Hybrid seasonal movements

Have seen a few recent posts wanting info on Hybrid seasons. Figured this might be of use for some. Typed it out a while back for some non-KY friends.

Here in KY, we can fish for them year round. They tend to be a little slower in winter, but it can be done. The good action starts once the temps start warming in spring. Mid March, I generally run live bait off planer boards. I'll usually throw a jig while doing this. Surface temps in the low 50's at this time.

Around the same time that the dogwoods bloom here, the Hybrids make a spawning run (unsuccessfully) up into the headwaters or the main feeder creeks. Surface temps upper 50's-lower 60's by this time. Live bait will produce (run it with no weight behind planer boards or flatline them) as will artificals. Jigs, plugs, flukes all produce. For plugs, your basic topwater stuff: popr, spook, red fin or other minnow type plugs V-waked on surface are good choices. The Hybrids will often be shallow and you can see some topwater blasts at this time. Pretty soon they'll figure out that they cannot spawn and start heading back to the main lake.

Around here, the Gizzard Shad start schooling over open water on the main lake once the surface temps hit 80 degrees. Some lakes you'll have early morning, or late, evening, jumps. Topwater plugs such as spook or popr are good choices as are jigs or spoons thrown to the jumps. When they are not in the jumps, trolling will help you cover a lot of water and find feeding fish below surface. I like to downrig at this time with 3/8 oz jigs/twister tail trailers or with trolling spoons. Others like to find the schools on the depth finder and vertical jig with spoons.

In fall, surface temps in the mid 70's, they'll be coming up on points and flats early and late in the day chasing bait. Live bait off planers or downlines produces as do jigs cast to these areas. If you can find a school, vertical jigging will also produce.

Winter time, temps back into the 50's, Hybrids will concentrate back over deep water near the dam. I do best on live bait, typically downlines at this time. Move as slow as possible. Vertical jigging with spoons will also produce.

Those are some basic guidelines. The main thing to consider is: what is the main forage in your lake. Hybrids will be targeting this species. Match your lures to the size of the bait. Keep an eye on where the bait is concentrating. Hybrids will not be far behind. Hope that helps some.

Andrew

Many thanks for the information. I will be trying Barren soon.

DA

Also bear in mind that each lake/river has its own nuances when it comes to Hybrids. For example, I've never caught a Hybrid at night at Guist, though night fishing at Barren can be good. Herrington gets a lot of jump activity, and smaller baits are often the ticket. I have only heard of a handful of jumps at Guist and tend to prefer larger baits there. Main thing is to find the bait as Hybrids are usually close behind.

Andrew