I've been running trips on beautiful Skiatook Lake in Oklahoma. Live bait and cut bait are king here for hybrid-stripers. Some have told me you cannot catch these fish on slabs. I have to say Old Ugly by Johnny Stevens does work for hybrids and works well. The issue is in the technique. I have not caught a fish straight down on a lure here. I have not had a customer catch one on a slab...yet. I'm having to refine the technique, but it works. This water is very clear even with all the rain we've gotten and the fish tend to suspend more here than on other lakes. Cast Old Ugly out as far as possible and let it sink to the bottom or close to it. A quick hop up twice and then a fast paced hop and real motion to keep it from going back down to the bottom. I try and visualize it fluttering about 5 feet above the bottom. I'm fishing in water from 16-35ft deep right now. I'll try and cast at a 45 degree angle to the base of a drop off and run it at an angle up the ledge. This has been very successful lately. On my trips, I use bait, but will run to the front of the boat and cast a slab to hook up for customers. Some want to learn and give it a try...and I will get a customer soon to hook up on artificial. I can't stand someone telling me fish can't be caught a certain way. Catching hybrids with a slab is the example this time. I have to hand it to Johnny. His slab has stood the test of time(he's old and so is the slab design) and they last...some I still use have caught hundreds of fish. The lake usually claims them before the slab is actually worn out.
FYI, I met Johnny at a sand bass tournament on Ray Roberts about 10 years ago. He talked my leg off and has become a very good friend.

Anyone who wants to come fish beautiful Skiatook Lake in Oklahoma(Tulsa area), give me a call/text or email. To buy Old Ugly, visit:
http://www.johnnysguideservice.com/ole-ugly-slabs/

Hybrid-Striper example of Old Ugly at work


White Bass/Sand Bass example of Old Ugly Slab and Fly

Here are a few videos of Old Ugly in action

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_i4pSVl6Oo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaqkLOjuL4s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FrfQycnmik

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5S7Oolnq-4

Now booking trips for Spoonbill Paddlefish December-May at Fort Gibson and Grand Lakes
Here is an average fish. They are not endangered here. One fish per angler, two per year. Check out my website and/or Facebook page for more examples.


www.lancesguideservice.com
https://www.facebook.com/LancesGuideService
918-607-7357

They work on striper too! They work on anything chasing a two inch bait!
I actually have two slabs that have over 1000 fish on them each. I just wish he would use a better hook because they are both down to two barbs on the treble! Lol!
Good to see you getting on them up there.

great stuff glad your doing well.

that spoon bill paddle fish is a very cool looking fish. In that pic it looks like some kind of fresh water marlin. Awesome pic. That guy is stoked.

Glad to see you on the forum and hear you are doing good in OK. Used to live in OK and fished a lot of the lakes. Never fished Skiatook. Never met you, but know some of the people that fished with and around you. They speak highly of you. Good luck up there. Hope to see you on EM if we ever get to fish it again. Johnny was right when he said the lake could fill up in a few days. He did not say that it would flood and stay flooded for 2 months. LOL

Thanks for the kind words and good report Lance.
Johnny

It is good to hear you are doing well. We sure miss seeing you on EM. That spoonbill looks like a blast!