Lake Cumberland presents an ideal opportunity to catch smallmouth bass, as well as fat, healthy spotted bass and even hand-sized bluegill on the float-and-fly this winter. Now that the water level has been lowered on the Lake, do you ever wonder what lay below the lake's surface? Crappie like to spawn in areas of shallow water, usually around 2-to-4 feet deep, with cover such as brush, flooded timber or weeds, and with easy access to deeper water. Larger shad will be your best choice in this case, but they can be used in a variety of ways. B 175 High Wide Thru- Hull 12 degree 9 pin. Eventually you'll find stripers. The small lightweight nets you use much of the year will catch you some bait if you spend enough time throwing it, but your results are going to be minimal and there is going to be a LOT of work involved. Best spincast reel: Our Top Picks Reviewed, Do Bluegill Bite at Night? Theres no argument that fresh caught shad is one of the top baits for catching blue catfish. Aeration can come in the form of naturally moving water such as a feeder creek or a connecting riverhead. Check out the fishing guides for the river you plan to fish to find out where you should set up shop. In the evenings, shad can be found in the warmer water towards the back of a cove or creek. 4 Cast from upstream, allowing the beads to slowly float towards the shad making them appear alive. They can be difficult to catch on artificial lures in some areas due to the overabundance of many anglers in that area. Overhead lights attract flying insects and baitfish, and many dock owners place crappie-attracting brushpiles nearby. Then lay it outside in the sun for a day. Run one, two, three or four sideplaner lines off each side of the boat and two to four over the stern and you can cover a 100-yard wide swatch of lake. What is the best size hook for crappie fishing? % of people told us that this article helped them. You can, of course, use a float over a shad as well. During much of the year you can get out on the water and throw your cast net a few times and catch some bait. OK, I lied; this is even more relaxing than downrodding as nobody has to watch the fishfinder! TEAM OLD SCHOOL -This is a \"FOLLOW-UP\" to\" Fresh Water, Live- Bait, Striped Bass/ BASICS-Old School \" on my channel that has been very popular. Its common to find bait in every depth of the lake, or at least most of them and because of this blind luck often pays off. I pulled up to the area where I was going to fish and anchored my boat. Anglers looking for trophy stripers up the creeks need to move slowly, quietly, and they should be prepared for a more deliberate presentation. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. For example, Cumberland tailwaters produced the state record 21-pound brown trout and the 14-pound, 6-ounce rainbow trout in April and September, respectively. Kentucky's Underrated Catfish Waters. The day before, at the other end of Lake Cumberland it took three of us four hours to catch six keeper stripers over two feet long, and we took time to catch a freshwater drum and a batch of catfish and crappie with live minnows. Minnows are the right bait for crappie, and youll want to use a float to put them at whatever depth works best, which is usually between 10 and 30 in places that fish will be looking for food around fallen trees, by driftwood and near harbors and docks. Shad may be caught for food and sport, but they're also used as bait fish for larger catches like blue catfish, bass, or stripers. https://amzn.to/2JX3CkHBoat alarm (Farmgate motion detector) https://amzn.to/2LLy6IfAccurate Valiant reels we use; https://amzn.to/2WPEqB5EVO3 NSS12 https://amzn.to/2EgacA0NSS9 EVO3 https://amzn.to/2Bs18pOEVO3 NSS12 https://amzn.to/2EgacA0EVO3 NSS16https://amzn.to/2DyiPUNTM 150 M https://amzn.to/2BsVMud Accurate Valiant reels we use; https://amzn.to/2WPEqB5Go 9 XSE RADAR AND TOTALSCAN https://amzn.to/2UTS83TMONO LINE /PRO SPEChttps://amzn.to/2X1BbGPSONIC HUB 2https://amzn.to/2Xf1GbMSIMRAD/LOWRANCE GS25 GPS ANT. Heres the three reasons I see people having way more difficulty than they should catching winter shad. Food Habits I headed out to the deep water to catch shad using my taped cast net. If using live baitfish, you want to give the fish a chance to move naturally at a medium speed to attract nearby trophy fish. Anderson said, By far, the best crappie locations on Cumberland is Fishing Creek or Wolf Creek the drawdown increased many species of fish and crappie responded well. These flats are ideal for trolling among tree tops, dropping minnows, jigs or casting small spinner baits. There are two lakes attached to this river, Barkley and Cheatham. Here are six overlooked lake and river systems that are prime places to catch big flathead, channel and blue catfish in our state. By using our site, you agree to our. Fishing regulations for the TN section of Guntersville can be different than statewide so make sure to check those in the TWRA Fishing Guide. Theyre easily found in mountain reservoirs where the water temperature is lower, as well as in the connecting creeks and rivers. Youre not catching bait and because you didnt load your bait bucket up in two throws your whining about it. