Originally Posted by Jigman13 (Post 578773)

There was a farm pond I used to frequent with my father up in Addison, NY where my grandparents lived many years ago. Everytime we visited, we'd fish there. The pumpkin seeds and bluegills were gigantic. Biggest I've ever seen! Undoubtedly, they pulled like no other. Hard to imagine a 3 to 4 lb'er.

They also stocked a unquie hybrid catfish species. It's name slips my mind, but they jumped like crazy when hooked. It may have been a cross between channels and blues, but these, too, were absolutely massive. We'd see them cruising around and sitting inside tractor tires on the bottom when he brought the canoe. They were impressive. My father always targeted them. They were ruthless fighters!

Originally Posted by Jigman13 (Post 578773)

There was a farm pond I used to frequent with my father up in Addison, NY where my grandparents lived many years ago. Everytime we visited, we'd fish there. The pumpkin seeds and bluegills were gigantic. Biggest I've ever seen! Undoubtedly, they pulled like no other. Hard to imagine a 3 to 4 lb'er.

They also stocked a unquie hybrid catfish species. It's name slips my mind, but they jumped like crazy when hooked. It may have been a cross between channels and blues, but these, too, were absolutely massive. We'd see them cruising around and sitting inside tractor tires on the bottom when he brought the canoe. They were impressive. My father always targeted them. They were ruthless fighters!

Originally Posted by Chrisper4694 (Post 578810)

only argument against hybrids i can think of is they wont ever jump, so if that's important to someone it knocks them down a few notches and thats the only reason i think smallies top hybrids for some people. the poll on our page has smallies in the lead by a handful of votes i think for this reason and also that many guys have never hooked a hybrid striper.... hmmm

you seen some of those gargantuan sunfish from out mid west i think? like 4-5 pound blobs? id love to see how they compare haha

Originally Posted by Jigman13 (Post 578817)

True i agree many haven't caught hybrids, but they do jump. I've had them cartwheel across the surface while dumping insane amounts of line after crushing a slow moving subsurface plug. Smallies are acrobatic, esp river strains. But sheer power and explosiveness, gotta tip my cap to hybrids. I don't burn the midnight/late night oil for smallies. I do time and time again for hybrids!