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Striped Bass & Hybrid Striper Fishing In Kentucky

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By AA-Fishing Staff Writers

Kentucky offers excellent opportunities for striped bass fishing, including the highly sought-after hybrid stripers. Striped bass, known for their hard fights and delicious flesh, are a popular game fish in the state. Hybrid stripers, a crossbreed between striped bass and white bass, are also prevalent and provide an exciting angling experience.

Striper Fishing Video

Learn the basics for catching striped bass.

Kentucky's major lakes are renowned for their striped bass fisheries. Lakes such as Lake Cumberland, Dale Hollow Lake, and Barren River Lake are popular destinations for striped bass fishing. These lakes offer vast expanses of water and suitable habitats for striped bass, providing anglers with ample opportunities to land trophy-sized fish.


Fishing for Striped Bass in Kentucky

Striped Bass

When fishing for stripers concentrate on the deeper waters in the lake. If you can locate schools of shad, stripers are often close by. When the baitfish are shallow, over the deeper water, you can catch stripers on crankbaits or by swimming spoons at appropriate depths. Check Kentucky fishing reports for current striper information. And for the ultimate thrill try large topwater baits if you see any surface feeding action. When the stripers are deep, jigs and jigging spoons work well. Live and cut bait will also take striped bass when they are in medium to deeper water. Fish nearby or in the river channel if it is a defined depth change. Trolling is also an excellent way to fish for stripers. Use flashy lures in bigger sizes. Striped Bass, known for their strength and spirited fights, provide an exhilarating angling experience.


Fishing for Hybrid Stripers in Kentucky

Hybris Striped Bass

Kentucky offers several opportunities for hybrid striped bass fishing, which are popular with local anglers. Hybrid stripers are a crossbreed between striped bass and white bass, combining the best characteristics of both species. They are known for their strength, aggressive nature, and impressive fighting ability, making them a thrilling catch for anglers. These "wipers" tend to school around baitfish and follow river channel edges. Fish finders can help you locate schools of fish as well as schools of baitfish. Look for them on flats and long points that connect with channels. Trolling, or still fishing, with live or cut bait are also great options for catching hybrid stripers.


Hybrid stripers, or wipers as they are commonly called, are highly sought-after catches in Kentucky's lakes. These fish combine the strength and fighting ability of striped bass with the aggressive feeding behavior of white bass, making them formidable opponents on the end of a fishing line. Anglers can target hybrid stripers using various techniques, including trolling, casting, and vertical jigging.

Striper fishing

Lake Cumberland is particularly renowned for its striped bass and hybrid striper populations. The lake holds the state record for striped bass, with a fish weighing over 58 pounds. Anglers flock to this beautiful reservoir in search of trophy-sized stripers and hybrids, enjoying the challenge of battling these powerful fish amidst the stunning backdrop of the Cumberland Plateau.

Whether you're casting from the shore or navigating the waters on a boat, Kentucky's major lakes provide an exhilarating striped bass and hybrid striper fishing experience. The thrill of hooking into a powerful striper or a hard-fighting hybrid is sure to leave anglers with unforgettable memories. So grab your fishing gear, explore the striped bass hotspots in Kentucky, and get ready for an exciting adventure on the water.

Striped Bass Lakes

Beaver Creek served up the state record striped bass but the vast majority of stripers are caught from lakes including Barren River Lake, Dale Hollow Lake, Dewey Lake, Fishtrap Lake, Grayson Lake, Herrington Lake, Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, Lake Cumberland, Paintsville Lake, Rough River Lake and Taylorsville Lake.

Fishing Boats For Rent In Kentucky

Striped Bass

Striped Bass

Stripers

Inland world record: 64 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 58 lbs 4 oz

Hybrid Striped Bass

Hybrid Striper (Wiper)

World record: 27 lbs 5 oz

State Record: 20 lbs 8 oz

Click the images and links above for species details.

Kentucky State Record Striped Bass

The state record striped bass was caught from Lake Cumberland.

The state record hybrid striped bass came from Barren River Lake Tailwaters.

Striper fishing lures

Fishing for Stripers in Kentucky

When fishing for stripers concentrate on the deeper waters in the lake. If you can locate schools of shad, stripers are often close by. When the baitfish are shallow over the deep water, you can catch stripers on crankbaits or by swimming spoons at appropriate depths. Check Kentucky fishing reports for current striper information. And for the ultimate thrill try large topwater baits if you see any surface feeding action. When the stripers are deep, jigs and jigging spoons work well. Live and cut bait will also take striped bass when they are in medium to deeper water. Fish nearby or in the river channel if it is a defined depth change. Trolling is also an excellent way to fish for stripers. Use flashy lures in bigger sizes.

While stripers are native to salt water, they naturally migrate into fresh water streams to spawn. Their eggs must remain in motion in order to hatch so the fresh water rivers and streams become the ideal spawning grounds for stripers. Landlocked stripers then populate the lakes.

 

Striped bass fishing information, by state.

AL Striper & Striped Bass Fishing AR Striper & Striped Bass Fishing AZ Striper & Striped Bass Fishing CA Striper & Striped Bass Fishing CO Striper & Striped Bass Fishing CT Striper & Striped Bass Fishing DE Striper & Striped Bass Fishing FL Striper & Striped Bass Fishing GA Striper & Striped Bass Fishing IA Striper & Striped Bass Fishing
IL Striper & Striped Bass Fishing IN Striper & Striped Bass Fishing KS Striper & Striped Bass Fishing KY Striper & Striped Bass Fishing LA Striper & Striped Bass Fishing MD Striper & Striped Bass Fishing MO Striper & Striped Bass Fishing MS Striper & Striped Bass Fishing NC Striper & Striped Bass Fishing
NE Striper & Striped Bass Fishing NH Striper & Striped Bass Fishing NJ Striper & Striped Bass Fishing NM Striper & Striped Bass Fishing NV Striper & Striped Bass Fishing NY Striper & Striped Bass Fishing OH Striper & Striped Bass Fishing OK Striper & Striped Bass Fishing OR Striper & Striped Bass Fishing
PA Striper & Striped Bass Fishing RI Striper & Striped Bass Fishing SC Striper & Striped Bass Fishing TN Striper & Striped Bass Fishing TX Striper & Striped Bass Fishing UT Striper & Striped Bass Fishing VA Striper & Striped Bass Fishing WI Striper & Striped Bass Fishing WV Striper & Striped Bass Fishing

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