best, something with a ledge. Do Check out the points on the main lake, and the points at the mouths of the creeks. Your cruising, stopping, say 40 feet off the bank, and listening in the quiet the a "tinkling sound", that's the shad up spinning circles on the surface. When you hear that in an area. Work your self to the bank on the trolling motor slowly and quietly. You want to approach the bank slow, then flare out to parallel the bank with the boat. You want to be as close to the bank as possible, sometimes I'm 3-4 feet off the bank. Main engine up so you don't bump bottom and make noise. Stay back from the area where the shad are playing on the surface. Cast parallel to the bank, and try to make the lure hit withon a foot of the bank. Okay to bounce it off the rocks to get it there. With a Redfin, let it sit for a 4-5 seconds, then start a slow retreive so the lure is just wobbling in the surface. Lon A Bombers, or Gizz 4, when they hit the water, wait a second or 2, give them a couple quick short twitches to make a rucas, then start a retrieve. some times real slow, a couple twitches, then a little faster. Play with the speed till you get bit, telling you how fast they want it.

Here are some spots that work for me when main lake is producing. I lauch from Jamestown Ramp.
a. Out of Jamestown no wake, turn left, and work the walls there the whole way up to Lilly Creek. Try up to 300 feet inside the mouth of the creek on both sides.
b. Follow up the walls from Lilly to Wolfe, again working the walls as you go.
c. In side Wolfe, follow the right hand bank to the point and first right hand turn in teh creek. Walls from the mouth to that first turn usually works for me.
d. From mouth of Wolfe, across main lake, and then follow and work the tall walls on the south side/right side headed up to Harmon Creek.

No trolling, just all casting lures, either top water, or shallow runners.

Hope this helps, works for me. Email to me is [email protected] if you need more details or advice. Hey, on't rule out a bobber rig with the bait set 3 foot below the bobber. Again, boat parallel to bank. Cast parallel to bank so rig hits 2-3 feet out. Let it set a bit, then a slow retrieve, and stop. The bobber on the surface creates the "wake" on the surface that gets attention, and the bait just 3 feet down is the first thing they see as they approach what they saw and heard on the surface.

Good luck!

[NedFlanders]

Had 9 the other night ( Wendsday) 31 " the largest all casting . A few Walleye too......Walleye seem to be biting quite well got 5 but quite easily could have got more .......But we wanted some of them big Stripes also..........

[fishincreek]

Fished out of Jamestown Friday night. Had trouble finding many shad. Water temps mid to uper 60's. Seemed that the lake was being pulled pretty hard. Talked to one fella with one striper and several walleye- he was lamenting the lack of shad on the banks as well. He caught his fish on Thundersticks, while another caught theirs on Slivers.

[kygun]

That's pretty much it Bob. The only difference is that the shad seemed to be further off the bank than they will be when they really get going so I was casting parallel 6-10 ft from the bank. When they really get going I want to keep it from 0-6 ft. I've never tried the, let it sit, twitch retrieve, so I'll have to give that a try. I start reeling and soon as it hits the water and keep a slow steady retrieve. The way I like to retrieve(Redfin) is if your lure isn't making a v wake and you can't hear the BBs working, you're going to fast or too slow. The more BB noise the better. I whole heartedly agree on the stealthy approach.