Ray Sasser labeled me a white bass specialist, and I must agree with that assessment. I have always hunted for and fished for whites and whatever might hang out with them. I have never targeted hybrids/stripers, but it certainly is fun catching them - especially legal ones. My question is, " How does one target hybrids/stripers?" What I gather from posts here is that the main way is to get out early and catch them feeding on the surface. Is there a way to structure fish for them? What types and depths of structure and what graff patterns would I look for? Also, what is the best bait for catching them on structure if that's possible? Thanks in advance!!!

One word. Fastguy. If there's a hybrid or 10,000 of them in cedar creek lake he's caught them and thrown them back. Atleast twice each.

The best way to target them is to go to Texoma, you can't miss them, they are everywhere

In a lake with fewer striper/hybrids than sandbass, I would assume that they would run together as they are chasing the same forage. The larger stripers would most likely be hanging out below the sandbass. Striper hang out on bottom structure like ledges and creek channels and usually perfer to be in the 20-40ft range but they will vary shallower and deeper depending on the time of year. Live shad is by far your best bait to use while fishing for them while they are holding to the deep water struture. If you want to use lures then go with a larger lure to weed out the smaller sand bass. Soft plastic swim baits in the 4-5" range like sassy shad and wild eyes work great. Slabs work great as well 1 1/2oz -2oz are my favorite size. For topwater action you will want a big plug I use pencil poppers and zara spooks exclusively.

Good Luck,
Brian

Bait/Lure selection. You want to target a bigger fish use bigger baits and use baits that have been proven to catch the fish you are targeting. You need to know the lake you are fishing in and the pattern for the target fish. The easiest way to find out is to hire a guide that knows how to catch hibs/stripes at the lake you want to catch them in.

I know there is a difference between the two and how you fish them. What it is I have no idea. I catch hybrids and rarely catch whites unless they are on the top.

Dennis, I target hybrids in the same water I chase the whites
in, However they are not always together, the larger hybrids,
I believe are often found along the humps and ridges also,I
do feel that they are caught on the same lures, however, I think
that you will catch more and larger hybrids using live shad,
probably the case with all fish, however it is hard to fish live
bait for the Whites, I prefer along humps between 18 and 30 feet
but they can read on the graph as Whites. just keep trying you
will catch on quick, nothing like a 5 or 6 lb hybrid to get your
blood churning.

crappie jig on a loose overhand knot tied about 18" above a slab. If the sandies are hitting the slab the hybrids will hit the jig. I have been pretty successful with this set up. Potentially your in line method might also work with the jig tied above. They run together but it seems the whites are more apt to hit the jig bouncing off of the bottom where the hybrids hover off of the bottom more. Other than that early or late schooling action as you said is the ticket.

Fish down by the dam, there are always big hybrid and striper down by the dam. If not there, than look for a bridge, there are always big hybrid and striper around a bridge. If not there, look for a ladder, there are always big hybrid and striper close to a ladder. I usually target large yellow bass, which is way more of a challenge than targeting hybrid and striper

sometimes sandies and hybrids will be in the same location
at the same times , most often not. I am always fishing for
hybrids , but I catch a ton of whites while doing so.
If the fish are mixed , many times you can upsize your
baits.

I will normally have on three lures. a jiggn spoon/slab,
a sassy shad or large bucktail with plastic trailer and
a large topwater bait.
I fish the lower third of Lake Palestine, I know most
of the humps , ridges and flats where sandbass and hybrids
feed. I use my electronics to eliminate water. If I mark
fish , I start fishing with the slab, If I am only catching
whites, I will start throwing the sassy shad or bucktail,
If I am not getting hybrids , I must decide to go
back to the slab and catch whites or change locations.
It is hard to leave fish to find bigger fish , but if
you are dedicated to catching hybrds , you have to do it and
do it often. Some days, I make the circuit and and hybrids
are just MIA. Go to the house or go back and work on the
whites and hope to pick up the stray hybrid.

Surfacing fish , you can usually identify what species is
on top. I love it when the hybrids are busting, but if
it is whites, many times hybrids are 10-15 underneath,
throw a big bait ( sassyshad. bucktail, ) count it down
and catch the bigger fish.

