Fly Fishing For Hybrid
Stripers in The Spring
Bill Butts
Springfield MO
Every fisherman I've met that has spent some time
battling Striped, Hybrid Striped or White Bass has great
respect for these awesome fish. They are members of the
Temperate Bass family. In the Midwest and South-central
U.S., all 3 species are fairly common.
After having caught countless numbers of all 3 species
over the past 35 years, there is no question in my mind
that the most explosive and hardest fighting of these
great fish, pound for pound, is the Hybrid Striper. Once
they exceed about 4#, which they commonly do, they are
like overgrown turbo-charged White Bass.
History
and Biology
 Hybrid Stripers were first produced in South Carolina in
the mid-1960's by crossing the eggs from Striped Bass
with the sperm from White Bass. This original cross
strain was called the Palmetto Bass. Some of these
original strain fish were also stocked in Tennessee and
called Cherokee Bass, for the namesake of the lake where
they were stocked. These hybrids have the physical
proportions of White Bass, very deep bodied, which gives
them great fighting leverage.
Years later, a reciprocal cross strain was developed in
Florida using eggs from White Bass and sperm from
Stripers. It was coined the Sunshine Bass. These hybrids
have the physical proportions more characteristic of the
Striped Bass, noticeably elongated.
Broken Lateral Lines
Both hybrid strains have identifiable markings of broken
lateral lines, sometimes just a few and sometimes many.
White Bass will sometimes have broken lines too, but you
will find that the lateral lines on Whites are far less
distinctive in color. Note this distinction in the
accompanying photos. Another distinguishing
characteristic is that Hybrids have two distinct patches
of teeth on the back of their tongue. White bass have
only one tooth patch on the tongue.
Hybrid Double Tooth Patch
Today, Hybrids are most commonly produced using Striper
eggs. A Fisheries Biologist, Brent Gordon with the
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, explained
one of the reasons Striper eggs are most commonly used
is that one female Striper of 10-20# can produce one to
two million eggs, whereas it would take several White
Bass to obtain the needed eggs.
These great fish are known by other names and nicknames
including "Hybrid", "Wiper" (and I can't tell you how
much I dislike the derogatory sound of this name),
"White Rockfish", "Rockets", and others, depending on
what state you're fishing in.
The fisheries folks in Oklahoma are currently
experimenting with reciprocal Hybrids in at least two
fisheries, Grand Lake and Kaw Lake. The primary reason
is that Hybrids have a strong tendency to migrate down
current (commonly known as "negative flow" fish)
especially when lake levels are high and generator and
flood gate water flow create a significant current in
the lake. When this occurs, young Hybrids tend to move
down-current and many times pass right through the dam.
Biologists call this "entrainment" and it sometimes
accounts for nearly total failure of the fishery's
stocking program. This has specifically happened at Kaw
Lake, in the past.
Reciprocal Hybrids are known to possess more of the
Striped Bass migratory characteristics, in addition to
the physical similarity, including being "positive flow"
fish that tend to move up-current into tributary
channels during high flow periods and then retreat back
to the lake.
Once these fish reach adulthood it is my belief that the
negative vs. positive flow issue is less of a factor or
non-existent due to their established physical strength,
but I have no data that supports this theory. From my
personal experiences, what I’ve read, and what I’ve
gathered from other fishermen, ALL indicate that adult
Hybrids absolutely move upriver during high flow to feed
just like Stripers.
Gizzard Shad
Of course, it is all driven by the constant focus on
forage food. They don’t go there just for the pleasure
of the trip. They are almost always on the move with a
primary focus on food, except for a short time during
the spring when the spawning urge draws them upriver.
During that time, they will continue to actively feed up
until the very hour they begin their spawning ritual,
unlike the trout and salmon family.
Hybrid Stripers are not sterile, as their name might
suggest. However, they are not used for hatchery
breeding or expected to make a significant natural
spawning contribution to a fishery. They do make a
spawning "run" and go through all the same mating
rituals as White Bass are commonly observed doing. This
run most commonly begins near the end of the White Bass
run and can last for 2-3 weeks depending on the fishery.
