Hybrids and stripe bass

[WildmanWilson]

I've never really done any fishing for them but think I may get a rig for fishing from the bank at the dams. What gear would you use? Would a bass rod be able to handle a good size fish in the current or would you move up to something a little heavier duty? I watched a guy catch some in the 10-12 pound range the other day and looked like he had bass rods with baitcasters.

 

[littleboots]

When I use to fish for them below dam used real stiff trolling rods current is hard to fight

 

[hunt]

The dams were a staple for me and a couple friends for literally years on weekends, we hardly ever missed if the weather was good. For rockfish, we used baitcast/bass gear and most of our fish were 4-8lbs with an occasional bite that was 10-20lbs. Used MH-H bass gear loaded with 15lb Trilene Big Game mono. It's cheap and strong and handles the fish well but isn't impossible to break off, snags are a given. 3/4oz heads was our go-to weight, if the current was weak, drop back to 1/2oz, strong current bump up to 1oz heads, but 90+% of the time, a 3/4 was the best. We poured our heads and used the Do-It shad head jig mold or the #9 Shad head jig mold, either works fine.

As far as plastic, the 4inch shad bodies were usually the best. Red glitter, purple glitter, and chartreuse were the best.

For stripes, we downsized to spinning gear usually loaded with 8lb test, Trilene XL was our choice, it handles well. We used 1/4oz(mostly) and sometimes 5/16oz round ball heads that we also poured. Plastics for these were primarily 2" split tails in green, purple, chartreuse, orange, or white. Curly tail grubs and small shad bodies in these colors were also good, but they seem to "drift" more in the current, the split tails just behave better.

Always bought all of our plastics at Ken's, between the dams.

If you go to Barkley or Ky, watch the current. If Barkley is running generators #1 or #2, fish east side current breaks. If they're running #3 or #4, go to west side under the bridge.

Same thing for KY dam. If KY is only running #1, go above. Any combination of 1-2-3, go below on east side. If they're only running 4 or 5, head to the west side.

Hope this helps.

I don't get down there as much as I used to, but some of my best memories were wading those rocks!!

 

[WildmanWilson]

The dams were a staple for me and a couple friends for literally years on weekends, we hardly ever missed if the weather was good. For rockfish, we used baitcast/bass gear and most of our fish were 4-8lbs with an occasional bite that was 10-20lbs. Used MH-H bass gear loaded with 15lb Trilene Big Game mono. It's cheap and strong and handles the fish well but isn't impossible to break off, snags are a given. 3/4oz heads was our go-to weight, if the current was weak, drop back to 1/2oz, strong current bump up to 1oz heads, but 90+% of the time, a 3/4 was the best. We poured our heads and used the Do-It shad head jig mold or the #9 Shad head jig mold, either works fine.

As far as plastic, the 4inch shad bodies were usually the best. Red glitter, purple glitter, and chartreuse were the best.

For stripes, we downsized to spinning gear usually loaded with 8lb test, Trilene XL was our choice, it handles well. We used 1/4oz(mostly) and sometimes 5/16oz round ball heads that we also poured. Plastics for these were primarily 2" split tails in green, purple, chartreuse, orange, or white. Curly tail grubs and small shad bodies in these colors were also good, but they seem to "drift" more in the current, the split tails just behave better.

Always bought all of our plastics at Ken's, between the dams.

If you go to Barkley or Ky, watch the current. If Barkley is running generators #1 or #2, fish east side current breaks. If they're running #3 or #4, go to west side under the bridge.

Same thing for KY dam. If KY is only running #1, go above. Any combination of 1-2-3, go below on east side. If they're only running 4 or 5, head to the west side.

Hope this helps.

I don't get down there as much as I used to, but some of my best memories were wading those rocks!!

Thanks for the great reply. It’s what I was looking for.

 

[hunt]

@drakeshooter is a local down there, hopefully he'll chime in. I guarantee you he knows how to catch em!

 

[drakeshooter]

@drakeshooter is a local down there, hopefully he'll chime in. I guarantee you he knows how to catch em!

I’ve never done much fishing for stripers or white bass but lots of folks that used to post here night fished the bridges and were experts. Lots of YouTube videos on the subject just Google “striped bass fishing kentucky” and it’s like a classroom. You can learn about anything on any subject on YouTube.

 

[hunt]

Thanks for the great reply. It’s what I was looking for.