There are certain times of the year when hybrids are locked
in on small baits, you can't target them with big baits.
You just have keep moving out of the white to find the hybrids.

sometimes you don't have to move far , the whites may
occupy the top of the hump and the hybrids are patroling the
edge.

good luck
MO

Dennis --

I got carried away on the above post ,
the easy way, on cedar creek , is to identify the dream team , follow at a polite distance and do what they do.


MO

+1 on Mo's post. That is just about exactly all the same tactics I use. Some days you just arent going to find the hybrids no matter what you try. But you have to keep moving, that isnt always easy to do,but you have to know what your after and stick to trying it, when you cant find them and make it work,,,maybe go back to sandies. I use large slabs from 1.5oz to 2.5oz slabs. Color doesnt always matter a bit, but there are times they key on one thing. I agree with Mo when he says that there are times they hybrids want a small bait. I have had trips this year when the flies above the slab caught the hybrids and the slab go untouched, or have even used slabs from 3/8oz to 3/4oz to get the hybrids to hit. I love fishing humps, ledges, points, and hitting them when they are running flats. Sometimes you can get really tied in to what your fishfinder is saying, I love using it to mark fish as well. But I like fishing spots though that I know are good. Casting the baits away from the boat working edges of humps is very effective for me. Just know sometimes when you get that tick type bite on those days when the sand bass are nailing your bait...might be those hybrids, I love it when they do that tick and you split the eyes and it is a nice size hybrid.

My observations on Lake Belton. I target hybrids almost exclusively. I fish live shad almost exclusively.

If I'm marking whites I usually move.
If I'm catching whites I usually move.
I usually have better luck in deeper water than the white bass fishermen are working.
If we're catching both, the hybrids are usually on the small side.
When a school of big hybrids is on a feed, we rarely catch a white.
Most of the year bigger baits mean bigger fish.

These are just general observations. There are exceptions to every one of them.

Let me say this quietly,Night fishing is ON..I've been catching
many good Hybrids at night on the lights in water as swallow as
3ft deep,,The last several nights,it's pick a light,three or
four cast no fish move,Yellow lights are holding lots of
fish and so are the ladders lol
Hybrid question?? For ever 5 or more Hybrids i catch, one is a keeper.
and i catch a potload of 14in Hybrids,,I dont think every
Hybrids grows to 18 inchs,Just like people,tall,short,fat skinny.
IMO,If the TPW is not careful in Hybrid management
those Hybrids my just ruin [RULE] this lake
Just my two cents

one more item , if you locate a prime feeding location, and they are not there on your first pass, don't assume it they
won't be there later. There is a certain small hump, tops
at 10 feet close to 35 feet of water. If I am any where near
it , I will take a look , even If I checked it 30 minutes ago.

Keep notes on where you catch hybrids ( I keep mine in a
bad location , my head ). they will often show up on the same
locations about the same time of year , year after year.

there is a large flat on the east side of my lake that will
hold tons of hybrids in april, but almost never in the fall.
dont know why.

MO

Oh, for those that dont know about deadsticking for hybrids your missing out... I cant believe JV doesnt book several trips in the winter, that is some of the best action you will find but there are tricks to making that stuff work. Different season,different baits, different presentations, but all are fun if your in the hybrids.

Dead Sticking doesn't work anymore, Bryon.

Until last year I would have said deadsticking never
works , I actually caught some fish with that method.
Very specific technique for very cold water.

Mo

Not sure in Texas, but here in NM, you use a bigger bait. We also use u-rigs and 8" swim shad or Bomber flair jigs. The cranks I use are also on the big side. A 12-14" gizzard shad or decent bluegill is a fantastic striper live bait.

We have humps, islands and breaks off the main channel. You find the fish working a specific depth, and use your Hummingbird to stay on a specific contour. Trolling is the method, live bait or cranks/u-rig/swim shad. Speed is a factor, stripers like a fast moving bait. 1.8 on the live bait and faster on the rest, or a varied bump and run deal. They are usually near deep water or cruising it. A hump or island in 20 fow with the main channel running next to it dropping off to 80-90'. That is what I have in NM at Elephant Butte that consistently has fish.

Thats right you guys told me it only worked on years ending with an 8, oh well 2018 is around the corner.

Mo, excellent post!!!! That is VERY helpful!

To all of you - great stuff - Thanks for sharing!!!