Hybrid Stripers do not reach the massive size of its
larger parent the Striped Bass, but they are commonly
caught in the 3-10# range. Most of the better fisheries
contain limited numbers of 10-15#, and some produce
outsized specimens approaching 20#. The world record of
27.5# was caught from Greers Ferry Lake in Arkansas.
World Record Hybrid Striper
Another great characteristic of the Hybrid is that it is
much more tolerant of less than ideal water quality,
much like its smaller parent the White Bass. The key
factor is its tolerance for low dissolved oxygen (DO)
and warmer water temperatures. The Striped Bass will
normally seek out the deepest and coolest portion of a
fishery during the doldrums of summer, which usually
means the deepest water in the lake. The problem this
presents is that the deepest water in many lakes is also
the water with the least DO. Hybrids and White Bass roam
the shallower, better oxygenated portions of the lake in
all but the coldest period of the year.
Where-to and How-to
Nearly every fishery listed below has at least one
significant tributary that receives a spawning run of
Hybrids in the spring, though I have not outlined each
of those streams specifically.
This is not a comprehensive list of Hybrid Striped Bass
fisheries available in the region. However, if you will
pick just one or two of these or other quality fisheries
and invest the time and effort to learn how, where and
when to find these fish you will be rewarded for your
efforts and maybe catch yourself thinking about and
fishing for them all year, too.
Some of the best known and most productive fisheries in
this region include:
Arkansas:
Beaver Lake
Norfork Lake
Greer's Ferry Lake
DeGray Lake
Illinois:
Baldwin Lake
Clinton Lake
Crab Orchard Lake
Heidecke Lake
Lake Shelbyville
Lasalle Lake
Pittsfield Lake
Rend Lake
Indiana:
Ohio River (Striped and Hybrid Striped Bass)
Lake Freeman and Tippecanoe River (Hybrid Stripers)
Lake Monroe
Nyona Lake
Kansas:
Clinton Lake
Marion Lake
Milford Lake
John Redmon Reservoir
Cheney Reservoir
Lake LaCygne (warmwater discharge for winter fishery)
Neosho River System (below John Redmon Res. and the
numerous low dams down river)
Republican River below Milford Dam
North Fork of the Cottonwood below Marion Lake
Missouri:
Truman Lake
Lake of the Ozarks
Thomas Hill Reservoir (warmwater discharge for winter
fishery)
Upper Norfork Lake
Oklahoma:
Grand Lake
Oologah Lake and Tailrace
Skiatook Lake
Sooner Lake (warmwater discharge for winter fishery)
Kaw Lake
Waurika Lake
Like White Bass, Hybrid Stripers are not usually
difficult to catch once you locate them. Over the years,
I have developed a network of contacts with a variety of
tackle shop staff, fellow fishermen (including local
"good ole boy" minnow dunkers), landowners, fisheries
biologists and game wardens for each specific fishery I
pursue these fish. This process takes time in order to
have the right combination of sources for accurate and
timely information. I take the time to meet and keep in
contact with as many of these folks as I possibly can,
always taking and compiling notes from every important
conversation.
This "network" is absolutely critical unless you hire
the services of a guide or know someone that has already
developed the local knowledge of a fishery that will
take you with them.
 Additionally, I use a variety of maps and online
resources to continually educate myself. County road
maps, DeLorme Gazetteer topo maps (by state), Google
Earth satellite photos, and several websites for water
flow and temperature data are constantly utilized for
their valuable content.
If you will concentrate your initial efforts on fishing
just below the first two or three shoals/riffles above
lake water, these are always great places on which to
focus. In low water years, the majority of Hybrids will
do their spawning activity in the lower stretches of a
tributary. In years with strong and fluctuating flows
from spring rains, you may find them in scattered groups
literally miles up the river and not as concentrated.
