Fishing Report For Lake Cumberland, KY

Current Report: Good To Very Good

WINTER. The cold of Winter has isolated largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channel edges. Water temperatures are currently in the 40's, and bass can be found from 8 to 20 feet deep, around main-lake channel edges, rock piles, stump fields and brush piles. Good numbers are coming from the upper ends of protected creeks and coves, like Lilly, Clifty and Pumpkin creeks in the Jamestown area. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate from the group in 5 or more feet deeper water. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs or finesse worms are often the key to getting bites. On warmer days, especially during late afternoons, bass may move a bit shallower to feed.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water nearby spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 2 to 10 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Some of the better spawning areas include protected, shallow flats and points in Otter Creek, Wolf Creek, Caney Creek and Beaver Creek. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 6 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 15 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they will be caught in 12 to 15 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 15 to 40 feet deep. Some of the best reports typically come from anglers fishing around shallow weed edges and mid-lake humps.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 6 to 20 feet of water, around points, docks and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps, flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 15 to 20 feet of water. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.

Current Report: Very Good

Crappie fishing has been good in Lake Cumberland for many years, and this year has continued that tradition. The Wolf Creek area is reported to be one of the better areas for nice crappie.

WINTER. Now that the shallows have turned cold, crappie have migrated to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Good stringers are coming from the lower ends of major creek arms, including Wolf Creek, Fishing Creek, Lower Caney and Conley Bottom. Currently they are being caught using a very slow presentation, in 8 to 18 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerged timber, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. When they suspend in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into slightly shallower water to feed.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 8 to 12 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as both black crappie and white crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 8 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 10 to 15 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 10 to 15 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 15 to 30 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. As Fall begins warming the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 6 to 18 feet of water, around creek mouths and points. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward deeper flats along the channel edges, and winter holding areas. In late Fall, small flutter spoons, fished around crappie in 10 to 20 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles.

Current Report: Good

Stripers feed on shad and alewives, so they tend to follow them around the lake here.

WINTER. Now that Winter has set in, stripers are hanging out in deeper water. They usually feed close to the bottom, around 10 or 40 feet deep as they feed on roaming schools of threadfin shad and alewives. The main lake basin, along deep channels is holding schools of stripers, especially in the section of lake around the dam. Good numbers are coming from points in Beaver Creek, Conley Bottom, Conley Creek, and Otter Creek. Locate schools of bait, then look for stripers close by. Fish finders, and forward facing sonar, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice stripers are caught while drift fishing with live bait or cut bait. Spoons, umbrella rigs, blade baits, and heavy hair jigs are also effective this time of year. Due to the stripers slower metabolism this time of year, anglers are triggering more strikes by working baits more slowly.

SPRING. Water temperatures return to the mid 60's, and that's ideal for the stripers to spawn. In Spring, work the upper end of the lake, and the backs of coves, where there is inflowing water. Good numbers typically come from up-river stretches around the Wolf Creek arms and Conley Bottom. If they spawn, this is where they will lay eggs in the moving water. They also move into transition zones on the main lake, in 8 to 20 feet of water, feeding on baitfish which are moving toward the shallows. Expect to locate them on mid-depth ledges, flats or points. The lake record is over 58 pounds, and many anglers are catching stripers in the 25- to 40-pound range.

SUMMER. Summer months are the ideal time to chase striped bass here. These stripers hang out in deeper water during the heat of the day, 15 to 30 feet deep, early in the season. Much of the time they are holding over deeper, open water. Morning often draws the stripers shallower, so look for them around the 10- to 20-foot range, as they feed on roaming schools of baitfish. Being successful at fishing for stripers in Summer is a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of stripers are likely to be nearby. Later in Summer, expect to locate schools 20 to 60 feet deep. Fish finders, and sonar electronics, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice stripers are being caught while trolling or drift fishing. Spoons, blade baits, crankbaits, live bait and cut bait are all effective here.

FALL. In Fall, stripers return to shallower water. Early in the day stripers chase bait to the surface and feed aggressively, making this an excellent time for topwater action. They follow schools of bait, which are hanging out in 10 to 30 feet of water. Lower creek arms, like Fishing Creek, Conley and Beaver, as well as the Wolf Creek area often hold nice schools of bait and striped bass. Look for shallow water along wind-blown shorelines, nearby deeper river channels, and fish them thoroughly. Most any lure that resembles shad will catch striped bass at this time of year. Late Fall will find most of the stripers in 20 to 30 feet of water.