Old fart needs some help on hybrids

[fishmor]

My fishing buddy died a few years ago and I quit fishing but am wanting to get started back. We fished for hybrids, most of it trolling. I've got a new younger fishing buddy now and want to hit it hard this year. I've finally got it through my thick head to use live shad. I don't have any trouble keeping them alive. It's been so long that I don't know where to look for the hybrids. Any advice I can get from you fellers will be much appreciated. I fish off a pontoon so have lots of room and comfort. I'm too old to fish till dark then load up and drive 85 miles home. Plan on fishing two or three days at a time and sleep on the boat which I used to  do  a lot.  I fish the dam to pomme and am familiar with that area. Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Dutch]

Why not start by hiring a guide this spring and learn from him.  Pick his brain and write down everything he shows you and/or says.

[kjackson]

The sum total of my knowledge of hybrids in Truman is limited to one trip where I caught a catfish and a crappie...so take it for what it's worth.  While I didn't touch a hybrid or a white even, I did see a nice hybrid caught by the dam where the guy was fishing upstream of the weir.  I also marked several metric tons of nice fish in the same area. I did fish on a day when the dam wasn't pulling much current, and I've been told that water flow is needed for a decent bite.  

I hope to change my dismal fishing success this year...starting soon after it warms a bit, assuming I get some work done on the kitchen...

 

[MOPanfisher]

If the station bait and tackle is still there below the dam, they used to keep up on hybrid fishing reports.

[fishmor]

I used to do that

[fishmor]

What size and type of hook is best and what line weight

[nomolites]

I fish for hybrids a lot on LOZ; while I mostly troll cranks or bounce spoons I do occasionally use live shad - I use a size 8 light wire octopus hook and 10# flourocarbon on an 8 or 9 ft medium action glass rod.  If you have a good reel 10# is plenty heavy and allows the shad of behave more naturally.  Make certain your drag is set a little on the light side because when they see the boat they get frisky and if you are cranked down too much they will break you off.  The lighter longer rod helps absorb the shock as well.

Mike

[fishmor]

Sounds reasonable to me. I've always used 17 on casting 

[nomolites]

1 hour ago, fishmor said:

Sounds reasonable to me. I've always used 17 on casting 

My experience is lighter flouro gets more bites when the fish have a chance to get a good look as they do when live bait fishing.  I use 14# flouro leader on braid or lead with the same style longish glass rods when trolling as things are moving much quicker and the bite is more reactive.  In that situation the glass rod absorbs the shock of the strike and immediate run which with hybrids is usually pretty impressive.

Mike

[fishmor]

Right