FINALLY Learning How to Fish for Hybrids and Strippers

 Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 7:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Air Temperature: 21 - 43 degrees during trip
Water Temperature: Cold, barely above freezing
Lake Level: 552.03
Weather Conditions: Sunny. Winds North- North East 2-10 MPH.

For many, many years, I've wanted to learn how to catch Hybrid and Stripped Bass, but just never knew how to get started and never had anyone to show me.  I've had never taken the time to learn on my own via trial and error as I always just targeted something familiar.  Well, one day recently I asked my friend Kevin if he'd show me how and he was all in.  

We launched around 7:30 from Cowford and rode down to the nuclear plant.  It was COLD!  Kevin had stopped at the bait shop in Tanner and picked out some very large shiners/bass minnows.  It was so cold, that the minnow bucket was frozen nearly solid already.  My wet feet were freezing to the deck.  

Kevin showed me how to rig.  I was very surprised to see that it was really just a deviation of a Carolina rig with a 3 oz egg sinker rigged to slip against a swivel.  We tied a two-foot leader with a regular shank hook on and that is all it took.  Kevin explained that we'd let it drop to bottom and reel up a couple feet and fish as vertical as the current would allow and adjust as we found the fish.  

We fished the current break along the drop off around the pipeline near the green buoy and all the way down to the four steel posts around the boils.  We used the fish finder to find local groups of fish and then used the spot lock on the trolling motor to set up over the targets.  Now that we were all ready, we dropped line.  

And BOOM! Fish on!

Kevin got a massive hit almost immediately.  I was amazed and the strength of this fish.  It took off like a torpedo and peeled like off quick!  It put up one heck of a fight and after a couple minutes, we put the first fish in the boat.  

I washed Kevin repeat and put a couple more in the boat.  He reeled in a 24 lbs monster and had another one over 20 lbs pretty soon thereafter.

Now that I'd seen a round or two, I was ready for my turn and soon got a good hit.  I've never fought a fish in freshwater that fights quite like these bass.  Amazingly strong and fast with little to no quit in them.

We had a great day and put somewhere around 7-9 bass in the boat along with a couple stray drum and catfish.  What an amazing day learning a new species.

Big shout out to Kevin for teaching me the ropes and I can't wait to try it again!