Of the best five hybrid spots right now, Rough River Lake seems to be getting a whole lot of attention. Through angler surveys, the agency records that only 10 to 15 percent of fishing trips are aimed primarily at hybrids. But other anglers fishing for something else are winding up with hybrids on the line, too.

Rough River doesn't have a white bass population, but hybrids behave much like white bass. In the case of Rough River, this is an example of substituting a more consistently sustainable fishery through stocking, rather than going back to restore or supplement a white bass fishery, which is so naturally sporadic.

Characteristically, hybrids tend to migrate downstream in greater numbers than white bass. This tends to set up an interesting situation in trying to manage the fishery. After all, more fish are going to be lost through the dams of lakes, or move into lower pools of rivers. Sometimes that makes it a little hard to follow how things are developing.

On the other hand, hybrids slipping out of a lake proper into a tailwater also sometimes afford anglers a new fishing opportunity below the dam -- and sometimes a great one.

Hybrids are an open-water strain that can attain weights of over 20 pounds. Fish of that size have a voracious appetite, and also have the potential to trim big shad numbers down a bit.

Mark Wilson's 1991 state-record hybrid was caught in the tailwaters. No doubt, a fish stocked in Barren River Lake went downstream and through the dam, and eventually grew to 20 pounds, 8 ounces before Wilson winched it in.

Barren's 10,000 acres at summer pool provides hybrids with plenty of room to roam. Conversely, when the lake is drawn down a great deal in winter, it puts hybrids in a smaller area with the big shad. This keeps hybrids in pretty good shape during the colder months -- and sustains a quality fishery. Easier food availability in winter generally means fish can feed with less effort. Their chances of survival are better when they don't have to range far and wide for meals.

Anglers can expect to catch mostly 10- to 12-pound hybrids in Barren, with an occasionally larger specimen thrown in. The bulk of the hybrid fisheries are giving up fish ranging from 4 to 8 pounds.

In the early years of the stocking program, when Barren, Herrington and a couple of other lakes were first chosen for this new species, KDFWR hatchery personnel captured and used female striped bass and male white bass to produce the hybrid stripers.