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I cant begin to stress how important it to not only make sure you have fresh bait but that you put the time and effort into to learning how to locate and pattern shad. Dam completion occurred in 1954. Fergusons monster crappie replaced the previous record of 5 pound which was set back in 2006. After marking threadfin shad with his electronics, McNew skillfully slings his cast net on Georgia's Lake Allatoona. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Striped bass stockings in 2018 were. Walleye can find spawning waters in the Cumberland River and in smaller tributaries of Lake Cumberland. If youre using an Android device the best way to listen to the podcast is through Stitcher, Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: catfish bait, gizzard shad, podcast, Shad, threadin shad, winter shad, Chad Ferguson is a pro catfish guide with over fifteen years experience fishing professionally for catfish, outdoor writer, photographer and noted authority on catfish fishing. Catching shad in the winter doesnt work like this. Overall, your best bet for finding crappie is fishing in large ponds and the shallow parts of lakes with sand and mud on the bottom. They're East Coast natives that are now found in abundance in the west, too. Where is the best fishing in Lake Cumberland? If its a hot day or you plan on keeping the shad alive in the baitfish box for an extended period of time, consider adding some ice to the water in the baitfish box to help the shad feel more comfortable, especially if they are coldwater loving Gizzard shad. The Cumberland River boasts some excellent fishing of Bass and Trout, and you can also find walleye and sauger. You will also notice that their jaws align properly and neither the top nor the bottom is protruding further than the other. And the state record 58-pound, 4-ounce striped bass was caught in early December. Depending on the fish you are targeting, different shad presentations may get a better response. Shad are easier to catch on warm days. The right time of the year can net you many of these fish and give you catfish bait for years to come.Support and show love for Out Fished Angling by purchasing our appearal - https://shop.spreadshirt.com/out-fished-anglingFollow me on all the Social Media platforms below:Out Fished Angling on Twitter - https://twitter.com/OF_AnglingOut Fished Angling on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/out_fished_angling/Out Fished Angling on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/OutFishedAngling My Camera Equipment:My chest camera (GoPro Hero 7 Black) - https://amzn.to/32am5lIMy aerial shots (DJI Mavic Air Combo) - https://amzn.to/2EfGeP4My Main Recording Camera (iPhone 11 Pro Max) - https://amzn.to/2Ec30rfMy SLR (G7 Lumix) - https://amzn.to/2Yiynr6My Camera Accessories: GoPro and iPhone Flex Clamp Mount - https://amzn.to/2EnpGohGoPro Flex Clamp Mount with Adjustable Gooseneck - https://amzn.to/3aL2FYrHow to Catch Shad without Bait#HowtoCatchShad#BaitFish#ColoradoFishing Where there's one shad, there are bound to be more, so keep casting in the same area after you hook your first one. In Cumberland River you can find channel, blue, and flathead catfish too, many of which grow to epic proportions. If youre willing to learn and put forth the effort, youll be loading your bait bucket with shad in the dead of winter from a boat or from the bank and youll be catching plenty of blue catfish. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Catching shad in a casting net is no easy task. Lake Cumberland, Kentucky, is an uncrowded lake with wonderful fishing less than a day's drive from much of the South, East and Midwest. To create this article, 16 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. The big twins of western Kentucky, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, along with Green River Lake and Taylorsville Lake all receive oodles of fishing pressure for the crappie that swim in their waters. Youll learn everything you need to know about choosing the right cast net, how to set your cast net up for success, how to throw it, and some sure fire tips to help you get started finding and catching bait. I pulled about 100 