Last year I stocked these HSB at average 12"-14" I caught this one yeaterday then had one after it also very big that decided he didn't want to come my way he turned and headed out and broke 15lb test like it was sewing thread..

Sweet!! How big is that guy? I'll be adding them next year. I'm thinking maybe 30 for my acre pond?

I didn't measure him but those are 2x6" 5/4 deckboards he's laying on so I'm guessing he's pushing close to 18-20 inches..

Nice!!

When the temps cool down I'll be adding more to my pond. I have a few, but none have been caught yet.

The girth on him was awesome but I had him out of the water quite awhile trying to get him to lay across the boards and wanted to get him back in the water quickly so I didn't take any stomach shots..

Cool I've never caught Hybrid striped bass but that sure does look like a nice one!

I've mounted a few for customers that were in the 15 to 20 lb. range. They are impressive fish and I'm sure they fight like the dickens.

It seems like everytime I catch one I'm begging it out loud please don't break my string. Even though I stepped up to 15lb test I guess ill have to go even higher or just weaken my drag.. When they turn and take off if you don't have that instant give the line just snaps..

Nice fish BGK!

HSB can be amazing fights -- several years ago at Benbrook Lake in TX, I watched my dad fight an 8 pound HSB for 30 minutes on 10 lb test. It's important to have your drag set so they can strip out plenty of line, but you can still reel when they take a break. A quality spinning reel helps alot

What was the water temp?

Not sure of the water temp but I'd say with all the rain, clouds, aeration it's in the 70's prolly a little warmer low 80's on the surface. Just a guess though

Be careful handling HSB, they are very sensitive to rough handling. Especially when they begin to get to larger sizes.

I would say I definately pushed the limit with fish he almost seemed dazed when he went back in and might be dead I need too do a perimeter check to see if he floated up.

Nice BGK

Edit,....... I mean nice fish, not nice that he may have floated. Have you seen the thread by George on how he revives them with a special setup?

Yeah I've seen that thread and setup.. If I start having problems ill build it but to date I've had no morts..

Well done BGK...you should see some topping out at 22-23" this Summer. When they hit that mark they start seriously pulling as they get much wider and gain a ton more leverage...better beef up the tackle. A 26" female almost pulled my son off the dock late last Fall. Would have been a cold October dip. Keep it up, and keep posting photos! I'm happy for you.

It's important to land HSB quickly, resuscitate and release.
They will fight 'til they die on light tackle.
My favorite pond fish!
Sure good the hear fly fish talk on the forum.
G/

I will not allow HSB fishing on the main pond with anything less than a MH flipping stick and 12# mono or equiv braid. As G says, my top end fish will pull drag on anything lighter for far too long and might go belly up with the effort. Once your fish start hitting 22"+ it's important to beef up the tackle unless you want broken line or exhausted trophies on the fillet table.

I landed a monster 20+ incher yesterday and it was a quick out unhook right back in and he was still kinda slow on take off but he booked it outta there.. I think I'm gonna just make it a rule if you catch it you clean it I'd hate too waste them..

When I caught the LMB and the HSB at the pond, I was using 12# flurocarbon and had the drag buttoned down pretty tight. 3# LMB could barely make the drag move while the HSB went on multiple runs. I got it in as quick as I could, but still put it in the cooler. Didn't want to take any chances on it being a floater in a few days.

BGK if you beef up tackle you can keep their head's turned to you by putting plenty of pressure on your line and rod, which is the key in quickly landing HSB. Also, always release fish in the water, without removing them, with a good pair of hemostats. If they get sideways on you, they gain far too much leverage with their wide bodies, and you're either going to break off or commit to a 5 min + fight. An extended fight in the Spring or Fall might be ok, but not in NE or MO mid Summer temps/DO levels.

Just be sure to monitor fishing and appropriately train the anglers to fight HSB correctly in the Summer, choose to avoid HSB fishing in the Summer months, or like you said - be prepared to fillet exhausted fish. Could you cage caught HSB and ensure they recover before releasing into the pond again?

It's impossible to avoid HSB fishing they will bite on anything.. Don't know if that's a good or bad thing yet..

Bgk is right. It's hard not to catch them sometimes.
At my previous pond I had some 4# HSB. Many times a neighbor and I would go the West Point Lake in GA trying to catch some big strippers (8-10#). So I go down to my dock to catch some small BG to use for bait. Using very light tackle I often hooked some of the 4#ers while trying to catch BG to drive 75 miles in hopes of catching something a little larger. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but thats just what some of us do...
Keep those HBS stories coming - love to hear them.

Yeah I did the same thing this weekend. I was trying to catch a couple small BG cause I seen some LMB cruising and I knew they were hungry, and I was going to try and catch one of them. Well I was using a baby frog I caught which by the way works real well for BG and HSB and you guessed it BAM!!! HSB on that quick I had him for about 5 seconds and TINK!! Line broke just like that. Mine are pushing 16 inches now and man they can fight, fight, fight! Next year is going to be crazy! I will be upgrading some of my equipment this fall for sure!!!

RC

Funny, my HSB won't hit anything but a pellet imitation - ever. If they are really aggressive I might be able to get some on a live lined nosehooked GSH or BG. Imagine a few weeks off the feed would change their snobbish proclivity.

TJ I'm having the same problems with my BG this year.. I've been feeding almost 250lbs/month the BG won't hardly bite on anything but crickets.. I think ill stop feeding in sept just to be able to hammer them. This fall..

I have told this story before but again......
I once stocked fingerling HSB in a "grow-out" pond full of FHM and CNBG. This crop of HSB were forage trained and NEVER became pellet trained. They could be caught ONLY on lures and flies.

I catch HSB on flies and lures but it is too convenient to fish pellet flies and Stubby Steves.
I agree it's hard NOT to catch HSB.
G/

TJ, I believe you are on to solving your problem..
"a few weeks off the feed would change their snobbish proclivity".

Son Jeff catches HSB on small spinner baits and I sometimes I experiment successfully with 3 inch Clousers and Spinsters...aka Mrs G's #Gill
G/

In the spring and fall we smoke the HSB on rattle traps, zara spooks, and flukes... in the summer we smoke them on chicken liver and cut bait or lowlight or no light they hit aggressive baits as well.... we catch them alot because we fish for them on their terms, not ours... thats the key... HSB have unbelievable sight and overall senses of smell and feel. They become smart quick.

one thing is surely true though, if they are hungry they will feed more on your terms than when they are full...

We love eating them.... we eat about 500 of them every year. They are by far our favorite freshwater fish to eat... Some of you may recognize these ladies:



this guy you wont recognize, but he is the advisor to the governor of Wisconsin. I guess the guvner may run for president in 2016....???

I ate my first one the other night and I have too say they are great.. Alot denser better meat and a good fish taste not nasty fish but good, ill be eating alot more, and the steaks that come off them can't be beat I'm very impressed with this fish..

That's good to know I was wondering how they tasted! As I figure I will get about 10 more smaller ones from Keo's fish farm and be taking a few of my bigger ones out next year to try myself!

RC