Cumberland Striper Report

[Duayne]

Trolling probably is the better way to go but I was plume too lazy. Saw bait up higher and fish swirling for a while three cast distances away. LOL Still did OK bottom fishing but the bite was soft again. Lots of pull downs and fish getting off. Managed seven and never got the 30 inch plus kicker I was looking for. Had several in the area on other days but not yesterday or today. Bait was as easy as before so I haven't had issues with the moon. The closer to day break, the more the moon is to the west and the better the bait quantity and quality.

It's my experience that I've never known a shiner not to dig if they see the bottom regardless of where you hook them. Alewives tend to swim up regardless of where I you hook them (on Cumberland anyway). Hook Alewives through the nostrils and they tend to turn on the hook and hook themselves in the side of the head, unless you use a piece of rubber band or coffee can lid plastic before the bait to keep them from sliding too far up the hook. Hook through the tail and they don't last as long. Tail hooking today got less misses but got less bites.

If you want to "bottom fish" shiners on Cumberland, the way to do it is reverse. In the same area you would bottom fish, rig up three ways with the hook off the middle and a one ounce (no more no less; and I don't know why) weight on a two foot leader on the bottom. The middle leader needs to be right at a foot. Slow slow slow troll those rigs in the same area with the weights always on the bottom and your line as verticle as possible. The nose hooked Shiners will dive and fight to get to the bottom and will give the best action shiners can give.

[Mean Morone]

As far as bottom fishing goes, don't forget cut bait. I watched my buddy bait up with the biggest hunk of skipjack meat I've ever seen anyone fish with(except for blue cat fisherman in the rivers)and proceed to catch a 25 lb striper. That was a fun fight from shore. Of course that was many years ago before the dam repair.

[Duayne]

This is a good time of year for crush bait or stomp bait. Take a fresh baitfish and crush it until its almost mush. Hook it up and cast it out. Wish I had tried it to see if they would hit it.

[peter]

Put a light out at dark up in the creek where the channel is 35' last night.

Bait was so thick the graph was solid yellow. No chance of identifying stripers because everything was the same color. Lots of small threadfins gilled in net but plenty of good sized ones to.

Cought a 25.5" very healthy football shape with sinker 2-4' off bottom. Fish took bait and fought just like a channel cat. It Just pulled on the rod and very slowly moved away.

[Duayne]

Put a light out at dark up in the creek where the channel is 35' last night.

Bait was so thick the graph was solid yellow. No chance of identifying stripers because everything was the same color. Lots of small threadfins gilled in net but plenty of good sized ones to.

Cought a 25.5" very healthy football shape with sinker 2-4' off bottom. Fish took bait and fought just like a channel cat. It Just pulled on the rod and very slowly moved away.

I had the same thing, 40-30. Down rods do great now but the fish can sometimes be picky. If you see a pack of fish close to the bottom that aren't biting, drop a line down straight to the bottom and reel up through them. If you get one to turn on, most likely others will too.

I can't complain with the bottom fishing either. I guess I caught 40 in the week I was there. Umbrellas can also save the day!

[apb]

Duayne, you ever try verticle jigging a spoon when they are tight to the bottom like that?

Andrew

[Duayne]

Absolutely on the spoon (and a jig!)! Works great! But when trolling and you already have a live bait you can drop past them and bring up in seconds, it can get results faster than getting a spoon or jig down there.

[Mean Morone]

My buddy and I would look for schools of stripers that were 30 to 40 ft deep and drop a Flittebait 2 straight to the bottom and then reel up fast through the school. Stripers can't stand it.

[Duayne]

Those flitter baits are amazing! I've caught bass, bluegill and stripers on them. I've vertical jigged them and cast them out and slant jigged them. The vibration they put off when you move them fast is irresistible to fish.

[mhall]

Those flitter baits are amazing! I've caught bass, bluegill and stripers on them. I've vertical jigged them and cast them out and slant jigged them. The vibration they put off when you move them fast is irresistible to fish.

Duayne I love those Flitters also. I like a wind blown chop in the Spring when fish are chasing threadfin. Everything under the sun will bite that bait. One day at Cumberland everwhere Andrew and I went something hit that bait, largemouth, smallmouth, couple of small stripers and several decent White bass which he and I were very happy to see. I fish it everywhere and like to burn it for aggressive fish.

Man we thought the Whites were coming back and last year was terrible for us as only a couple were caught. The day I mentioned above was two years ago...

[Duayne]

I haven't seen a white bass yet on the lower end. Maybe cus I don't look for them?

Those flitter baits are also very good at getting stuck in my hand. I've had to remove three of them and had to bust the hook on two of them. Both went in and came back out another hole at the same time. I think the secret to those baits are in the flesh attracting hooks! Ha!

[mhall]

Ouch