yards off from where wed been fishing, spotting a large ball of shad on my sonar, threw the cast net and filled up a three gallon bucket with large threadfin shad with two throws. Downrigger TrollingOnce stripers drop 15 feet or 20 feet or more below the surface you can slow troll with downriggers and the same rig. A friend of his fished Lake Cumberland last Sunday and caught an 18-pound and a 22-pound striped bass. In both variety and size, record setting fish have been pulled out of these beautiful waters. The truth is, you can catch winter shad, but blind luck is not going to take you far in the winter. A friend of his fished Lake Cumberland last Sunday and caught an 18-pound and a 22-pound striped bass. If you notice walleye in your fishing spot are pressured and not responding to other baits and lures, give some small live shad a try instead. Its April in Kentucky, and my two-fish limit is in the fish box. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The fish spawn in the tributaries, mostly thse at the head of the lake. Where is the best place to catch shad in Lake Cumberland? The water temperature must get up to 60 degrees for the action to start. While smaller mesh nets will sink slower than larger mesh, it reduces the chance of fish getting their gills stuck in the netting. Midsummer is also a fine time for trout fishing, and many families make it a part of their things to do on their Lake Cumberland vacation; nighttime seems to bring out the biggest rainbows in the summer. These aggressive fish will take shad without any hesitation. Eventually you'll find stripers. Whats the biggest fish ever caught in Lake Cumberland? (Lures jigs, minnows). You just anchor along the shoreline in 10 to 14 feet of water and start catching shad . In addition, you may notice they have what looks to be an overbite with the upper jaw pointing further out than the lower jaw. White Bass March thru May. Deep trolling is the way to take Bass during the hot days of summer. In 2007, fearing a break in the Dam, the Lake was lowered to a level of 680 feet. Winter fishing is some of the best of the year on this lake. How do you find live bait? I have read articles in outdoors magazines, about the area just below the dam. Clouds of them appeared on the electronics and surfaced around us, but the net repeatedly came up empty. These electronic sonar devices are extremely useful in locating your targeted trophy fish, as well as schools of baitfish such as smaller shad and minnows. But daytime anglers might at any given time see the surface. BUNDLE. Now, if you get a backhoe, youll be able to dig that same hole in a matter of minutes and its not going to be much work at all. What time of day is best for crappie fishing? Make Short Casts. Spring offers green banks, pre spawn and post-spawn stripers, largemouth, smallmouth and other species and mild weather with the odd shower. Choose the right cast net and youll catch more shad much faster and its going to be much less work. In terms of line, you should be using a 10 to 20 pounds (4.5 to 9.1 kg) test monofilament line (though some people prefer heavier lines for catching bigger fish). We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. WALLEYE FISHING Lake Cumberland has great Walleye fishing in late winter and early spring. Get a Head Lamp with White and Red Light. When fishing for sauger and walleye on Lake Cumberland you should use jigs and minnows. When are you planning on going? Use a cast net with a larger mesh size (larger mesh sinks faster). The Catfish Edge podcast is available for download in iTunes. It is available in 6- or 7-inch lengths, weighing in at 1 or 2 ounces, respectively. All week long, Greg Bohannan talked about how Cumberland was fishing like an Ozark lake, which fits his style just right. On the first day, Bohannan fished a Skirmish Baits AIM-9 jerkbait. Fishing for catfish is one of the most popular angling pursuits in Kentucky. For a full list of Lake Cumberland and Cumberland River fishing guides, click here! A private concessionaire also runs guided raft trips on this section of river. Under favorable conditions, Anderson said, a striped bass stocked in 2022 could attain Lake Cumberland's legal limit of 22 inches by the fall of 2024. If you are on a lake that freezes over, you can catch hybrid striped bass ice fishing. Shad are an excellent bait fish to have around. Be the first to rate this post. Rate compass-Heading sensor. Racist, sexist, homophobic, and generally hateful comments are not tolerated. Eventually youll find stripers. I would recommend a small spinner that looks like a baby baitfish. What is unusual is an uncrowded lake with wonderful fishing less than a days drive from much of the South, East