Hybrids most often do not stay in the fastest moving
current in the river, preferring to hold just off the
edges of current in deeper holes. However, unlike White
Bass, they can be found holding and feeding aggressively
in faster deep water at times, so this type of water is
not to be ignored when fishing for Hybrids.
So, what does a great Hybrid Striper fishing day in the
spring look like?
All the Temperate Bass species are highly photosensitive
(sensitive to bright sunlight). Most of the very best
days of fishing for these species for me have occurred
on either cloudy to very dark cloudy and rainy days, or
the first and last two hours of daylight on a clear day.
Night fishing can be excellent, too.
Water clarity is also a factor that fishermen need to
consider. Some tributaries are extremely clear during
normal flows, but many are never very clear. I have
found that Hybrids that spawn in very clear streams are
even more sensitive to light and to leader size due to
the optimum visibility. I've also observed that these
fish do not spend much extra time feeding in a clear
water stream before or after spawning. This makes timing
your fishing efforts even more critical because the
total time they spend in that particular stream is very
limited. It should also make sense that fishing on low
light days or at night are even more important for
success.
Another excellent time to fish these clear streams is
after a good rain raises the flow of the stream and
turns it very murky. Just as the stream is clearing up
but is still just a little murky is one of the best
times to fish these waters.
Murky water streams, though perhaps not as picturesque
or easy to wade, hold Hybrids longer before and after
their spawning ritual is completed. I believe it is
purely due to their comfort level of not being as
visible as in clearer water. The streams that I fish
that have the longest lasting quality fishing during the
spring are all murky water streams. However, I have
observed that Hybrids spend very little extra time in
any stream after they go thru the spawning ritual.
Of course, spring rains can keep a stream murky to muddy
for extended periods of time sometimes even ruining the
fishing for weeks. I've caught Whites in virtually muddy
water on many streams, but the lack of visibility for
the fish becomes a limiting factor for success.
Some of the most productive early-season Hybrid fishing
is found in the tributary channels on the upper reaches
of these lakes. Prior to the water warming up
sufficiently for their spawning run, these fish will
congregate (called "staging") in the deeper and warmer
water in and near the mouths of tributaries in
anticipation of the right timing to ascend the river.
Again, these fish are continuously pursuing forage,
mostly Shad.
While the Hybrids are staging, they will at times push
baitfish into shallow water or up to the surface from
deep water and visibly tear into them which creates a
lot of excitement for fishermen. But, they may also
remain relatively sluggish and deep if the water remains
below 50*, and take a bait with more of a tap than a
hard strike.
During this late winter and early spring period,
Hybrids' activity and movement are greatly dependent
upon weather and water conditions. If the air
temperatures warm to above seasonal highs for a few
days, there can be a short period of excellent fishing
as the Hybrids get more active and aggressive as the
water warms.
Nice Hybrid Striper!
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Another factor that can provide a nearly instant warm-up
or cool-down of the water is rain. If the weather is
warm and sunny and is rapidly warming the tributaries
and upper lake channels, a cold rain will quickly
curtail this spring-like progression but a warm rain can
give that tributary a temperature boost that will
trigger feeding activity and the spawning urge.
This should make it very obvious that fishermen need to
always carry a good thermometer with them, unless they
are in a boat with electronics that constantly monitor
water temperature. Water temperatures bounce up and down
until the nights remain very warm which is usually near
or after the first of May.
These fish will ascend the moving river water and remain
once the water temp reaches 58* or higher. Though
Hybrids can begin their spawning ritual at this
temperature, my observations over the years have been
that the water is usually in the low to mid-60's when
the majority of spawning activity occurs.
I keep a fishing journal and record not only when, where
and how I catch fish, but just as importantly the
weather and water conditions in detail. This is a
wonderful resource to refer back to in future years.
