Ohio River Hybrids below dams?

[Bassky]

How do you catch hybrids below the dams from a boat? Looking into trying it in the next week or so? I have caught them on crankbaits but not anything else. Any info appreciated. I will be fishing Meldahl.
Thanks,
Bassky

[mhall]

I'm learning and hopefully improving so maybe I can help a little. The hydro water at times can be good but the boil water from the gates has more 02 therefore will hold more hybrids. Get just off the edge of the boils and throw in-line spinners up to one ounce in size. Swimbaits, cranks,topwaters all can be good. Watch for jumps they will corral bait and push them shallow and hammer on them, when they are doing this it really doesn't matter what you are throwing you'll get bit. My favorite at that time is a top walker bait. one that will work in the swift water, experiment you'll see what I mean by that once you start throwing them. Sometimes they are there and sometimes they aren't, and it can change in a moments notice. We've caught some real decent hybrids lately and litterally TONS of white bass some of them nice and alot in the 10 to 12 inch range. I hope this helps a little, and please be careful and don't get to close......

[JD7.62]

I havnt fish from a boat for them...yet, but Ive pulled some solid fish this year in the 12-15lb range using 5" storm swim baits.

[mhall]

I havnt fish from a boat for them...yet, but Ive pulled some solid fish this year in the 12-15lb range using 5" storm swim baits.

Seen your pics, very nice indeed. I haven't been able to do very good down there on the hybrids from the bank, why don't you pm your secret honey hole, lol.

[JD7.62]

I dont really have a honey hole. I just fish where ever there is white water with a rip line or slack water near by. I dont usually reel in my bait either. I throw it out there and let the current take it so its in the zone a bit longer. I just reel in my slack to keep the line tight. I dont know if it matters but most people throw braid. I throw 8lb mono...makes it even more fun!

I just bought a boat but Im still too chicken to take it down there.

[mhall]

I dont really have a honey hole. I just fish where ever there is white water with a rip line or slack water near by. I dont usually reel in my bait either. I throw it out there and let the current take it so its in the zone a bit longer. I just reel in my slack to keep the line tight. I dont know if it matters but most people throw braid. I throw 8lb mono...makes it even more fun!

I just bought a boat but Im still too chicken to take it down there.

I hear ya, not knowing that place as well as others has kept me from putting mine on it as well. That place is no place to screw around, you can make some bad mistakes down there you can't take back. Landing that size hybrid on 8lb mono in that current, Get-R-Done, my applause to you sir. I noticed in your pics you wade out a bit from the crowds as well, probably fishing the upper dam no doubt. Might see ya down there some time, heck I'm thinking about wading around down there this afternoon.

[Bassky]

what color works best in Storm baits? Thanks for the info. I will not get close to the dam. I stay outside of the buoys. Is anyone catching any below the dams now?
bassky

[mhall]

what color works best in Storm baits? Thanks for the info. I will not get close to the dam. I stay outside of the buoys. Is anyone catching any below the dams now?
bassky

Experiment with colors but shad patterns and basic whites will never be a bad choice. Yes there are alot of hybrids being caught now depending on release schedules and time of day. Usually early and late are your best times, but lately we've been hitting them pretty good at 3 and 4 in the afternoon.

[JD7.62]

I hear ya, not knowing that place as well as others has kept me from putting mine on it as well. That place is no place to screw around, you can make some bad mistakes down there you can't take back. Landing that size hybrid on 8lb mono in that current, Get-R-Done, my applause to you sir. I noticed in your pics you wade out a bit from the crowds as well, probably fishing the upper dam no doubt. Might see ya down there some time, heck I'm thinking about wading around down there this afternoon.

Using light line is fun and a good work out from chasing the fish down river so they dont spool you! Ive only seriously fished for hybrids 5 times this summer. My pictures are from three of those trips, one I let the fish go, and the other trip I got skunked! Believe it or not (I dont!) Ive only broke off one fish out of those trips and he was a monster too, easily 15+. I got him right up the chanel I stand on the edge of and he was directly beneath me in the chanel when he decided to stop. I pulled and pulled and he just sat there, I couldnt budge him. With my rod bent at such a sharp angle (straight down) I knew my drag wouldnt work as well so I decided to loosen it up...too late, fish flicked its tail and SNAP!

My favorite colors are anything white or "natural" I do wade but only if I need to to get to the fish or the spot that looks like fish will be holding.

[Lowerider]

Heavy metal is my choice; spoons, blade baits and tail-spinners like the Cleo. I find the fish DO get used to seeing the same bait after a while and even when busting on top in a frenzy won't take your bait if they've seen a buddy get caught. Switch baits often - I find I catch more as soon as I switch and then the bite dies off even if the fish are still there...

Other than that, I slide a 2 oz egg sinker on my line and then tie on a cheap thumper tail bait like a pogey with a lead jig head. I work it similar to what JD mentioned - don't do anything other than reel in slack after popping it off the bottom. It looks ugly with that gob of lead but it's what you need to get down deep in strong flow; and more importantly - it works... :-)

No shot using this technique with much success using anything under 15 lb line - you'll lose the lure on a long cast using 8 lb mono a lot of the time...