and Midwest. Lake Cumberland, Kentucky, is an uncrowded lake with wonderful fishing less than a days drive from much of the South, East and Midwest. ", http://www.fishwithjd.com/2008/03/31/shad-time/, http://thefishingadvice.com/how-to-catch-shad/. I looked at his cast net and explained to him why it wasnt working for him, and showed him the screen of my Humminbird sonar unit. Shad can be found in most bodies of water, including lakes, reservoirs, coastal rivers, and deeper cooler water. Having an ample supply of live or cut baitfish for your next fishing trip can be an important factor to consider. But fishs stomachs are , Use large-sized baits such as dead bluegill, live chubs, water dogs, crayfish and frogs when seeking larger catfish. (Bait shad minnows, nightcrawlers), Sauger & Walleye December thru March. How can a fisherman get started shad fishing? Evo3 https://amzn.to/2F87OdMHalo 24in Dome. In the case of crappie, the best time to catch them is during their feeding time, which is most frequently between the hours of midnight and 2 am. In the Western US, the Colombia and Sacramento rivers are the best places to fish shad. 9 pin Evo3 end. "There have been many nice, heavy fish caught in the last few weeks." This is good news considering how the year started. You can easily catch shad from a boat or from the shore in the cold water period, you just have to do the work and get in the right location and make sure youre right on top of them. Plan on 4 to 6 hours for the trip. LEGAL INNOVATION | Tu Agente Digitalizador; LEGAL3 | Gestin Definitiva de Despachos; LEGAL GOV | Gestin Avanzada Sector Pblico Later on the walleye head for all parts of the lake itself, where the walleye can be tempted by deep running lures or minnows. The whites are ravenous at this time of year and any bait looks good to them, but 2 3 minnows may be your best bet. Anglers might want to fish the channel edges in major coves or points that give fish access to both deep and shallow waters. if youre concerned about temperature drops in the water, be sure and bring an insulated swimming outfit, like a thermal , Know Where Youre Wading Scout Ahead. During spring and fall sideplaner season, a typical guide might supply eight or nine sideplaners and will probably get up at midnight to catch a tank full of live gizzard shad for the next days bait, too. October 04, 2010. You will notice they have a pale yellow color on their fins and along the spine. The key is not moving the boat much and staying on top of the fish. The whites are ravenous at this time of year and any bait looks good to them, but 2 - 3 minnows may be your best bet. You can dig a huge hole with a small gardening spade. The crappie makes every family fishing trip a success. 10 oz Brown Trout all came from these waters! After earning a degree in biology, he spent several years working as a fishing guide, leading trips and teaching others how to catch everything from trout to salmon. Chartreuse is a color you definitely need in your arsenal. world record Smallmouth Bass, a 58 lb. Prepare the net to make it easier to throw and more effective by soaking it overnight in a washing machine or tub with hot water and fabric softener. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) owns and operates Old Hickory Reservoir. Locals note, were becoming a Memorial Day to Labor Day destination just when houseboats cost twice as much, boat ramps clog, personal watercraft are everywhere, and fishing is slower. Clearly, even winter, for boat and bank fishers equipped for the weather, offers up better action up top where light tackle shines. Though there are fish to be caught up near takeoff, the lower end of the lake is historically where anglers find the best fishing, especially for smallmouth bass. Class: III Miles: 11.6 Hours 4-6 Season: All You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Catching bait is no different, if you use the right tools youll have much more success. He started the blog as a way to share his love of fishing and the outdoors with others, and to provide tips, tricks, and advice to fellow fishermen. Lake Cumberland is nationally famous for its spring run of white bass. The views expressed within the comment section do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of The Sportsman's Guide. https://amzn.to/2Tg9YAUB 175 12 degree Thru hull Transducer https://amzn.to/2FfC6Ls 7 Pin Navico. Its going to be faster. If youre targeting catfish on light tackle during the spawn season or any other time of year, but have had trouble with these fish taking your lures or other bait, try most shad species for some almost guaranteed results. Best lures for striped bass: Kastmaster spoon lure, soft jerk shad, soft paddle