Also, the newer handicap pier columns at the lower parking lot on the east side below KY dam has given up limits of fish, especially stripes, they love that current break edge. There's also a point there where the barges lock through that's usually worth a cast or 2. You'll find em, may have to hit a few different spots.

 

[WildmanWilson]

I’ve never done much fishing for stripers or white bass but lots of folks that used to post here night fished the bridges and were experts. Lots of YouTube videos on the subject just Google “striped bass fishing kentucky” and it’s like a classroom. You can learn about anything on any subject on YouTube.

I have been but I like hearing some hands on experience for around here. Most of the videos didn’t get into their rigs as much.

 

[luvtohunt]

We throw for em here locally at certain times of the year, plastics, doll flys, and top water. Typically we throw a bass reel with good drag system and a 7 to 7.5 foot heavy rod. Usually line em with 20-25 pound big game. It’s tough and won’t break when they rub the rocks. Whatever you do if you hook a good one, never thumb the spool. Always let him take line even if it does put him in a bad spot. Thumb the spool for a second and they will pull the hook. The mouths are tough on the bastages too so don’t skimp on a hook set, especially in current. Multiples won’t hurt ya!! In my mind they are a top 3 fish to eat if you filet em right. My go to bait choice is a white or chartreuse 1/2-3/4 ounce doll fly with a matching 4 inch curly tail grub or a 4-5 inch swim bait in the same colors on a jig head. We find em in the jumps I’m throwing the larger size walking baits (prefer a Sammy) or the bigger whopper plopper in bone or black and chrome.

 

[drakeshooter]

I do know you have to remove the blood line in the fillets or you won’t like them. I know a couple guys who used to fish the jumps when they school up just to fill up their freezers.

 

[WildmanWilson]

We throw for em here locally at certain times of the year, plastics, doll flys, and top water. Typically we throw a bass reel with good drag system and a 7 to 7.5 foot heavy rod. Usually line em with 20-25 pound big game. It’s tough and won’t break when they rub the rocks. Whatever you do if you hook a good one, never thumb the spool. Always let him take line even if it does put him in a bad spot. Thumb the spool for a second and they will pull the hook. The mouths are tough on the bastages too so don’t skimp on a hook set, especially in current. Multiples won’t hurt ya!! In my mind they are a top 3 fish to eat if you filet em right. My go to bait choice is a white or chartreuse 1/2-3/4 ounce doll fly with a matching 4 inch curly tail grub or a 4-5 inch swim bait in the same colors on a jig head. We find em in the jumps I’m throwing the larger size walking baits (prefer a Sammy) or the bigger whopper plopper in bone or black and chrome.

I see some using top water but the guy I watched the other day was hopping it off the bottom. I was thinking to myself I don't see why you can't swing it. Seems to me they feed at different depths.

 

[WildmanWilson]

I do know you have to remove the blood line in the fillets or you won’t like them. I know a couple guys who used to fish the jumps when they school up just to fill up their freezers.

I have filleted some a guy gave me once. I did cut it out and the red meat and it was good eating.

 

[luvtohunt]

I have filleted some a guy gave me once. I did cut it out and the red meat and it was good eating.

If you ever want a fantastic fresh water fish sandwich, take that top steak off the filet. The thickest part that you filet off up near the head. Soak that in hot sauce, cover it in cornmeal and then give it a hot oil bath. That makes the most firm, thick, and flaky fish sandwich you will ever make on your own!!!

 

[hunt]

I see some using top water but the guy I watched the other day was hopping it off the bottom. I was thinking to myself I don't see why you can't swing it. Seems to me they feed at different depths.

We experimented with Cotton Cordell Pencil Poppers for rockfish also, it's a HUGE bite, the explosion is equivalent to dropping a concrete block from a dang airplane, it's pretty intense. That bite is better in colder water conditions, think early March and then again in November/ December.

Late spring thru summer months and even into the fall, we always had the best luck bumping those shad bodies right off the bottom, as you stated.

One thing I learned about stripers, they seem to run in wolfpacks, so when you get a bite, land it and get right back out there in about the same area. They're definitely a unique fish, but the battle is worth the bite, they'll basically fight to their death. Great eating also, just cut the red out.

 

[hunt]

All my experience/techniques are from KY and Barkley dams, they may act different in other places along the rivers, but those things I posted seemed to work best over the years for us in western KY.