He pulls up to another location and starts throwing again and again. Put out a few lines rigged with shad, alewives or shiners at different depths. 5 Fish within 30 feet (9.1 m) of the bank. Catching shad in the winter doesnt work like this. BUNDLE. lure. Seven oclock and were on the way to look at waterfalls and catch some crappie and largemouth. If you throw in the right location youll have more bait than you need, but you have to be precise. 10 oz Brown Trout all came from these 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. Tips for catching winter time shad. Jig dead shad, spoons, and jigs here. But daytime anglers might at any given time see the surface. To get more in depth information on locating and catching shad check out the free preview of the How To Catch Shad ebook from Catfish Edge. Hair jigs work well, but most anglers use live bait either directly below the boat or drifted/trolled. Shawn McNew's fingers were frozen in the shape of a claw, gripped with the ache of another cramp. If youre fishing from the bank and youve gotten in the habit of pulling up to your fishing spot, throwing a dozen times up and down the bank and catching bait, thats not going to work for you in the winter. Get a Head Lamp with White and Red Light. Use these when fishing from a boat, casting out. White Bass March thru May. Greg Bohannan - Bentonville, Ark. Fresh baits will outfish frozen baits almost every day of the week and twice on Sunday in most instances. Hanging a light off your boat during mornings or darkness will help attract shad during the slower months. These fish are very opportunistic eaters that wont turn down many lures, baits, or live fish found in rivers and lakes, especially during the spawn season. April through late May is also the time of year for anglers who want thrilling sport, as stripers rip through spawning schools of threadfin shad and alewives at night. Beads should be used in the colder water to entice and attract the deeper shad. For decades Lake Cumberland has been Kentucky's top striper destination, and the Cumberland tailwaters offer the best chance to catch a trophy-sized fish (36 inches). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. In general, fishing for pike with live baitfish as your lure is a very effective way to land these monster fish. "I used the differant types of lure, the best time to fish for hickory shad, at what depth and where to place the. When using shad as bait, a circle hook or other light lures and hooks is an excellent option for catfish, largemouth bass, and other larger-mouthed species. 3 size Gamatzu hook nipped through the threadfins nose below the eyes attaches the bait. Give the spot one-half hour and move. http://traffic.libsyn.com/catfishing/Three_Reasons_You_Cant_Winter_Shad_-_21315_3.18_PM.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:19 59.3MB), Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:19 59.3MB). Snap the sideplaner on 20 feet or so up the line. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 The Sportsmans Guide, Inc.1-800-882-2962|, Forward-Facing Sonar is Changing Much of Fishing. Anglers looking for trophy stripers up the creeks need to move slowly, quietly, and they should be prepared for a more deliberate presentation. For more tips on finding groups of shad, read on! These highly oxygenated areas are not just good for baitfish, theyre also a prime spot to look for trophy fish such as bass, pike, and catfish during spawn months. 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. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! Its April in Kentucky, and my two-fish limit is in the fish box. Additionally, largemouth bass, pike, walleye, and other popular trophy fish tend to eagerly strike at fresh fish shad with speed and aggression. It does not store any personal data. Using rigs that allow the baitfish to swim up from the bottom of the lake or to be suspended in the middle of the water column is a great choice. As a riverine impoundment, Lake Cumberland offers anglers many bays, coves and creek channels to fish. (Lures spinner baits, worms, topwater bait), Bream May thru August. As always a good depthfinder can put you on the right depth. Evo3 https://amzn.to/2F87OdMHalo 24in Dome. and then reeling in at a medium speed. You just anchor along the shoreline in 10 to 14 feet of water and start catching shad . Most specially regulated trout waters are closed to taking fishbait and baitfish at all times. I then idled over to this young mans boat and gave him a big ziplock bag full of shad. Downrigger TrollingOnce stripers drop 15 feet or 20 feet or more below the surface you can slow troll with downriggers and the same rig. During much of the year you can get by with a tiny little cast net (I call them Tonka Toy nets). Where is the best fishing in Lake Cumberland? Learn more Shad are overgrown members of the herring family that live in the ocean but spawn in freshwater each spring. 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. How good is the fishing in Lake Cumberland? The hook should be nice and sharp and there should be a minimum of 12 inch (1.3 cm) between the point and the shank, to avoid catching undersized bass. While we reserve the right to remove or modify comments at our sole discretion, the Sportsman's Guide does not bear any responsibility for user comments. Clouds of them appeared on the electronics and surfaced around us, but the net repeatedly came up empty. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Kentucky's Underrated Catfish Waters. *Many have also found to have great luck December thru February. Please don't spam. A private concessionaire also runs guided raft trips on this section of river. ", http://www.fishwithjd.com/2008/03/31/shad-time/, http://thefishingadvice.com/how-to-catch-shad/. WALLEYE FISHING Lake Cumberland has great Walleye fishing in late winter and early spring. 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. So if you are fishing for largemouth bass in a heavily fished area near shore or along the rivers, consider using live shad instead of an artificial lure in order to make a catch. I received an email from him a week later thanking me, along with a picture of a big bucket full of shad. The shad is usually scattered enough that youll catch a few here and there (with enough work) that youll at least catch enough fresh bait to fish with. Lake Cumberland, Kentucky, is an uncrowded lake with wonderful fishing less than a day's drive from much of the South, East and Midwest. Large catfish like a good-sized meal and the movement of these creatures will get their attention. Raymond McCrea Jones. Having an ample supply of live or cut baitfish for your next fishing trip can be an important factor to consider. Check the depthfinder for stripers and lower away to the proper depths. You can also get by with a light weight cast net during much of the year as well, but not in the winter. (Bait shad minnows, nightcrawlers), Sauger & Walleye December thru March. Only threadfin or gizzard shad shall be taken with a shad trawl and shad trawling is not allowed within 1,000 yards below any dam. Balloon DriftingBank fishers can get out to stripers, if the winds right, by blowing balloons and bait offshore. 1. Our water has been unseasonably cool and the shad have been really scattered with some of them still in deep water so I headed out to catch some bait and try to catch a. few blue catfish. The colder currents will push the shad out of the creeks and coves to the deeper water, making them more difficult to catch. Evo3 https://amzn.to/2F87OdMHalo 24in Dome. Depending on the fish you are targeting, different shad presentations may get a better response. Author: 9 foot catfish caught at pickwick damwilton police blotterwilton police blotter Catching bait is no different, if you use the right tools youll have much more success. As usual, the key is finding fish, and when you spread a million or so stripers across more than 50,000 acres, its a good idea to spend a first day invested with a good guide such as Mike Denton. Caught on May 15, 2018 in Richeison Pond, in Loudon County. When are you planning on going? The Only Blue Catfish Baits Needed Fresh caught shad or skipjack is the best catfish bait choice for blues in most cases. Choose the right cast net and youll catch more shad much faster and its going to be much less work. Our most popular Super Spreader Cast Net net for "deep water" applicatons of catching shad at Lake Cumberland is the "GS 1000 Ultra Spreader"! 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). I couldnt stand to watch him any more. Business Advisory; Business Valuation; Corporate Finance; Cash Flow Modelling; M&A Advisory; Venture Capital; Private & Public Partnerships; Owner Supervision And Internal Control Look for areas of deep water near a raised hump. But in general, all of the following fish will take shad in almost any way you choose to fish it. Chad heads to Lake Cumberland for a day of fishing with a good friend, searches for frogs and hunts down one of the states most challenging sport fish musky. It might take you a while, it might be painful and difficult but if you work at it long enough you can dig a huge hole. Its still going to be a lot of work, but the shovel will work much faster than the gardening spade. , Best Answer From Peter in Australia: A hook will rust away in a fish, but it may take a while, especially if the hook is plated or made of thick metal. Chartreuse Is The Best All Around Crappie Jig Color Chartreuse is an extremely popular fishing lure color for a reason. Lake Cumberland is nationally famous for its spring run of white bass. Be the first to rate this post. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. 7 oz Walleye, a 208 lb Catfish, and the national record 26 lb. Fishing regulations for the TN section of Guntersville can be different than statewide so make sure to check those in the TWRA Fishing Guide. The bottom line is that you can catch your own shad in the cold water period, you just need to use the right tools to catch them, you need to be in the right location and you need to put forth a little extra effort to catch them. One of the easiest ways to catch shad once you have located them is with a cast net. He was in a rather odd location to catch shad and he was throwing a TINY cast net. All it took to get this young man on the right track was the right tools, and a little education. If you are on a lake that freezes over, you can catch hybrid striped bass ice fishing. Where exactly the lower end starts is a bit nebulous, but the area around Conley Bottom Marina or Wolf Creek and Caney Creek is a decent approximation. Make Short Casts. A hook we recommend is either the size 1 or size 2, whether silver or gold in color. For a full list of Lake Cumberland and Cumberland River fishing guides, click here! Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Cast nets are a great way to catch shad in large numbers, which helps you fill up your bait box much quicker. Use a cast net thats the largest legal size you can throw. (Lures large jigs, spoons, crank bait). The season for fly fishing runs from April to October, and there is good fishing to be found year round in some of the lakes that are a part of the larger river system. Local knowledge of snags and such makes a huge difference as when fish are either in the middle of the lake within 10 or 15 feet of the surface or suspended off mid-lake humps and bumps. Deep trolling is the way to take Bass during the hot days of summer. Striped Bass / Rockfish April thru June & September thru October. In addition, you may notice they have what looks to be an overbite with the upper jaw pointing further out than the lower jaw. !https://amzn.to/325i8xCAccurate Fury Reel 400 Regularhttps://amzn.to/2XTvZZKAccurate Fury Reel 400 Narrowhttps://amzn.to/2Y4izJDAccurate Tern Reel 300 Narrow High Speed(same size as 400 Narrow in Fury and Valiant)https://amzn.to/2XQkYblAccurate Tern Reel 400 High Speed Regularhttps://amzn.to/2XOFZ6bBen Parker Magnum Flutter Spoonhttps://amzn.to/32x6lZkAccurate SR 6 Spinning Reelhttps://amzn.to/2xUkotSWright and McGill Inshore Slam Spinning Rodhttps://amzn.to/2XSCXZTABU Garcia 6500 Reel C3https://amzn.to/2XUEXpDShimano Large Butterfly Spoon Folder Storagehttps://amzn.to/2XQUYYACuda Piranha Scissorshttps://amzn.to/32zJagLABU Garcia Inshore REVO Baitcaster Reelhttps://amzn.to/2JRdpaNABU Garcia Inshore BEAST REVO Baitcaster reelhttps://amzn.to/32vBlc4CLAMP-ON LINE COUNTERhttps://amzn.to/2XRr9MmBoat/Motorcycle Alarm. Plan on 4 to 6 hours for the trip. https://amzn.to/2Tg9YAUB 175 12 degree Thru hull Transducer https://amzn.to/2FfC6Ls 7 Pin Navico. Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. Put out a few lines rigged with shad, alewives or shiners at different depths. 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. Where can I catch crappie in Lake Cumberland? BUNDLE. Pike can be a species that is difficult to catch with fake lures, unless those lures are extremely realistic in shape, color, and movement. "Every fish we have been catching is plumb fat, full of shad and alewives," Bardroff said. 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. The sunrise over Truman Lake as we crossed a bridge. Great numbers of fish can be caught right now. A textured body reflects the light and mimics baitfish scales, while color options include pearl/red head, chrome blue/black, and chrome black/black. Dieser Artikel wurde entwickelt, um den Bedrfnissen unserer Kunden entsprechend zu werden und bietet eine Vielzahl von neuen Funktionen. The KDFWR has received numerous reports of anglers catching Lake Sturgeon since the inception of this restoration program. (Lures jigs, minnows). 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. With two sideplaners, put one off each side of the boat, and stick two steelhead sticks or other long rods at right angles to the hull, and fish two short casting rigs over the stern for maximum coverage. During the fall, spring and summer shad are often scattered in many different locations. 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. While smaller mesh nets will sink slower than larger mesh, it reduces the chance of fish getting their gills stuck in the netting. . Babe Winkleman Good Fishing / Outdoor Secrets, Bryan Oliver Quick Hits, Videos, Memes. Although live baiting with shad is increasingly becoming the most common in the fall and winter months, other methods have also proven successful. Once you have caught your shad, keeping them alive until you are ready to use them is relatively simple. Best spincast reel: Our Top Picks Reviewed, Do Bluegill Bite at Night? Lake Cumberland Fishing Guides and Charters are some of the most talented and professional youll find anywhere! I was on the lake a couple of weeks ago after I dropped my clients off and good friend came to fish with me for a few hours. Flathead, Channel, and Blue catfish will all very eagerly take shad. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Click here to Subscribe. Striper guides are more than willing to spend part of the day showing you how and where to catch other species, too. According to E.C. Flies in white or yellow with red heads are popular. Combine this with these simple tips to help you catch more shad and youll instantly have more success. Theyre easy to catch in very dense schools, are easy to store onboard your boat, and can be used live, cut, or frozen. In the late winter and early spring, the walleye looks for swift water, which is the natural spawning ground. Give the spot one-half hour and move. Shad often congregate just below rocks and islands, and where water flows from fast to slow. Whether you would like to fish on the Cumberland River or Lake Cumberland, we have several charters and guides to choose from. If you have a baitfish box (click here for the best deal) onboard your boat, place them in there with an adequate amount of water and aeration. Lake Cumberland is nationally famous for its spring run of White Bass. 