Fly Tackle and Flies
If you are targeting Hybrid Stripers for the first time,
there are tackle, leader and fly choices to make that
are important to help ensure your success. As I
mentioned in part one of this series, it is a mistake to
try to get by with a 5 or 6 weight trout rod, except for
very small White Bass of less than 2#. My tackle
recommendations are not the only way you can catch these
great fish, but I assure you that they are offered based
on many years of personal experience and helping others
to be successful, too.
The Author and A Nice Hybrid Striper
Fly Rods:
The best overall fly rod choice is a 9 foot, 7 or 8
weight with a fast/stiff tip (not softer like many trout
rods). If you fish a stream or lake where Hybrid
Stripers rarely exceed 6-8#, a fast action 7 weight will
work well for you. But, since some fisheries in the
region commonly produce Hybrids in the 8-15# range,
along with their larger Striped Bass cousins, you will
be wise to select a fast action 8 weight rod for this
fishing.
You don't have to spend a lot of money for a good rod of
the specifications I've outlined. It is amazing how many
good fly rods there are on the market in all price
ranges from less than $100 to $700. Buy the best total
outfit you can afford and know that it will perform well
if you have followed these basic guidelines.
Fly Reels:
For these hot fish, a large arbor style fly reel with a
disk drag, capacity for your fly line and at least 100
yards of backing, and enough total physical weight to
properly counterbalance your rod is my suggestion.
Your loaded fly reel should balance equally or teeter
slightly to the reel end of the rod when you balance
your rod near the top of the cork handle on your index
finger. If your rod teeters to the rod tip end, you will
fatigue much more quickly during a day of fishing.
Fly Lines:
It's very important to have and use the right
combinations of fly lines and leaders for Hybrid
Stripers. Other than actually locating these fish, I
believe this is the most important key to success. I've
seen fly fishermen use the same fly pattern but with
different line and leader rigging to what I suggest and
fail miserably in their efforts fishing very productive
water where others are catching fish.
For most spring fishing for Hybrid Stripers in this
region, the most important fly line you should have is a
10 to 15' type 3 sink-tip. The most important factor in
this line is "type 3". I use a 15' version, but the
reason I say 10-15' is that different brands and
qualities of fly lines are available and some of them
are 10 and 12' which will work very well, too. Most
economy priced sink-tip lines that I have seen have 10'
sink-tips. A type 3 line is designed to sink and fish a
fly at a depth of 3-4 feet. This will vary with the
weight of your fly, how long you allow it to sink, and
the current speed.
Additional fly lines that I find valuable include a
floating line with a heavy front taper like a Rio
Clouser or Bass Bug Taper; and, a faster sinking
sink-tip like a type 5 or 6 for deeper holes that can't
be effectively fished with a type 3 line. For the faster
sinking lines, I use a line with 24-30' of sinking
section which helps keep your fly very deep during the
retrieve.
With these 3 lines, you can affectively fish from the
water's surface down to 6-8 feet deep.
The Clouser Fly Line
If you want to cover all levels from floating to deep
sinking without having to buy extra spools and lines for
your reel, I would suggest considering a Rio Versi-tip
or Scientific Anglers/3M Quad-tip fly line. These lines
have 4 interchangeable loop-to-loop tip sections that
can be quickly changed to fish the required depth. The
lines retail for over $100 a set, but the savings over
buying multiple reel spools is considerable.
I think this is the best overall approach to rig for
Hybrid Striped Bass, whether it is for river or lake
fishing. When I fish from a boat, I prefer to have 2-3
rods rigged with the above lines so I can respond
quickly to opportunities. However, when walking and
wading a river I usually carry one rod rigged with a
multi-tip line, with the pouch of extra tips in my vest.
Leaders and Knots:
With fast to very fast sinking lines, the leader system
I've found perfectly adequate and effective is a very
simple two-piece leader.
On a 7 or 8 weight line, I attach an 18" butt section of
.015-.020 diameter mono and tie a 1.5" Perfection Loop
in the end. The connection of the leader to fly line is
accomplished in three different ways. A standard nail
knot (for solid core fly lines), a needle nail-knot (for
braided dacron core fly lines) or a knotless Zap-a-Gap
splice (which can be used for solid or braided core fly
lines).
