Is this possible? I heard a guide say they were on a hybrid trip....does this mean you catch 20 sandies before getting on a hybrid? Our lake doesn't have hybrids, and I know nothing about them....just curious if they school together?

Yes they do and if you are targeting Hybrids over sandies use larger baits. That usually works unless you are on Twak. They have huge sandbass.

They often will school in the same area and often together.

If you're throwing slabs 'you can target hybrids by keeping the bait above the sand bass'. By this I mean, picking the slab WAY up off the bottom and trying not to let it fall all the way back the bottom.

If throwing swimbaits, try throwing a larger bait. Or a four inch with the same colored jig head (it effectively makes the bait bigger.

For all your slab and sassy shad with jig heads check out my website. I have a multitude of swimbaits and three different styles of jig heads.

Tight Lines
Mitch "Rooster" Parker

To me, it means keep moving until you find the best fish you can catch that day. I will set up on a pile of sand bass after all my resources have been exhausted, but if someone wants to focus on hybrid and striper I will do my best. A sand bass or two is unavoidable most days, especially on the lake I fish. I caught a sandy today on a 9" Sassy Shad. Yes 9

This is also the time of year the shad get ready to spawn, well it actually in May, but everything is happening a month early this year anyway. For about 2 months out of the year it seems like the fish really all mix together (striper/hybrid/and whites) when feeding in schools. Like Gene said earlier, throw larger swimbaits, a sand bass or two will still be caught, but a lot of them will not get the hook. Sometimes I will get 5 or 6 bites on one cast by sand bass that just cant get it in their mouth, then bang - a hybrid gets the hook. This leaves the bait swimming for a REAL bite

We almost allwase target hybrids and or stripers while trying to avoid sandbass. Bait/lure size and type. Location and depth are just as important. When we do catch a sandbass it's usually a large one. If you are catching sandbass or small hybrids/stripers you must move to find bigger fish if you want to catch bigger fish.

I am always happy to catch whites. The hybrids are just a bonus.
In the Summer, fish deep with 2 ounce slabs for the hybrids. That works for me.

BIG BAIT ....BIG FISH....

Caught quite a few on EM in the late 90's on the slope between the bouys south of the island mixed with sandies. Early afternoon in the summer was best on chrome kastmaster type slabs. Nowdays, maybe two or three per year. If I was gonna target hybrids on EM, would use live bait. 5-6"(or larger) threads or gizzards on circle hooks. EM is loaded with them. Sandies are a pest but, won't mess with bigger baits as much. All that said, fish the mid lake humps on Bridgeport if you are serious about targeting hybrids. Or hookup with Keith on BP. Tight lines.

David
www.davesguideservice.net

Ya I think I may go to BP after some crappie....then when I get tired of not catching them, I may try some hybrids....

Big bait. However this does not deter the yellow bass. lol. They will try to eat baits bigger than them for some reason???

Also, if you are cathing nothing but small fish, move.

Hybrids will often times be shallower up on the point or hump than the schools of sandbass you may be catching by bouncing a slab off the bottom on the edges.

Swimbaits or big live shad seem to catch more hybribs then slabs do for me anyway. That is not always the case though.

You should try Benbrook. Good hybrids there.

Ya I fished Benbrook the other day and only caught a few crappie, I'm gonna go after those guys and then chase big fish when I'm frustrated.....