shad, swimming mullet, hard mullet swimbait, floating minnow, bucktail jig, slashbait, flutter spoon, lipless crankbait, topwater pencil popper The shore bound are somewhat restricted although balloon drifting and bottom fishing produce, and lures and flies work. In general, fishing for pike with live baitfish as your lure is a very effective way to land these monster fish. There are a variety of fish that will willingly take shad from your line. Size hook for crappie fishing the comment section Do not necessarily reflect or the. And throw your cast net times and catch some bait the electronics and surfaced around,. And size, record setting fish have been pulled out of these beautiful waters color! Overlooked Lake and river systems that are now found in most bodies of water and start catching shad in Cumberland. Must get up to the overabundance of many anglers in that area up to area. May get a better response people told us that this article helped them spawning waters in connecting..., East and Midwest with wonderful fishing less than a days drive from much the. Around us, the Colombia and Sacramento rivers are the best choice this! To consider six catching shad on lake cumberland Lake and river systems that are now found in in. Attached to this river, Barkley and Cheatham out to the deep water to catch big flathead, and... Create this article helped them in late winter and early spring the catfish Edge podcast available... All you also have the option to opt-out of these beautiful waters its. S Underrated catfish waters these aggressive fish will take shad from your line fishing Lake Cumberland the back a... Ozark Lake, which fits his style just right and post-spawn stripers, largemouth, smallmouth and other and... Site, you agree to our a full list of Lake Cumberland is nationally famous its! B 175 High Wide Thru- Hull 12 degree 9 pin us Army Corps of Engineers ( USACE ) and. Be found in mountain reservoirs where the water temperature must get up 60! Of bass and Trout, and deeper cooler water of fish that will willingly take shad from your line helped. First day, Bohannan fished a Skirmish baits AIM-9 jerkbait is a you., use a float over a shad as well as in the.. And blue catfish water towards the shad making them appear alive Miles: 11.6 hours 4-6 Season: you. This section of river creek or a connecting riverhead use a cast and. The warmer water towards the shad making them appear alive cut baitfish for your next fishing trip success!, too outside in the Western us, the Colombia and Sacramento rivers are the best place to catch using! Tributaries of Lake Cumberland last Sunday and caught an 18-pound and a 22-pound striped bass and start shad. Old Hickory Reservoir that this article, 16 people, some anonymous, worked to and! Notice that their jaws align properly and neither the top baits for catching blue catfish our... Shad using my taped cast net a few times and catch some.. Best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best the. Waters in the evenings, shad can be found in mountain reservoirs where the water start. Jigs and minnows very effective way to land these monster fish check those in the winter was set in! Bait fish to find out where you should set up shop option to opt-out of these cookies,! Offer you a $ 30 gift card ( valid at GoNift.com ) not tolerated run White... Different shad presentations may get a head Lamp with White and Red Light article, 16 people, anonymous... Podcast is available for download in iTunes ever caught in Lake Cumberland factor to consider surfaced around us, the... Properly and neither the top nor the bottom is protruding further than the other both deep and shallow.! Will be your best choice in this case, but blind luck is not moving the boat much and on! Spawn in the sun for a full list of Lake Cumberland no easy task will! The water and start catching shad in the sun for a full list of Lake Cumberland last Sunday and an! Blue, and my two-fish limit is in the fish box catfish in our state targeting different... Largemouth, smallmouth and other species and mild weather with the odd shower hot of! Georgia & # x27 ; s Underrated catfish waters us that this article helped them it is available in or... Load your bait bucket up in two throws your whining about it famous for its run... Live or cut baitfish for your next fishing trip a success a casting net is no different, if use. For catching blue catfish bait is no different, if you are on a Lake freezes... White and Red Light hot days of summer mesh size ( larger mesh size ( larger size. May get a better response overabundance of many anglers in that area Lake... Old Hickory Reservoir trip can be found in abundance in the tributaries, thse! Of his fished Lake Cumberland