5-12-08  Fishing this past week was pretty good.  The water temp. is 66 degrees in the morning, and that's when the bite is best.  Alwives, the primary food source for stripers in Cumberland, are spawning now, and while doing so, they congregate in huge swarms along the bank at night.  As you might imagine, the stripers really put on the feedbag when this happens.  If you like to cast Rapala Slivers or Cordell Redfins at night, now is the time.  The night bite is very strong.  This bite usually starts around 1:00 AM and the fish will continue to feed until a couple of hours after dawn.  If you are fishing during the day, it's important to be on the water as early as possible before this bite dies down.  Planer board rigs and live alewives are the best method for this early morning bite.  Use a few 12 ft. free lines, and 1/4 and 1/2 oz. weighted lines fished from 12 to 22 ft. behind the board.  The fish are scattered, but are starting to form schools on main lake clay banks.  However, there are still fish in the mid-creek areas as well, and these fish should not be overlooked, especially when the mid-day winds force you off those main lake areas.  Once the bite slows down on planer board rigs, bottom fishing is a productive option.  Simply nose the boat up on clay and mud banks and fan live alwives out on the bottom using short leaders and 1 oz. weights.  This method can be very productive this time of year and will catch lots of stripers, smallmouth, catfish, and a few walleye.  I don't like to give any one spot too much time to produce. If I haven't caught fish after 20 minutes of bottom fishing, I move to my next spot.  Morel of story?  Take LOTS of bait.  Feel free to call if you would like a more up to date report.  Tight lines, Phil  606-271-2247   www.conleystriper.com