Hybrid Striped Bass in Lake Norman, NC

[Mac-b]

Subject: Fishin’ With Capt. Gus! Hybrid Striped Bass - New Lake Norman Residents 12-18-20

Fishin’ With Capt. Gus!
Hybrid Striped Bass - The New Lake Norman Residents
12-18-2011

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Anglers have reported catches of small hybrid striped bass in Lake Norman since October. The hybrid, a cross between a striped bass and a white bass, is being hooked by fishermen targeting crappie, white perch and spotted bass using small jigs, spoons and live crappie minnows The newest addition to Lake Norman’s growing fish population are too small to keep at this time, but will grow to seven pounds or more at maturity.

How they got into Lake Norman is anybody’s guess. The important fact is that hybrid striped bass are living here and are being caught. Commonly called hybrids by area anglers, the NCWRC classifies them as Bodie Bass, named after Bodie McDowell, a retired Public Information Officer for the NCWRC.

Based on information provided by growth charts, anglers can expect the fast growing hybrid to grow 11”- 15” in length by the spring of 2012, and gain an additional 6” by the spring of 2013. A typical two year old hybrid in other lakes, weighs between two and three pounds and fights with more tenacity than a spotted bass.

The presence of hybrids in Lake Norman is not only a surprise to anglers, who did not expect stocking to begin until the spring of 2012, but to the NCWRC as well. When asked, Brain McRea of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said, “The hybrids in Lake Norman were not stocked by the NCWRC. However, serious consideration is being given to supplementing next year’s (2012) annual striped bass stocking with a quantity of hybrids.”

Hybrids are a popular game fish stocked in other impoundments in both North and South Carolina. They travel and feed in schools, much the same way as their parents, the white and striped bass. Known for their explosive strikes and tackle bursting ability anglers are excited about their introduction to Lake Norman. While fishing techniques vary by location, most are caught using similar tactics to those used to lure striped bass.

The fact that reports of hybrids are being caught in different areas of Lake Norman, indicate that a great many fish were put in the lake at multiple locations. Based on their size (8”-10”), they were likely stocked earlier this year.

Note: Don’t confuse hybrids with white perch, since they are similar in size, color and shape. If it looks like a white perch but has broken lateral lines, it is more than likely a hybrid and must be released if less than 16” in length.

Tips from Capt. Gus:
Lake Norman’s hybrid striped bass size limit is 16” and the creel limit is four fish (in combination with striped bass) from October 1 - May 31. During the summer months, June 1 – Sept. 30, there is no minimum size limit, but the creel limit remains the same.

Hot Spots of the Week:
Crappie fishing is excellent for those fishing now. Crappie minnows are the baits of choice and fishing is best around submerged brush. Spotted bass are everywhere. Large schools are feeding on suspended baitfish in most coves with twenty to forty feet of water. Those casting the banks are catching limits off points and docks adjacent to deep water. White perch continue to be the target fish for families looking for something easy to catch, clean and eat.

The lake level on Lake Norman is about 1.7' from full pond and down 3.0' on Mountain Island Lake. The water’s surface temperature is in the fifties.

Captain Gus Gustafson, licensed by the US Coast Guard, is a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and a Professional Sport Fishing Guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his website at www.FishingWithGus.com , e-mail him at Gus@lakenorman.com or call 704-617-6812.

[DPHNC52]

Thanks for this info. Hybrid's will sure stretch your line!

[Mac-b]

Thanks for this info. Hybrid's will sure stretch your line!

If you have fish for them before, how about sharing how you did it with us. They are a new fish to us and we are catching them while perch fishing.

[BigBird]

norman hybrid 111111b.jpgnorman hybrid 111111.jpg

Subject: Fishin’ With Capt. Gus! Hybrid Striped Bass - New Lake Norman Residents 12-18-20

Fishin’ With Capt. Gus!
Hybrid Striped Bass - The New Lake Norman Residents
12-18-2011




Anglers have reported catches of small hybrid striped bass in Lake Norman since October. The hybrid, a cross between a striped bass and a white bass, is being hooked by fishermen targeting crappie, white perch and spotted bass using small jigs, spoons and live crappie minnows The newest addition to Lake Norman’s growing fish population are too small to keep at this time, but will grow to seven pounds or more at maturity.

How they got into Lake Norman is anybody’s guess. The important fact is that hybrid striped bass are living here and are being caught. Commonly called hybrids by area anglers, the NCWRC classifies them as Bodie Bass, named after Bodie McDowell, a retired Public Information Officer for the NCWRC.

Based on information provided by growth charts, anglers can expect the fast growing hybrid to grow 11”- 15” in length by the spring of 2012, and gain an additional 6” by the spring of 2013. A typical two year old hybrid in other lakes, weighs between two and three pounds and fights with more tenacity than a spotted bass.