To this butt section I loop-to-loop join 2.5' of 3x to
0x tippet with a double-surgeons loop knot. I rarely use
fluorocarbon tippet for this type of fishing, though I
know some do. If you decide to use fluorocarbon, you can
definitely use a little stronger size since it is
smaller in diameter for its breaking strength. I usually
find that tippet diameter is not much of an issue unless
the water is extremely clear. In very murky to muddy
water, or at night, the tippet size should not be any
issue. Use the heaviest size you can.
Additionally, in applications where I need to fish very
large baitfish patterns with deep sinking lines, I
sometimes use a braided loop splice constructed with 35
or 50# Gudebrod Braided Mono. This creates a loop right
at the tip of the fly line, to which I simply tie 4' of
heavy tippet, 15-20#.
I attach the fly to the tippet with a
Lefty Kreh
Non-slip Loop Knot to allow the fly the most natural and
enticing action. A Duncan Loop is also an excellent loop
knot, though you will need to re-open the loop after
each fish or snag you hook.
Lefty Kreh Non-Slip Loop Knot
Note: When you are constructing this rigging at home,
including making up some extra pre-tied, looped tippets,
I highly suggest that you carefully apply a drop of Zap
to each knot just as you draw it tight. Even if your
knot is not perfectly tied (visibly symmetrical as you
draw it down), the addition of the super glue with make
it a virtually 100% knot. Nice insurance, if you take
the time to do this.
I encourage you to take the time to learn to comfortably
and efficiently tie each of the important knots that are
required for line and leader rigging and tying on your
flies. In addition to fly casting fundamentals, this is
one of the most critical skills in the sport of fly
fishing to master. It isn't difficult, but it does take
some practice.
Flies:
The most important forage foods for Hybrid Striped Bass,
and all Temperate Basses, are Threadfin Shad and Gizzard
Shad, in most Midwest and South-central fisheries.
Threadfins reach a maximum adult size of 3.5", and
Gizzards about 14". However, Threadfin Shad are not
commonly found in fisheries north of approximately the
Missouri/Arkansas or Kentucky/Tennessee borders.
Hybrids will eat a variety of other baitfish (including
small suckers, trout, chubs, darters, sculpins, perch
and sunfish) and crawfish, but Shad account for the vast
majority of their total forage.
It is important to understand that even though Hybrid
Stripers get much larger than their smaller cousins,
White Bass, they do not have particularly large mouths
for their size, either. Most of the time, I don't use
much larger flies for these fish, but I am careful to
use a little larger and stronger hook to hold these hot
fish.
With their common forage factors in mind, I tie and fish
a variety of fly patterns and color combinations
including the following:
Patterns:
*Clouser Deep Minnow
*Half & Half Deep Minnow
*Cowen Baitfish
*Blanton Flashtail Whistler
*Woods SeaDucer
Color Combinations (top/mid-section/belly color)--
*Gray/White
*Black/Gray/White
*Bright Pink/White
*Chartreuse/White
*Chartreuse/Orange
* Black/Chartreuse
*Olive/Orange
*Olive/Cream
*All White
*All Tan
*All Black or Purple (for nighttime and muddy water)
Whitlock's Near-Nuff Shad
Dave Whitlock's Near-Nuff Shad in all-white and
all-chartreuse (2-3"), and Near-Nuff Crawfish in rusty
tan (about 2") are also excellent choices.
It is more important to have the correct size (length)
baitfish than a specific hook size. When I meet another
fisherman on the water who is really catching fish, I
always ask what length and what color of lure or fly he
is using.
In the patterns I have outlined, I tie them mostly 2 to
4" long. However, I always carry some the same baitfish
patterns in larger 5 to 8" lengths for opportunities to
catch a nice Striper, too.