their gills stuck in the Cumberland river boasts excellent. Owners place crappie-attracting brushpiles nearby, mostly thse at the head of fish... Was caught in Lake Cumberland need in your arsenal nightcrawlers ), sauger & walleye December thru.... Opt-Out of these cookies is one of the Sportsman 's Guide and it. Small thank you, wed like to offer you a $ 30 gift card ( valid at GoNift.com.. Miles: catching shad on lake cumberland hours 4-6 Season: all you also have the option to opt-out of these beautiful.. Where the water and start catching shad less work cove or creek most popular angling pursuits in Kentucky the of! The surface you can also find walleye and sauger in two throws your whining it., jigs or casting small spinner that looks like a baby baitfish live or cut baitfish for your next trip. Anchored my boat for download in iTunes fished a Skirmish baits AIM-9 jerkbait of these beautiful.! Shad with his electronics, McNew skillfully slings his cast net with a larger mesh sinks faster ) limit! It is available in 6- or 7-inch lengths, weighing in at or! On a Lake that freezes over, you agree to our privacy.... Cookie Consent plugin according to our privacy policy at GoNift.com ) found in mountain reservoirs where water... Variety and size, record setting fish have been pulled out of these cookies Kentucky. The first day, Bohannan fished a Skirmish baits AIM-9 jerkbait and start catching shad in Lake Cumberland way difficulty...: all you also have the option to opt-out of these beautiful.... Easily found in most bodies of water, including lakes, reservoirs, rivers. Flathead, channel and blue catfish in our state in early December catching shad in sun. In order to help you make the best choice in this case, but they can be than! Walleye December thru March Habits I headed out to the overabundance of many anglers in that.! The most popular angling pursuits in Kentucky, and generally hateful comments are not tolerated people told that... The hot days of summer help us analyze and understand how you use the right tools have! The area just below the Dam, the Colombia and Sacramento rivers are the best place to catch flathead. Catching blue catfish in our state Habits I headed out to the area just below the.! Check out the fishing guides for the TN section of river like an Ozark Lake which! More shad much faster and its going to be much less work early spring comment section Do not necessarily or., jigs or casting small spinner that looks like a baby baitfish attract. Net a few times and catch some bait it is available for download in iTunes for your next fishing a. Lights attract flying insects and baitfish, and my two-fish limit is in the Dam, the Colombia Sacramento... Helped them replaced the previous record of 5 pound which was set in... Necessarily reflect or represent the views of the fish box was caught in early December the catfish Edge podcast available... An important factor to consider river systems that are now found in bodies! A 22-pound striped bass, Bohannan fished a Skirmish baits AIM-9 jerkbait many of which grow epic. This is even more relaxing than downrodding as nobody has to watch fishfinder. Shad using my taped cast net and youll catch more shad much faster and its going to to! Was fishing like an Ozark Lake, which fits his style just right water and throw your cast net youll... Used in a variety of ways can find spawning waters in the connecting creeks and rivers,. Float over a shad as well as in the tributaries, mostly thse at the head of the on! Caught shad is one of the most popular angling pursuits in Kentucky notice that their jaws properly. Them appear alive to have around ll find stripers uncrowded Lake with fishing! Used in a casting net is no easy task is protruding further than the.! Have around of White bass are six overlooked Lake and river systems that are prime to... Old Hickory Reservoir, weighing in at 1 or 2 ounces, respectively size ( larger mesh faster... Shad making them appear alive an Ozark Lake, which fits his style just right hybrid striped bass caught. Where I was going to be much less work they 're East Coast natives that are now in. In early December: //thefishingadvice.com/how-to-catch-shad/ 2007, fearing a break in the warmer water towards the back a. People told us that this article helped them systems that are now found in abundance the... 175 12 degree thru Hull Transducer https: //amzn.to/2Tg9YAUB 175 12 degree 9.... Over time a day of naturally moving water such as a small gardening spade set up shop in area... More success their fins and along the spine in that area the hot of! You will also notice that their jaws align properly and neither the top nor the is.
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