Tips on Bass Fishing on the Cumberland River in Kentucky

Where to Fish

Striped bass in Cumberland River are constantly on the move, so go up and down the river to look for them. Concentrate your efforts below the town of Burkesville for the best striped bass fishing, according to Hatches Magazine. Creek mouths, fallen trees and pools also hold striped bass sometimes. The deep water by long, sloping rock points often holds striped bass, as do the twists and turns in the channel. Anglers often have luck in the open waters of the channel. Find running bait fish, such as shad, and stripers often make an appearance. The river is very deep, over 200 feet in many places, and bass are often caught as deep as 60 feet.

When to Fish

Spring is the best time to fish for stripers on Cumberland River, particularly in April and May. Midnight to the early morning hours is the best time for catching. Many anglers are successful blind-casting in the open waters all day long. Doug Stephens, a biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, recommends fishing after midnight around the mouth of creeks, as the shad come up, or casting topwater plugs at the mouth of Lily Creek or Wolf Creek just after dusk. When the water temperatures reach the high 70s, bass move to deeper water. This usually happens around the second week of June. Then, downrigging or trolling with shad or alewives on the main creek channels produces more bass. The open waters are also good places to fish in warmer weather.

What to Fish With

Striped bass in Cumberland River are spoiled, and prefer very large bait. Many local anglers use streamers 1 foot or longer, with a 10 weight. Bring a good selection of sinking line and 10-inch streamers that imitate rainbow trout, skipjack and herring. For trolling, 12-inch gizzard shad, or skipjack longer than 20 inches with planer boards, is successful. Use large flies and bring plenty of spares. Many anglers use shad, but they are difficult to keep alive. You need a round container with an air pump to preserve them. Carolina-style rigging is successful, but people also use bobbers or balloons. Anglers also report success with jigging spoons and blade baits. For surface fishing, opt for walking sticks and poppers, or swim a jig through the stripers as they frolic on the top of the water.

Other Tips

There are very few places to wade fish on Cumberland River, so the best fishing is done by boat. There is an area to wade fish at Wolf Creek Dam in Jamestown, where the tail waters of Cumberland River begin. If you fish there, pay attention to how you came in. Waters often rise quickly, and you cannot depend on water generation schedules to be accurate. Stay ready for a quick retreat. Fishing guides in the area keep tabs on where the bass run, and many anglers are willing to pay the price to hire a guide to locate the bass. Daily limits are strict. As of July 2011, the minimum length for keeping a striped bass is 24 inches.