Greers Ferry Hybrids

Why are the hybrids in Greers Ferry or what are ya'lls thoughts/ideas? I think they are a major tourist/ people who don't get to fish much attraction. Anyone can catch them especially when they are breaking the water. I've heard of a lot of people that say they are too hard on the bass and crappie fry but I don't know if that is a valid argument or not, these same people don't complain about flatheads and there are some big ones in the lake! I don't think they are a bad thing and most of the time if they school close enough to me I will catch a few they are some fighters. I was just wondering why the G&F stock them in there, and why do the stock sterile hybrids?

I wish they were not in Greers, they are useless if you ask me. Just eating machines.

That is the attitude of every serious fisherman that I have talked to who fishes Greers.

G&F stocks them in Greers (and other lakes) to control Gizzard Shad, which can become overabundant without large open water predators. Stomach content analysis indicates that they feed mostly on shad and very seldom on game fish. I know there is a big difference of opinion on this issue, but most studies seem to indicate they do not do harm to other popular game fish.
They are naturally sterile (as are many hybrid fish) so must be restocked frequently.

I too enjoy catching them and they can be fun and exciting top water action at times. But to each his own :)

i agreee with you 100% md. i was going to write that very thing but i've been brow beat here before so i decided to pass here.

Maybe I should clarify serious fishermen, a lot of guys that bass fish up there in tournaments also I know people who just crappie fish the lake. I have also talked to people who don't get to fish but maybe a handful of times in a year and they think the hybrids are just awesome.

Another note on the lake, it is unbelievable the amount of brush that the bass guys put into the lake, I am sure it is not enough but I had no idea until I fished some tourneys last year. I aint fishing them this year, hope to crappie fish and walleye fish some more plus with another little one I won't get to fish as much. My uncle is fishing them with a guy he has fished with in the past so he has a good partner this year. I helped sink some stuff up there last year and have plans to put some more in soon

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Originally Posted by wish4fish

That is the attitude of every serious fisherman that I have talked to who fishes Greers.

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wishfor, you won't find a more serious fisherman than i am and i mainly bass fish and i'm for the hybrids for the reason they do eat a lot of shad and they are great fighters and i like to eat them too. no doubt they eat a game fish here and they but they target shad. probably your lowly flathead catfish eats more game fish than the hybrids if the truth were known.

Did you just call a flathead "lowly"? You chase green carp and called a flathead "lowly"? I do declare...lol

i did that just so you could call me out on it. i knew when i wrote that someone that likes flatheads would jump me. thank you.

I read somewhere that in Nebraska they stock flatheads in ponds to keep the bream populations down, catch and release only on the flatheads.

I have a house up there and have been fishing for Hybrids and they are a lot of fun and I think they taste just fine. I don`t think there are as many as there was before we had the high water 3 yrs ago. I know several guys that fish for them most every day and they
just aren`t catching them like there were.
I have been in schools of Hybrids and seen small crappie come up that had been hit on by the Hybrids so I pretty sure they eat more than just shad.
I hope to learn how to crappie fish this year on Greers I never have tried it

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Originally Posted by olduckhunter

wishfor, you won't find a more serious fisherman than i am and i mainly bass fish and i'm for the hybrids for the reason they do eat a lot of shad and they are great fighters and i like to eat them too. no doubt they eat a game fish here and they but they target shad. probably your lowly flathead catfish eats more game fish than the hybrids if the truth were known.

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My point exactly them flatheads eat everything, and there are some big uns in the lake, had a guy tell me he caught one with a crappie in it big enough to fillet. I didn't see the fish but I got no reason not to believe him. We have caught some pretty good ones up there

Welcome to the board potterspoint434 maybe we will run into each other on the water this year but its an awful big lake!

I usually stay in the upper part of the lake, I`m in Mill Creek area.
I put some condos out this winter and hope to catch some fish when it warms up a little

Potterspoint what kind of boat do you have? I live at Sugar Loaf area right now but will moved to Mystic Isle next month. Maybe we will see each other sometime on the water.

I have a grey Lakesport bass boat with a 115 Yam I usually fish Higden Bay five fingers and Edgemont first.

Will look for you when I'm fishing.