Headed out to PK with the kids for the first time this week, looking for some sandies and hybrids. Is bait able to be caught out there or is artificial the way to go? Any general areas better that others?? I would appreciate any local knowledge.

As always, appreciate it!

There seems to be a lot of minnows in the marinas. I've been catching both stripers and sand bass on artificial bait. Biggest issue right now is the wind.

Pay close attention, there are several regulars that are catching lots of small stripers mixed in with the sandies. As far as I know they have never stocked PK with hybrids, although I swear I've caught a couple. This last weekend we did pretty good late afternoons, middle of the day not so good. I think Randy Wood did good early morning too but I was too lazy to start then. Lots of fish just pay attention to what your electronics are telling you, ant look in 25 - 34 fow.

OK, Thanks for the info! I will see what I can find!

You can easily tell the small stripers from the sand bass. The small stripers are not so small anymore. The ones I caught yesterday were 14 inches and looked like they had swallowed a balloon they had so many shad in them. Considering that they were stocked as fingerlings last year it's an impressive growth rate.

I've been catching quite a few stocking fingerlings as well as "small stripers" you referred to mixed in with a lot of sand bass. My son caught the first freshwater drum of the year week before last which was a bit of a surprise. I also think I have caught a few hybrids in the mix, but not certain. I'd like to find some largemouth soon. Couple friends and I fished with Randy Wood this past Sat am and we had very similar experience to what I have had in past month or so - although we caught a lot more with his expertise in the boat. Great guy and great guide. Highly recommended.

Bigger stripers will be closer down to the dam in deeper water. That's been my experience.

lots of sandbass and stripers around boys camp area in the morning�.easy to catch

Agreed.

Put some of this on your lures and you'll discover that PK is full of drum. You'll catch some catfish as well.