Striper or Hybrid?

[peter]

I bow to Stripernut's and your expertise on freshwater Stripers. Since I never had to sort species out, I'm just not that good at it....even when I sober.

Thanks

I have no expertise. I do enjoy learning about fishin. That's why the site was started.

[HURRICANEBOB]

Here is the hybrid Stripernut caught a year or two ago.
13.1 pounds. Only one intact line as I see it.
That's his buddy Mike in the photo.

See what I mean....Stripernut can always find a way to catch the needle in a haystack.

[HURRICANEBOB]

Look close and see the redfin sticking out of its mouth. This is the last time I let a friend throw stale crackers overboard when I'm topwater fishing for Stripers. Is this a state record?

[stripernut1]

See what I mean....Stripernut can always find a way to catch the needle in a haystack.

youre a funny guy mr bob

[stripernut1]

Look close and see the redfin sticking out of its mouth. This is the last time I let a friend throw stale crackers overboard when I'm topwater fishing for Stripers. Is this a state record?

Bob, did he taste like the ones in the box? I love those goldfish

[mhall]

Bob, did he taste like the ones in the box? I love those goldfish

LOL....Hey Jeff good to see you posting again, I had wondered where you were....

[stripernut1]

LOL....Hey Jeff good to see you posting again, I had wondered where you were....

been down with the dreaded "fishin fever" lol. glad to say my condition hasn't improved

[HURRICANEBOB]

Bob, did he taste like the ones in the box? I love those goldfish

I don't know, cause after landing and photo-taking, I released it quick. I was afraid I would get beat up by the boat load of ladies fishing beside me that had the "Team Walmart Pet shop" T shirts on.

Besides, I'm a catch and release kinda guy. And, I didn't want to put pressure on a stressed fish population. I mean, how many of these have you seen that weren't in a toilet bowl?

[peter]

Tooth patch on the tong of a hybrid is two parallel lines that are connected to make the shape of the letter U.
Striper has just two parallel lines that are not connected.

Attachment 5300

Broken lines. Yes plenty of stripers have broken lines too. Look at how and how many of these lines are broken.
I only count one that is a full intact line. Above the lateral line lines that are broken that form the letter W is also an indicator I read somewhere else. The other side of the fish had maybe three full lines as you can see in the next post.

I took a closer look at some fish I caught this past weekend.

Had one striper with all but one line broken, but they were not broken to the point of being more of a dot pattern than a line.

None had the third line that connects the other two parallel lines on the tung

The heads on the females with eggs did look similar to this one. Guess I have never looked that closely at striper heads...catch and get it put away as quickly as possible. The shape of their bodies was also similar.

From the two biologists I have talked to it seemed the most telling sign for identification is the third line connection the other two lines on the tung. Who knows?

[Mean Morone]

It still looks like a striper to me. The tongue issue has me puzzled though.

[Duayne]

It still looks like a striper to me. The tongue issue has me puzzled though.

I agree. Female stripers will be deeper than normal leading up to spawn. The dorsal fins look pretty far apart. Too far apart to be a hybrid.

PS. I keep forgetting to check my Gizz box for those plugs. I should be into that box this weekend. Wish I had thought to pick up a few more of the purple huge pattern but it's too late now. I think I still have three or four.

[peter]

Here is a photo Stripernut sent me of a recent catch at Lake Cumberland. All were caught from the same school a week or two ago.