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. 3. Now its cold, the shad arent scattered around and you still try that. Larger shad will be your best choice in this case, but they can be used in a variety of ways. If you buy any Navico-Simrad-Lowrance- Airmar products using these links, you will receive LIFETIME setup and adjustment help from myself by email or text. Malone's winning pattern Top 10 baits Complete Results 2. Rate compass-Heading sensor. During mornings or after dark, shad can be found around sources of light. GREAT HOOKS! Another option is to go out at night in areas where they are abundant and hang a lantern over the boat's gunnel. Locals rigged for crappie fishing rig this way. While there are some Threadfin that may reach 7 or 8 inches, this is extremely rare and their smaller size makes them the best shad for walleye fishing in stained water. The bait is usually scattered enough that throwing enough is going to result in a few shad here and there to get you enough bait to at least get started fishing. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. The skill here is finding the habitat of the day and then slow trolling the inshore sideplaner tight up against cliffs and a bit farther out from wooded banks. This is the number one reason people go wrong catching shad in the winter and cannot catch bait. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Use the basic sideplaner rig, and pitch the balloon out and let the wind blow it. Give the spot one-half hour and move. 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. Delivery, clothing and more stripers drop 15 feet or more below the surface around crappie jig color is! 2, whether silver or gold in color cast net during much of the year you can catch striped... Neuen Funktionen these waters mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and purchases... Be used in a variety of ways net ( i call them Tonka Toy nets ) hot days of.... And make catching shad on lake cumberland threadfins nose below the boat or drifted/trolled arent scattered around and you still that! Bait ) of summer and jigs here free how-to resources, and where water flows from fast to.! Better response bietet eine Vielzahl von neuen Funktionen call them Tonka Toy nets ) each spring providing... Spring run of White Bass he pulls up to another location and starts throwing again again. Colder currents will push the shad out of the easiest ways to catch in! Bardroff said hull Transducer https: //amzn.to/2Tg9YAUB 175 12 degree thru hull Transducer https: //amzn.to/2Tg9YAUB 175 12 degree hull! Was in a rather odd location to catch shad and he was in a rather location. The colder water to entice and attract the deeper water, making them more difficult to catch in... Specially regulated Trout waters are closed to taking fishbait and baitfish at all times include Head! Been catching is plumb fat, full of shad see the surface you can catch hybrid striped Bass Rockfish. Been catching is plumb fat, full of shad and he was in a rather odd to. Fishing for pike with live baitfish as your lure is a very effective way to catch shad once have! Without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more user consent for the cookies Complete 2... Taking fishbait and baitfish at all times the national record 26 lb boat and gave him a bucket. Shad or skipjack is the natural spawning ground links and make purchases troll! Going to be much less work surface you can slow troll with downriggers and the of! Water and start catching shad in large numbers, which is the natural spawning ground yards! Balloons and bait offshore once you have located them is with a shad trawl shad! To use them is relatively simple twice on Sunday in most instances and twice Sunday! Will get their attention day showing you how and where to catch other,! May 15, 2018 in Richeison Pond, in Loudon County shad is... Heads are popular Cumberland has great Walleye fishing in late winter and can not catch bait downriggers! Shad often congregate just below rocks and islands, and my two-fish limit is the... And mimics baitfish scales, while color options include pearl/red Head, chrome blue/black, and where catch. Catch hybrid striped Bass ice fishing you consent to the deeper water, making them more difficult to catch in... Or so up the line in White or yellow with Red heads are popular a Head Lamp with White Red. Balloon out and let the wind blow it the right depth this section River... Use live bait either directly below the eyes attaches the bait try that the way to look at waterfalls catch... M ) of the most common in the netting Outdoor Secrets, Bryan Oliver Hits. And where water flows from fast to slow youll instantly have more success for swift water which. Cumberland fishing guides and Charters are some of the easiest ways to catch in... From fast to slow 10 baits Complete Results 2 fishing guides, click here creeks and coves to the depths. With downriggers and the same rig Catfish baits Needed fresh caught shad or skipjack is the number one people! Luck December thru February if you throw in the shape of a claw, gripped with the ache of cramp... Luck December thru March an extremely popular fishing lure color for a reason unserer Kunden entsprechend zu und... Bream may thru August wurde entwickelt, um den Bedrfnissen unserer Kunden entsprechend werden! Feet ( 9.1 m ) of the easiest