[Dragthor]

The NJ Div. of Fish and Wildlife has stocked Lake Hopatcong and Spruce
Run and Manasquan Reservoirs with "sunshine" bass, a hybrid of the
striped and white bass. This fast growing fish can reach the legal size
of 16 inches before age 3, and attain weights of over 10 pounds in New
Jersey waters. They are a hard hitting and strong fighting fish - and
right now is the time to go after them.

For more information on these fish, and how to catch them, see
biologist Bob Papson's feature article at
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/arthybridbass05.htm

 

[bloodtrails]

Get 'em while they're hot!

 

[Dragthor]

How do they taste?

 

[wojtowicza]

tastes like chicken.

 

[bloodtrails]

Whoa, let's stop right there. Lake Hopatcong's hybrids taste like crap. Can't eat them. Never. Filled with mercury and raw sewage. Throw them back immediately. If you must eat one, I hear Spruce Run's Hybrids are mighty tasty.

 

[Dragthor]

bloodtrails - are you serious???

 

[DBuck]

Ewwwwwww..no way....The Spruce run Hybrid taste terrible, don't keep them from there,THROW THEM ALL BACK. I hear that the ones in Hopatcong lake are DELICIOUS.

 

[wojtowicza]

LOL you guys are too much. i throw them all back.

 

[JerseyJim]

Great looking fish![up]

 

[Dragthor]

I get it... just like there is no deer at Assunpink WMA, right Bacs?

 

[JerseyJim]

Can't pull the wool over Drags eyes!

 

[Matty]

Sure you can, he let me work on his bow. Ive never even taken a bow apart before. Made up all the names of the parts as I went along, and when I was done putting it back "together" I stuffed the extra parts in my pockets.

Just kidding....

 

[bloodtrails]

In all seriousness, I've had hybrids from Lake Hopatcong and they are ok to eat. I love "real" stripers and thought they would taste like them. They do a little but are pretty bland.

If you have ever caught a hybrid you would know the best thing to do is let them fight another day. They are trulty amazing.

Now, walleyes are a different story all together. They fight like an old shoe but are delicious.

 

[pla930]

What is the best lure fore hybrids? The lake in Tx where I'm staying is stocked with them.

 

[bloodtrails]

What is the best lure fore hybrids? The lake in Tx where I'm staying is stocked with them.

In lake Hopatcong it's live herring. The second best is using a hook with nothing on it because your odds of catching them on anything else are about the same.

 

[pla930]

Well If I score on artificials - I'll report it.

The lake I'm fishing is loaded with bluegills.

 

[bolo]

culvers lake stipers taste very good, especially if caught threw the ice. i,ve been cathing them their almost nightly off the dock with medium shiners on a bottom rig.

 

[bloodtrails]

Well If I score on artificials - I'll report it.

I hear you can catch them on lures in other lakes, in fact I think they jig for them down south.

They are just so used to eating herring in Lk Hopatcong that they rarely go after anything else.

 

[bolo]

they are scavengers, i've caught them on 2 inch white mister twisters

 

[pla930]

they are scavengers, i've caught them on 2 inch white mister twisters

[up]