For the times when I am fortunate to locate some surface
feeding Hybrids, I carry a handful of topwater patterns
including Crease Flies, Gurglers, Pencil Poppers and
Sub-Zeros. These range in size from 2 to 4", in all
white or a dark or bright back over a white body.
For hooks, I have tested and continue to experiment with
a variety of styles and brands. Overall, if you have a
quality general-purpose saltwater hook (regular or 1x
long) in sizes 4 thru 1/0 they will work well for these
patterns.
There are several good brands like Tiemco and Gamakatsu
that have super-sharp chemically sharpened points, but
understand that they are a little pricey. The best value
in this category of hooks is the Mustad Signature Series
#S71S-SS (chemically sharpened).
It is also increasingly popular, and effective, to use
the Eagle Claw #413, a 60* bend jig hook for baitfish
patterns. This is not a chemically sharpened hook, but
very strong.
I highly recommend that you bend down the barbs on all
your Hybrid flies, and be sure to sharpen the points on
any hooks that are not chemically sharpened. Barbless
hooks facilitate a quicker hook set penetration, as well
as an easier release that saves wear and tear on the
fish and your fly.
Retrieve Techniques:
It's important to point out the need for variety and
experimentation with retrieves for Hybrid Stripers, and
all the Temperate Bass. There is not one magical best
technique, but one thing I would definitely suggest to
keep in mind is not to get into a rut with the same
technique all the time.
It's important to have an intentional plan for why and
how to modify your technique on the stream. There are a
few basic guidelines I will share with you, most of
which will make sense. Simply, if one technique isn't
working, try a different one until you find what
produces strikes.
Hybrid Striper on a Clouser
In clear water that is above 60* you have conditions for
Hybrid Stripers to aggressively track your fly by sight,
and optimum water temperature for this baitfish-eating
machine to actively and regularly feed. These conditions
allow for moderate to very fast retrieves, when
necessary.
In clear water, I will use an erratic technique of
short, fast strips, followed by a long strip or dead
pause. Other times, a moderate pace of long strips
(roughly 24-30") followed by a pause with a couple of
rod-tip twitches will draw aggressive strikes.
To the other extreme, reasons for a very slow to
moderate retrieve include water that is colder than 55*,
particularly in the high 30's and 40's which keeps these
fish in a sluggish mood; and, murky to muddy water which
impairs visibility. Another condition for slower
retrieves is when you fish at night.
In poor visibility water and at night, you want to be
sure your retrieve is steady and consistent to allow the
fish to home in on your fly. If the fly is jigged up and
down erratically it makes it more difficult for the
predator to accurately track and strike.
It is also important to have the proper rod and line
control as you make these retrieves. I keep my rod tip
at or just above the water (1-2" above) and pointed
almost straight at my line as it swings in the current.
My strip retrieves are controlled by never allowing any
slack line between my casting hand and where the line
touches the water near my rod tip. I maintain tight
control of the line with either my index finger or two
fingers on my rod hand, as well as with my line hand, so
that I can instantly and aggressively set the hook. The
angle of the rod at hook-set is about 30-45* which
utilizes the more powerful butt and mid-sections of the
rod for a solid hook-up.
When you hook a decent Hybrid, as opposed to a nice
White Bass, you will know within the first 2-3 seconds
if you have hooked a Hybrid. They may head-shake a few
times at first, but within that first few seconds most
decent Hybrids will absolutely explode away from you
running across and down river. This is where the
recommended backing line becomes invaluable. Try to
maintain about a 45* rod angle as you work to land these
fish. With this angle, again, you are utilizing the
powerful butt section of the rod to more efficiently
wear down the fish.
Hybrid Striper Get Big!
If you want to kick off your spring fishing with some
hot action catching a great gamefish, do your homework
and get prepared for some Hybrid Striped Bass fishing in
the Midwestern States with your fly tackle, this year.
Once you've caught your first decent Hybrid, you will be
hooked for life on these awesome fish. Good luck!
See you on the river!
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