The last 4 weeks I've been crushing the Hybrids but not the way I feel they can be caught. I'm using bait and it kills me they will not hit lures. I've limited the boat out four straight trips! Not guiding just fishing!

Yesterday we (3 of us) limited out before 11:15am. The last spot we fished we had multiple triple hook ups. So the bait was working very good but I wanted to try two different spoons while the fish were still under the boat. I tried several different retrieves with each one never got a bump! Both spoons are spoons I've seen in guide boats so I know they work. I went back to the bait and was instantly hooked up.

It's very frustrating to not get a lure bite. I've guided offshore and in the bay (I 100% lure fished the bays) for years, so catching a fish is not an issue.

WHAT I'M I DOING WRONG!

They eat this one good on Lake Belton. https://whitebasstools.com/

Bo Blades are good for hybrids.

What lake are you on?

I bounce back forth between Lake Somerville and Conroe.

CaptnC: I went to Texoma in 2021 and spent a week to learn what lures the stripers would take. I had learned a year earlier they didn't like the Mepps spinners, my usual Go To lure. After trial and error, I found that the stripers will take a 2/5 oz nickel colored Little Cleo. I can catch them in schooling fish on the surface, suspended, or on the bottom. I have not tried them dead-sticking. I caught a 30.5-inch striper there in October with it. I used it while fishing with a guide in 2022 and he thumbed his nose at it, but I caught as many or more fish than he did. The guides have essentially ignored my posts about this, but my friends are using it with success.

This works good for me

Thanks, what was the guides preferred lure?

It's funny they will only eat certain things on certain lakes. T Birds lure I'm sure works great on Belton, but I'm suspect they would hit it on...say Conroe. I think I will try it.

Water Temps are still in the 60's so it should be prime time for lures!

I'm looking forward to deadsticking season too!

Good to hear about another " dead stick junkie " in the forum and beyond !

These work great on both Lake Somerville and Conroe. Pot Belly Slabs from mtpocketstackle.com

Champion Fish,
I've tried one, with the same color swim baits, on both lakes. I've caugth one White Bass and that's been about it. I seen a guy casting one on a point where Hybrids are known to roam but I never seen him hook up.

I tried it also at a spot I seen on UTube where the guy was using the same rig, same colors at the same time of year and same time of day...but no bites. I only fished that spot one time.

They are a beast to cast too!

i use my trolling motor to drag umbrella rigs

CaptnC, when the graph looks like this and the fish are schooling, that’s when I use that Arig. I used a heavy action rod and I loosen up all the brakes on the reel. I don’t cast it like a normal lure, I sort of sling it out there and I can cast it pretty far and for at least 2-3 hours of my fishing day if the screen looks like this. I love catching doubles and triples, I haven’t hooked up with 4 yet.

Champion Fish, I would love for my side scan to look like that.

On my best day the fish ar not concentrated like that. But the day I we to the UTubers spot, I did have a brief pic like that.

I do a under hand pitch which carries pretty far.

This is a great idea and I might use it tomorrow. I was planning to put some deadstick lures down and cover some spots while doing .4 mph

I've actually put a silver kastmaster spoon back while covering some flats deadsticking at .4mph