Striper or Hybrid?

[peter]

What do you think? Is the top one a Hybrid? The body height is real close to 1/3 the body length.

The fish in the top of the first photo was caught Saturday and the one on the bottom was caught Sunday in the main lake.

The top one just sat in basically one spot for fifteen minutes, if it was pulling line it was real slow or not at all. I thumbed the reel and pulled pretty darn hard with a 7' ugly stick and got nowhere but did feel some movement. I checked to see if I was hung on the bottom or hung on a tree top with the water being up and my fish finder read 120 deep. I backed up with all my planner boards out and tried to go around to the other side of the fish. Actually after turning off my trolling motor, pulling on the fish or the fish pulling me made the boat back up, then I tried to get around to the other side. I don't recall any striper acting like that lately.. It was only 26" and 8.5 lbs.

[apb]

Peter,

Both are stripers. Top one is just fat.

Andrew

[mhall]

I agree.....Both Stripers for sure

[mhall]

Bob, The KDFWR is in fact stocking Whites and has been to a limited basis for several years now off and on. They are not going all Gung Ho on this yet because they aren't sure they aren't wasting their time with it. I have caught some nice Whites over the last few years down there.

Also they are going to stock 500,000 Shellcrackers, ''Redears'' This season or next also....That is cool stuff to..

[Duayne]

Great pic Peter. The classic difference in body styles between a male striper and female striper from the same class. I've attached a jif that sorta shows the difference in length and weight between males and females per yearly class. You can also see the slightly deeper body style of the female. That deeper body style is why some people mistake a female striper for a hybrid. Some just see broken lines on a torpedo and still call it a hybrid.

One clear indicator that your fish is a striper is the shear length. I don't think Hybrids top the 20 inch mark. I am sure someone could prove me wrong on this but I doubt any hybrid will ever make the 26 inch mark.

I wonder if that fish was hung in the trees\weeds and only came out when you swung around? I've had them run under ledges and cover before while bottom fishing. I've put the rod back in the rod holder and had them come back out later on their own. I've also had them run back into the cover when tree top fishing.

[apb]

...One clear indicator that your fish is a striper is the shear length. I don't think Hybrids top the 20 inch mark. I am sure someone could prove me wrong on this but I doubt any hybrid will ever make the 26 inch mark....

There are plenty of Hybrids out there over 20 inches. I've also caught a good number over 26 inches. Once they hit around 24 inches they really start putting on weight. I've caught a few 12 pound Hybrids that measured 27-28 inches. Andrew

[mhall]

There are plenty of Hybrids out there over 20 inches. I've also caught a good number over 26 inches. Once they hit around 24 inches they really start putting on weight. I've caught a few 12 pound Hybrids that measured 27-28 inches. Andrew

I've seen the pics....they were beasts...

[stripernut1]

both fish in the pic are 100% stripers. yesterday and today we caught stripers (again 100% stripers) that looked deformed they were so fat ad deep from the back to the belly, CHOCK FULL of green eggs, the sleeker looking males would dump sperm all over the floor of the boat when you tried to de-hook them, the cooler looked pretty rough too. Yes there are hybrids in lake Cumberland, several of them, and some bigguns, but using the broken lines as the sole identifier and or the depth of the body can be confusing to some. Once again, if the fish is over 22 inches it doesn't matter what it is.....keep if you want, just count it towards your limit of 2 fish and you are good to go. Also hybrids commonly exceed 20 inches, they are eating machines and grow like weeds, my 13.10 lb caught last year was right at 28 inches. most of the hybrids we caught in the fall were way over the 22 inch mark and rarely needed to be measured. I don't think this hybrid/striper thing is much of an issue, the hybrids have been present for some time, eventually they will be gone. Even though they are present, I never hop in the boat and say "ok today we are hybrid fishing" , you might be fishing for a long time lol. good luck tight lines

[Duayne]

There are plenty of Hybrids out there over 20 inches. I've also caught a good number over 26 inches. Once they hit around 24 inches they really start putting on weight. I've caught a few 12 pound Hybrids that measured 27-28 inches. Andrew

I stand corrected! I don't think I ever measured one.. LOL Most things I've read on them stop at 18-19 inches..

[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]

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....