The presence of hybrids in Lake Norman is not only a surprise to anglers, who did not expect stocking to begin until the spring of 2012, but to the NCWRC as well. When asked, Brain McRea of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said, “The hybrids in Lake Norman were not stocked by the NCWRC. However, serious consideration is being given to supplementing next year’s (2012) annual striped bass stocking with a quantity of hybrids.”

Hybrids are a popular game fish stocked in other impoundments in both North and South Carolina. They travel and feed in schools, much the same way as their parents, the white and striped bass. Known for their explosive strikes and tackle bursting ability anglers are excited about their introduction to Lake Norman. While fishing techniques vary by location, most are caught using similar tactics to those used to lure striped bass.

The fact that reports of hybrids are being caught in different areas of Lake Norman, indicate that a great many fish were put in the lake at multiple locations. Based on their size (8”-10”), they were likely stocked earlier this year.

Note: Don’t confuse hybrids with white perch, since they are similar in size, color and shape. If it looks like a white perch but has broken lateral lines, it is more than likely a hybrid and must be released if less than 16” in length.

Tips from Capt. Gus:
Lake Norman’s hybrid striped bass size limit is 16” and the creel limit is four fish (in combination with striped bass) from October 1 - May 31. During the summer months, June 1 – Sept. 30, there is no minimum size limit, but the creel limit remains the same.

Hot Spots of the Week:
Crappie fishing is excellent for those fishing now. Crappie minnows are the baits of choice and fishing is best around submerged brush. Spotted bass are everywhere. Large schools are feeding on suspended baitfish in most coves with twenty to forty feet of water. Those casting the banks are catching limits off points and docks adjacent to deep water. White perch continue to be the target fish for families looking for something easy to catch, clean and eat.

The lake level on Lake Norman is about 1.7' from full pond and down 3.0' on Mountain Island Lake. The water’s surface temperature is in the fifties.

Captain Gus Gustafson, licensed by the US Coast Guard, is a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and a Professional Sport Fishing Guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his website at www.FishingWithGus.com , e-mail him at Gus@lakenorman.com or call 704-617-6812.

[bw69r]

If you have fish for them before, how about sharing how you did it with us. They are a new fish to us and we are catching them while perch fishing.

Mac we have them here in some of our rivers where i fish and in Lake Erie. have caught them in the 6-8 pound range and they fight like all get out when they get bigger like that. most productive method is drifting shiners. myself, my uncle, and my cousin caught some really big ones in erie while drifting shiners over humps in 12-17 feet of water. as for spoons silver and gold work well for them. as for jigs they seem to like them in white or chartereuse. the white ones seem to work best for me though. the original floating rapalas in blue back or black back work good and the bomber long A's work really well for them in either white or silver/chrome. if you run across a shool of them busting the surface you can have a real blast catching them on surface plugs. again white is a great color for that. the zara puppy or tiny torpedo work really well for that. hope this helps ya some.

[massa_jorge]

we catch them on white jigs and slabs, and they LOVE chicken liver. we catch them to 10 pounds regularly. from what i have read they are sterile, but in the lake we catch them in we catch 5-8 inchers a lot when crappie fishing, and this lake hasn't been stocked with them in 5 years or more. one of the hardest fighting fish there is, in my opinion.

[DPHNC52]

If you have fish for them before, how about sharing how you did it with us. They are a new fish to us and we are catching them while perch fishing.

We've caught them on crankbaits, zara spooks, white bucktails, and a "near nutthin" works real good. Basically anything you catch stripers with. In all honesty, we've probably caught more on chicken liver while catfishing than anything else.

[steveturner024]

5 pound hybrid.jpg so

I caught this 5 lb hybrid stripped bass using a 5 inch gizzard shad on a bobber. I fish mainly for white bass and hybrid stripped bass after October until it gets to cold for me or I stop catching fish. I mainly use live shad and white and chartruese curly tails (2 or 3 inch) on white 1/4 oz jig heads with red sickle hooks. Curly tails work best for me but catch bigger fish on live shad. I tie 2 jigs about 24inchs apart one with a white curly tail and one with a chartruese curly tail. I wouldn't use line any lighter than 14lb test if your fishing for the bigger ones. I use stren original clear blue it works well for me. I would suggest getting the stuff to make your own jig heads. I lose a lot of them so I make my own to save a little money.

[Meow Mix]

When they were thick in Oak Hollow I would go there just to fish for them. All I ever did was troll ratltraps and I could catch them all day. Shallow against the banks in the morning and evening and in the creek channels during the heat.

[bw69r]

rattle traps do work for them alright. only thing with them is i always catch other fish like largemouths and smallmouths on them when fishing for the hybrids. guess they are a bit faster than the hybrids getting to it. i also started trying the long x-raps from rapala for them and they do really seem to like the action of that lure. only tried them a few times though but seemed to work great for them.