Just an FYI for those few of us that fish there.

I was catching a lot of hybrid fingerlings Monday.

Got home and checked TPW Stocking site and shore 'nuff.... 101,000 just stocked in the last month

I noticed the same thing about 3 weeks ago. I pulled up around the front side of Big Creek Marina and saw small blow-ups everywhere. I couldn't get a bite so I threw my net to see what the heck it was. It was a huge school of the little fellas. I mean huge. I looked them over closely and figured they were Hybrids. That leaves you with a pretty good feeling for the future. That lake is crammed packed with shad and I think it could support a much needed large population of Hybrids. The only problem is that there are so many boats already. The fish will be fun size in three years and keepers in 4. 100k is not too many in a stocking program but they seem to be doing well. What we need is more stockings and to lower the legal limit to 16 inches for Hybrids. Its not like we're waiting on them to get to a spawning age!
Oops....no one asked me.

good news sealy guy. thanks for the info. we were up there two weeks ago and fishing was tough but managed to catch a fair amount of fish and six or seven 'brids one was 26"s the rest throw backs, they were all the same size and may be legal length by this fall. have you ever tried any night fishing at somerville?

I've caught a lot of undersized (14 to 16 inches) hybrids at Somerville this year. Next year should be great.

Hey guys, I normally fish the coast, but a friend was wanting to try Somerville. Are ya'll catching most of these hybrids trolling? Or would I be better off drifting live bait or jigging ?

Thanks!

i start out trolling with a bomber ; size 7asi with a pet spoon attached. it will run about 12 ft. then maybe a dd 22 if they are a little deeper. if that's not working drift shad thru the fish at the depth you see them on your recorder or jigs or sassy shads. be ready for whatever they want, you never know.

Glud --
WOW - i really didnt think there were any that big in there. - I guess I'll have to keep tryin. may need to go to live bait driftin huh
- Night fishin? actually lately, Ive been thinking bout some night fishin- Ive never tried it cause I never heard about anyone doing it on this lake. I guess it'd be worth a shot.

Scooter - I honestly dont konw if thats a good Idea or a bad idea- I'd love to be keeping the fish that I've been catchin lately, but I think that so many people ARE keeping them indiscriminately that it is really affecting the population. A couple years ago, I couldnt catch a Hybrid if it knock'd itself out on my hull... and whites are plentifull -- now I'm catchin very few whites and Lots of 14"-17" Hybrids. -- I'm Glad to see them stocking- next few yrs sould be way fun- and in a couple more yrs my lil boy will be ready to get in on it and I cant wait to hav ea fishin buddy

Pavu - catchin all mine trollin hellpets

guy from sealy
somerville used to be great for 'brids but they had at least two fish kills and missed a year or two stocking during the last 6 or so years. that old fish must have slipped thru the cracks. i used to fish that lake 2 to 3 times a week and did real well, but haven't fished much in the last two years. only been twice this year mainly because boat was down. fishing for whites & 'brids after fathers day on sommerville is tough, i believe because it's so shallow.

not to hijack anything, but when is the best time to troll for WB at Sommerville? We were out there Sunday and tried along the dam and also along WB Pass but we didn't catch a thing. Of course this was around 4pm when it was blazing hot outside but that shouldn't have affected anything.

I hear what you're saying "guy from sealy" but when I can't tell you how many 17" fish I've seen floating after a group of people find a school and start slabbing for them. I've pulled up and seen people measure, throw back and floaters everywhere. We almost got in a fight once over the issue when we and 3 other boats found a school of 12 inchers. After everyone had caught about 10 each that size I hollared "hey guys we all need to move off this group". I got a big go F yourself from two of the boats. Hybrids are a cool fish and the state needs to stay on top of the stocking. Thanks for bringing up the topic.

to aggal06

somerville: if you slab-march thru fathers day; trolling mid may thru fathers day. trolling will work at somerville when water temp. reaches 62 deg. after fathers day it's tough. the damn is a good spot. maybe just not biting.

monday - I ran thru a school bustin shad on top- didnt see the school bustin till i ran thru em. was towin 2 hell benders - one w/ two pets and one w/ one pet. got me a triple hook up.

it was just south of welch across from the bouys where it gets shallow. it was about 9:15 am
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Thanks for the info, GLud

I have run into the fresh stockers near the dam as well on several outing with the fly rod. They would move in toward shore around the inlet tower every evening but they were really small maybe 4 to 7 inches max. It's still exciting to have a feeding school of fish move right in close and all around you while wade fishing. I haven't lined up with any good size whites/hybrids since April. I guess you need a pretty good sized boat!