# Is this a hybrid or striper?



## Trophy Hunter (Dec 7, 2007)

The more I look at this photo the more I'm leaning toward striper. It seems to be more elongated than football shaped. The third line is kind of broken but not really. All the lines run to the tail. How do you tell the difference between hybrid and striper for future reference?


----------



## creekwalker (May 23, 2004)

I think you'll have a hard time telling the difference from that photo. I haven't personally caught a true (that I know of ) but the shape (width to length ratio) and darkness of lines are two keys but those are both hard to tell from your pic.

For future ref, just print a copy of the initial post from LMJ. I use that post all the time after catching a bunch of stripes. I can never remember which ones have lines to the tail, a split tooth patch, etc. 

Although, once you have a 3lb fish or so, it gets pretty easy to tell the difference. Hybrids really start to get a distinct shape from the other two....really wide and a high back.


----------



## creekwalker (May 23, 2004)

One more quick note Trophy Hunter. I just noticed over on the SW forum a picture of a nice fat bass from a gravel pit you posted. That picture too is taken at a weird angle. It would be easier to identify fish with a straight on picture (usually standing over top and shooting straight down). I think the angle of this picture makes it difficult to see the lines properly or the length to width ratio I mentioned.

CW


----------



## LittleMiamiJeff (Oct 1, 2005)

Nice fish, TH, but as CW noted, it's young, and I think defining true species is in the tongue patches.
I've caught what I thought were true stripes from the Ohio River too, which is stocked with true stripers by KY, but if this came from pond stocked with wipers, why would you think there are true stripers in it? Just assuming from CW's mention of gravel pit wiper post. Wipers, nor true stripers, just don't naturally occur in fresh water, they have to be stocked there. (maybe, just MAYBE a bird could drop a fry over a pond or whatever, but the odds of it surviving are way out there!)
LMJ


----------



## Daveo76 (Apr 14, 2004)

Hard to tell from that angle,but I think it's a wiper.I think Jeff fished at Greenup one day with me and I caught one that had the broken lines on one side and straight lines on the other. I agree with CW & Jeff in saying that the bigger they are, the easier it is to tell. Nice fish though no matter what.


----------



## Trophy Hunter (Dec 7, 2007)

I'm thinking a young striper. It was caught way up the GMR with a 1/8 oz. white rooster tail on a 5' UL using 6lb. test. This fish gave up a tremendous fight. Although it's been about eight years since I caught it I remeber thinking this has to be a striper. All the lines were distinct and ran back to the tail. It just didn't have that football shape. Also the shape of the head seems to be an indicator. This photo is cropped. I may be able to get an actual length by this equation. 

Photo rod length in relaction to fish Actual rod length in relation to fish
_____________________________ = _____________________________

Photo length of fish X=(actual length of fish)

I could use the same method to find the actual width. 

Creekwalker your illustration shows that both species have a split tooth patch. From what I've gathered the way to teel is body shape and color?

I'll see about those measurments when I get back. I'm torn between 3 spots today. CC tailrace, Brookville tailrace, or a gravel pit for cold water bass. All the streams and rivers are swollen.

Gone fishin'


----------



## sevenx (Apr 21, 2005)

Wiper, the broken lines behind the gill plate and on the lower line. Also true stripers lines are much thicker and darker and run further down onto the stamache and back into the tail. The angle is tough but also the slope on the forehead true's have almost none at all and the mouth looks to small. true striper look more like a large mouth type. . S


----------



## sevenx (Apr 21, 2005)

Maybe this will help now I am not sure. I should just not even try I can never get it right either. S
http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=10970&stc=1&d=1197413260
http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=10971&stc=1&d=1197413260 Hybrid is on top.


----------



## Mean Morone (Apr 12, 2004)

Sevenx nailed it. I've caught my share of both hybrids and stripers and that fish looks like a hybrid. You will have no doubt when your first true striper comes to the boat. That fish you have there looks like it may have been injured at some point. It looks thin with an over sized head. I caught a 24 lb striper one year that I know would have been over 30 lb if the fish were healthy. The head on that thing was huge.


----------



## WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' (May 10, 2008)

that is a striper ....the way to i.d.is anal fin tooth patch and 5-7 distinct lines that can be somewhat broken


----------



## Trophy Hunter (Dec 7, 2007)

I thought it was. The head on that sucker is huge.


----------

