Guide To Striped Bass & Hybrid Striper Fishing In Kentucky

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.

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.

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.

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.

When targeting striped bass and hybrid stripers in Kentucky, it's important to familiarize yourself with the fishing regulations and obtain the necessary licenses. Respecting catch limits and practicing catch-and-release when appropriate ensures the sustainability of these fisheries for future generations.

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.

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.

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.

Striper Fishing Video

Learn the basics for catching striped bass.

Striped bass fishing information, by state.