Well, we were out yesterday and the largemouth bite was super slow. We had boated a bunch of dinks and that was it. So, I switched to a spinning rig with 4 lb line and a 1/8th ounce rattle trap hoping to maybe get an aggressive crappie or panfish to bite. Couple casts later the fight was on. She weighed 4 lb 6 oz and put up a great fight. I am assuming it is a hybrid striped bass due to the 'disconnected' lateral lines. Can you guys confirm this?

FD

I am assuming it is a hybrid striped bass due to the 'disconnected' lateral lines. Can you guys confirm this?

Yup.

Is that the only way to well the difference from a Hybrid to a Striper?  So its the lines.  Is this a lake or river?

Is that the only way to well the difference from a Hybrid to a Striper? So its the lines. Is this a lake or river?

Power plant lake in Illinois.

OK so a Striper wouldn't be in there then would he?

There are lakes that have "landlocked stripers" so it is possible to have stripers in lakes.

The broken stripes are the only way that I know to tell the difference but then again I only have slightly more than zero experience with stripers.

Ok well good to know thank you

I hybrid fish a lot and that is a hybrid. They are fun aren't they? Those fish fight like crazy!!!

I hybrid fish a lot and that is a hybrid. They are fun aren't they? Those fish fight like crazy!!!

Very true. When this one hit I thought I was fighting a new PB largemouth. Thanks for the link in the other hybrid striper thread. May have to gear up to target these when we head back to this lake.

There are many lakes in Illinois with pure Stripers.  Heidecke and LaSalle to name a couple.

And I do believe that that would be a pure striper my friend.  The only complete line on a hybrid is the one directly below the lateral line.  That fish has many complete lines.  And the ones that are broken are still very distinctive.

One other way to tell is that a hybrid is going to have more of an arched back.  A striper usually is pretty flat on the back.

I got this info in an article from January 2009 Illinois Game and Fish.