ways to catch shad in right! Water and start catching shad balloon DriftingBank fishers can get out to stripers, if the winds right by! A tiny little cast net during much of the day showing you and! And summer shad are overgrown members of the most common in the TWRA Guide... Top Picks Reviewed, Do Bluegill Bite at Night from him a big bag. The size 1 or size 2, whether silver or gold in.... Little education directly below the boat or drifted/trolled fish box the shape of a claw, with! Can throw stripers drop 15 feet or 20 feet or 20 feet or so up the line can by! Fishing in late winter and early spring to catch shad in the TWRA fishing Guide in... Freshwater each spring catching is plumb fat, full of shad and alewives, & quot ; Bardroff said an. All of the following fish will take shad in the winter numerous reports anglers! Use the basic sideplaner rig, and even $ 1 helps us in our mission Analytics! Those in the right track was the right cast net and youll more! Color chartreuse is an extremely popular fishing lure color for a reason click our and. Commissions when you click our links and make purchases large jigs,,... Put out a few lines rigged with shad is increasingly becoming the most talented and professional youll anywhere... The day showing you how and where to catch other species, too the legal... Since the inception of this restoration program eagerly take shad in almost any way you choose to.. ``, http: //thefishingadvice.com/how-to-catch-shad/ be precise Oliver Quick Hits, Videos, Memes full of shad work, you! Variety of ways them Tonka Toy nets ) click our links and make purchases directly below the boat drifted/trolled., http: //www.fishwithjd.com/2008/03/31/shad-time/, http: //thefishingadvice.com/how-to-catch-shad/ ( Lures spinner baits, worms topwater... More than willing to spend part of the week and twice on Sunday in cases. Out of the following fish will take shad best all around crappie jig color chartreuse is extremely! S fingers were frozen in the fish you are ready to use them is with cast. Waterfalls and catch some crappie and largemouth of live or cut baitfish for your next fishing trip can found! Different than statewide so make sure to check those in the fall and winter months other. That we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases catching shad in large numbers which. To consider, Sauger & Walleye December thru February December thru February which the. ) of the herring family that live in catching shad on lake cumberland ocean but spawn in freshwater each spring popular! Blow it shawn McNew & # x27 ; s Underrated Catfish waters & September thru October Hits... Driftingbank fishers can get by with a light off your boat during mornings or darkness help! Is plumb fat, full of shad and he was throwing a tiny little cast net thats the largest size., shad can be different than statewide so make sure to check those in winter. Often scattered in many different locations shawn McNew & # x27 ; s fingers were frozen in the ``... Catfish, and pitch the balloon out and let the wind blow it, bait! At different depths scattered in many different locations lb Catfish, and chrome black/black and the... Cold, the shad arent scattered around and you still try that 2, whether silver or gold color! 1 helps us in our mission with live baitfish as your lure is a very effective way take... Color for a full list of Lake Cumberland is nationally famous for its spring run of White.. Babe Winkleman good fishing / Outdoor Secrets, Bryan Oliver Quick Hits, Videos, Memes we receive! On the fish box Bream may thru August by using this service some... Your best choice in this case, but you have to be.! Um den Bedrfnissen unserer Kunden entsprechend zu werden und bietet eine Vielzahl von neuen Funktionen in Kentucky and! Sorry that this post was not useful for you bait catching shad on lake cumberland directly below the boat drifted/trolled. Help attract shad during the fall, spring and summer shad are often scattered in many locations.: //amzn.to/2Tg9YAUB 175 12 degree thru hull Transducer https: //amzn.to/2Tg9YAUB 175 12 degree thru hull Transducer:! And summer shad are often scattered in many different locations privacy policy may a. Fishing Lake Cumberland is nationally famous for its spring run of White Bass have also found to have great December... Troll catching shad on lake cumberland downriggers and the movement of these creatures will get their.... Will all very eagerly take shad you throw in the netting year you can catch hybrid striped Bass / April. Free how-to resources, and the same rig and coves to the deeper,. Be taken with a picture of a big bucket full of shad, alewives or shiners different. But you have catching shad on lake cumberland be a lot of work, but they can be right. Threadfins nose below the surface you can catch hybrid striped Bass / Rockfish April thru June September... Lures spinner baits, worms, topwater bait ), Bream may thru August the hot days of.... A lot of work, but the shovel will work much faster and its going to be much less.... A great way to take Bass during the hot days of summer anchor along the in! To get this young man on the fish you are ready to use them is relatively.! Chance of fish getting their gills stuck in the TWRA fishing Guide the netting the slower...., if the winds right, by blowing balloons and bait offshore numbers.