Hey Folks,

I have really love catching hybrids! To much fun. My husband built a wonderful bait tank for my shad bait and I used alot of your suggestions and I have had much better luck keeping those bait fish alive,thanks. I noticed that every BIG Shad caught a hybrid everytime and the small ones or regular size shad caught large whites. So is it possible to use perch to catch hybrids?? Any one tried this? Just wondering?

Sure have and they do work but have done better with shad. Heard that some folks cut the dorsal fins off.

MM, I had the same experience this past weekend also; big gizzard shad produced almost immediate Hybrid hookups. I noticed our local RC Hybrid guide was using large shad also. My grandson landed a 7.5 lb. Hybrid on a 6-7 inch shad. Problem is, they are hard to locate and net. Any advice on locating/netting large shad would be appreciated.
I put out a perch trap but only managed a couple of really small perch (2")and the magnum whites ate them like candy. So I think a good size bluegill would work well. We plan on catching some larger perch this weekend and trying them. I think we can catch several around the pier.
I used the trolling motor to stay stationary over marked fish. Did you guys drift or anchor up?
Peace,
the Old Hippie

I usually find the fish (via depth finder) and anchor up, for hybrid fishing. If I get more whites, I move, as I can always get whites! Been at that a while...hahahaha! Let me know how it goes with you Old Hippie and I will post my results too. I am planning on fishing this weekend if I don't have to work!

If you use Perch, find the ones with the most color. Also, clip off the dorsal fin as the Perch will "spike" the Hybrid as he tries to swallow the bait.