ive always heard that hybrids are sterile and can't reproduce. if so, why does tpwd stock so many of them? to me it would make more sense to stock whites and stripers since they can keep the population going. could someone please explain this to me.

I have heard it's stripers that are sterile and can't reproduce. Just what i've heard nothing fact.

Andy

The hybrids are sterile, Very few lakes in Texas support striper reproductions. The sandbass reproduce in most Texas lakes. The hybrids are preferred because they grow large and fight better than a sandbass or striper.Texhoma is the only lake That is close that stripers reproduce in. Must have running water and high salt content.
Johnny

Hybrids are more tolerant of the warmer waters in the shallower lakes than pure stripers.

thanks yall

Hybrids are more harty, especially in warmer/smaller lakes, but they are mostly sterile (there are no absolutes in the animal world, remember). There are a few very rare instances where something happens.

Stripers are not sterile, however most lakes will not support a striper population without the help of stocking. This is due to water temp, flow, and tributary conditions. That is why there is no minimum length on lakes like Texoma, because it is one of the few lakes that has a naturally self-sufficient population. They want you to keep the small fish, instead of just keeping the brooding stock in the lake. All the small ones do is eat and eat and eat, they don't reproduce. With the amount of pressure on that lake, if we all just kept overs, there would be no striper without stocking again.

Catching many undersize Hybrids,and have been for at least three years,,,I believe not all Hybrids grow to be 18 in or more,
Look at Humans,we have Tall,Short,Fat, Skinny,people,I think its in the genes,,,How many Black Bass get to be 10-12 lbs?

I think Chuck might agree here,I believe the sand bass,yellow bass,maybe even the Hybrids have done some inter breeding,I've been catching fish for awhile,that i swear looks like a cross breed between a Sand Bass,Yellow Bass,Hybrids?
Interracial fish are breeding here at CC---JMO

Keystone... you are right, interbreeding occurs within closely related subspecies. Primarily because of the way fish breed. Schooling fish basically make a soup of sperm and eggs, and is rather easy for some to get mixed with species that use similar areas. Hybrids are supposed to be sterile because of how they are made (much like mules are), however, i don't believe the boys are shooting blanks, cause I have seen some very odd fish in LL as well. However, that is rare. If left well alone, mother nature would keep them separated like she has been for a few thousand years now. We stir the pot with human 'intervention and regulation', which is basically an attempt to fix what we screwed up in the first place. JMHO