This is the time of year that the skiffs and wooden boats dominate the lake.   It is rather nostalgic, the quiet still of the lake, nothign but forest and a few wild goats in view, and wooden boats that have passed the test of time.   Everytime I encounter one of the wooden wonders I  am intrigued and perhaps a little envious.   I have decided I am interested in stopping the envy by becoming an owner myself.  My next few posts are going to be lists that I have compiled through my research about wooden boats and boat kits.  I have been pretty amazed out how much is out there if you really look.  I will try to review the list quarterly and make sure it continues to be up to date.

• Beaver Creek Dock- Albany Kentucky- Grider Hill Dock - Houseboat rentals, lodge(clean, inexpensive), restaurant, campground, moorage and dockage, hiking trail, nearby attractions are “76″ falls , golfing mailto:griderhill@kih.netorContact: Grider Hill DockR.R. #4, Box 800Albany, KY 42602

• State Dock:- Jamestown KY - House boat Rentals (includes linen service), unique provisioning service (food from wholesales that is marketed to upscale restaurants) slips moorage Lake Cumberland State Dock6365 State Park Road Jamestown, KY 42629 Boat rentals, Home of the annual power boat pokerrun sept 6-8th Sept 2006.

• Popplewell’s Alligator Dock #1 Inc. Russell Springs County is home to the Curent Miss USA, and to Alligator Dock. This marina features a full service restaurant, moorage, fishing and grocery supplies, and cabin rental. 6959 South Hwy. 76 Russell Springs, KY 42642-8766

• Indian Hills Resort / Alligator II Marina 2108 Highway 1383, Russell Springs, KY 42642 Rental slips grocery and grill Full service marina, with camping, and more, and of course boat rental including houseboats. Highway 1383, Russell Springs, KY 4264

• Buck Creek Boat Dock: The only Marina on Lake Cumberland located on a creek. The creek is very narrow and great area for bird watchers, there have been 240 species of birds found in this area. Arguably the most noteworthy element of Buck Creek is the large mural painted on the high cliff rocks that frame the creek. The painting has many exotic animals that are not found in in the region like lions and zebras and is assumed to date back hundreds of years. This marina also has the largest selection of bait and icecream on lake Cumberland. -

• Burnside Marina: located on the eastern side of Lake Cumberland in Somerset Kentucky (what tends to be the center of the region for shopping etc) also, the only part of the lake that is not completely dry with the exception of lee’s ford. Features over 400 slips, offers moorage, boat rental, store with bait and basic groceries

• Jamestown Marina- Over 800 slips at this full service marina, boat rentals, lodging, conference center in my opinion the best over night accomodations on the lake. Located only a few miles from downtown Jamestown in Russell County. Jamestown offers many antique and a few outlet stores for those rainy days at the lake. Jamestown Marina 3677 South Highway 92Jamestown, KY 42629

• Lee’s Ford Marina: hands down my favorite restaurant on the lake (now serving alcohol which has only made the wait longer) My least favorite place to put a boat in and located in one of the most crowded parts of the lake. Has all of the rentals, groceries, bait houseboats, their pontoons even have Honda motors on them. Bought a couple of years ago and remodeled, condos for rent on property as well as small cottages. Only tavern on this otherwise “dry lake” Hwy. 80, go West on the Cumberland Parkway 1/2 mile. Take the Lees Ford/Pulaski County Park exit, to the left

The State of Kentucky record striper, weighed 58 lb. 4 oz. and was caught at Lake Cumberland. Our lake is known throughout the country as one of the top Striper Trophy lakes in the USA The average striper caught is between 12 and 15 lb. with no shortage of 20 pounders, some 30 pounders,and a few 40 pounders caught each year

This week (Week of July 27th 2006) Striper fishing has been very good . Best striper forumual seems to be fishing planner boards (until a week ago or so there was a brown algae coating the lines making this impossible) and bobbers with 1 - 2 oz. sinkers, and down rods with 3 oz. , between 28 ft.to 42 ft. deep over 35 ft. to 60 ft. On cloudy days they are being caught at 12-16 ft levels. Stripers are throughout the main lake, the most populated schools are at the mouths of the creeks and the river channels chasing Shad, medium to large shad are effective bait now. There was a report of a 35 pounder caught at near the island at the entrance of beaver creek.

For the past several weeks the fishermen/women I know have been catching daily limits virtually every day. On cloudy day

If you are planning a fishing trip to Lake Cumberland, KY Lake Cumberland has many marinas and lake access (see my next post) to check water levels http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ky/nwis/uv/?site_no=03413200&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060

best fishing is during the month of April, May, September, and October. During the summer months, early June and late August are among the best months. I will try to do a fishing report for each change of season.