He usually rigs the outside two lines weightless. He uses planer boards to keep them well away from the boat, the farther the better. That's important, especially if the water is clear. He adds a little weight to the inside line to keep his bait down deeper than the others. (The inside line closest to the boat is where most -- not all, but most -- of the big ones hit.)

Use a controlled drift over any deep pool you encounter. Most days working against the current is best -- precise control with your electric motor is easier that way -- but there are exceptions. As you drift, make certain that all areas at the head and tail of the pool are covered from all directions and at all depths. This requires effort, but it's well worth it.

If bites are hard to come by, hold your boat stationary and allow the bait to play around near the surface for several minutes.

If a big one is interested in your offering, you'll know soon enough. Big river stripers attack by first slapping the skipjack, stunning it into submission. After a few moments, they'll return to eat it. That's when things get serious. Let them get the bait in their mouth and turn to head back toward deeper water before setting your 7/0 Octopus hook. Set it hard with both hands. If you don't, you'll regret it. These are big, powerful fish.

After that, it's a matter of holding on and doing the best you can to control the situation. That's not easy. You'll need a big, heavy reel spooled with 50-pound-test line mounted on a heavy-duty rod. Nothing less will do the job.

(If you're fishing with Bihl and he tells you to slow the spool, he doesn't mean to stick your finger into the reel and have it (your finger) chewed to shreds by the revolving line. He means to tighten the drag. Several clients have learned this lesson the hard way.)

Good fish are found just about anywhere on this river. If there's a long, deep pool, there's probably a trophy striper nearby. With that said, however, Bihl does have a favorite spot or two.

One of them is the area near Butler's Landing. Several creeks flow into this area and it typically holds high numbers of baitfish. Your best bet is to troll around the creek mouths and near any snags or brush you can find. Butler's Landing is just south of Celina. There's a fine, improved ramp at the landing.

If you're in the area, Celina is a good place to stay. It offers several motels and resorts, as well as restaurants, convenience stores and an excellent concrete launch ramp at Donaldson's Park. The ramp is on the Obey River about two miles from where it empties into the Cumberland. For complete information about Celina, call the 1 Stop at (931) 243-2636.

Another great spot recommended by Bihl is at the mouth of the Roaring River. It's a sizeable inflow and holds huge concentrations of baitfish. It's a noted big-fish spot on the river. Troll the bay area around the mouth with the biggest bait you can get. After that, hold on tight and don't ever let your guard down. The Roaring River enters the Cumberland south of Butler's Landing.

To get a perspective on just how big the stripers are on this river, consider Bihl's catch record for the first half of 2005. His average is between 20 and 30 pounds with the smallest fish caught weighing 17 pounds. His biggest -- six of them -- weighed 40 pounds. That's a lot of big fish. There are very few places in the country where that's possible.

Why spend your weekends sitting around the house this winter when there's plenty of fast hybrid and striper action around?