All spots

Lake Cumberland

Lake fishing  Kentucky · 06:06 - 16:39

Lake Cumberland is one of the lakes in Kentucky. The main target species are Striped Bass, Rainbow Trout and Blue Catfish.

Fair 42% The bite right now
Top bet: Striped Bass Slow during the night, water near its preferred 16 degrees, peak season, overcast lifts the bite.

Best day to fish

Tomorrow
76%
68°
Fri
78%
67°
Sat
78%
54°
Sun
84%
55°
Best day
Mon
75%
56°
Tue
76%
63°

The bite over the next days, scored at dusk. Based on the weather forecast, so it is guidance, not guarantees.

Conditions right now

Weather
Overcast
Water temp (est.)
60°F
Air temp
66°F
Wind
15 mph
Pressure
29.91 inHg → stable
Clouds
98.0%

Water temperature is an estimate based on weather and season.

Best times today

Dawn 05:21–07:21 Dusk 15:24–17:24

Local time at the spot, from the most likely species' daily rhythm.

Feeding times today

Waning crescent 30% lit
Major period 06:48–08:48 Major period 18:48–20:48 Minor period 00:46–02:16 Minor period 13:20–14:50

Solunar times are a traditional guide based on the moon's position, separate from the live ranking above. Local time at the spot.

Next hours

03:00
66°
04:00
67°
05:00
66°
06:00
63°
07:00
63°
08:00
63°
09:00
63°
10:00
64°
11:00
66°
12:00
65°
13:00
67°
14:00
69°

Likely catch now (12 species)

Striped Bass
Morone saxatilis
42%
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 16 degrees, peak season, overcast lifts the bite.
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Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
27%
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 16 degrees, overcast lifts the bite.
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Blue Catfish
Ictalurus furcatus
27%
Active through the night, off season.
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Common Carp
Cyprinus carpio
26%
Active through the night, water near its preferred 16 degrees, off season.
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Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
25%
Active through the night, overcast lifts the bite.
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Flathead Catfish
Pylodictis olivaris
23%
Active through the night, off season.
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About the fishing here

Lake Cumberland is Kentucky's biggest lake, a long, deep reservoir on the Cumberland River known for clear water and steep, wooded shoreline. Striped bass and largemouth bass are the headline fish, with crappie and walleye adding variety in the coves and the tailwater below the dam. The lake is a major houseboat destination, so summer weekends bring heavy boat traffic. A Kentucky fishing license is required.

Popular catches here include Striped Bass, Rainbow Trout, Blue Catfish, Common Carp, Channel Catfish and Flathead Catfish.

Striped Bass is generally most active around Apr-May, Oct-Nov. The best windows are usually dawn and dusk.

A state fishing license is required to fish here. Napp ranks the species above from the live weather, water temperature, season and time of day, so the order changes through the day.

Guides for this water

Tips right now

Technique Start with a crankbait for striped bass, the most likely catch right now.
Colour Low light: try chartreuse, yellow and glow for striped bass.
Lure Crankbait for striped bass: Big swimbaits and plugs.
Timing Striped bass is slow at night. The best bite comes at dawn.
Depth The water temperature suits the fish. Fish actively at normal depths and edges.

Fishing permit

A state fishing license is required to fish here. Licenses are issued by each state:

About this water

Lake Cumberland is a reservoir in Clinton, Russell, Wayne, Pulaski and Laurel counties in Kentucky. The primary reasons for its construction were a means for flood control and the production of hydroelectric power. Its shoreline measures 1,255 miles (2,020 km) and the lake covers 65,530 acres (265 km2) at the maximum power pool elevation. The reservoir ranks 9th in the U.S. in volume, with a capacity of 6,100,000 acre-feet (7.5 km3) of water, enough to cover the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky with 3 inches (76 mm) of water. The main lake is 101 miles (163 km) long and over one mile (1.6 km) across at its widest point.

Read more on Wikipedia →

Map

More waters nearby

Common questions

What fish can you catch at Lake Cumberland?

Popular catches here include Striped Bass, Rainbow Trout, Blue Catfish, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Black Crappie and Brown Trout.

Do you need a fishing license at Lake Cumberland?

Yes. A state fishing license is required; see the link on this page for the state's rules.

When is the best time to fish Lake Cumberland?

Striped Bass fishing is usually best around Apr-May, Oct-Nov. The best windows are usually dawn and dusk.

What is biting at Lake Cumberland right now?

Right now Striped Bass is the most likely catch, at about 35%.