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Posts: 10
Location: Indianapolis | Anybody can use live bait.What's the fun in that? I thought it was all about casting to that spot, working that lure, fooling that Musky into striking. Using live bait is cheating. The only way I would use live bait is if we are using cats. Now that could be fun. |
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | I talked to a guy at the tackle shop yesterday who told me a cool story about two friends of his who Musky fish... While they are casting they have a third rod casted out with a crude home made duck lure bobbing on the waves. Every once in a while they give the rod a jerk and make the duck jump and splash around then go back to casting. He claims they got 3 muskies on that duck lure last year. <-- zat cheetin'?
I have soaked a sucker or two but not very often, too much trouble finding them, transporting them, having them swim under the motor, etc. However, I do believe that live bait, all species included, has caught more fish than any other method and always will. |
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Posts: 1046
| I can tell you the one thing I learned over many years is that livebait is definately NOT CHEATING and turns out to be very expensive and the only sure thing about sucker fishing is that they are going to DIE, SOON! Live bait is like any other aspect of musky fishing, another tool and not a for sure thing or magic.It can be fun at times and it can be a pain in the @ss at times, kinda like life! |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Handyman, you said it well.
Sucker fishing is just another tool. Just like trolling is another tool.
Not everyone likes all aspects of muskie fishing but the guys that put major numbers in their boats will use the all tools.
When I am getting paid to guide I do my best to deliver the action the client is after.
If they don't like trolling or live bait then we will just cast. Its their choice.
I will ask clients when they book the trip what they are looking to get out of the outing.
If its Spring or Fall then suckers are part of my arsonal. If its summer then trolling is one of the tools used.
I am not to proud to use all the tools to catch fish.
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| I'm not a fan of bait fishing because it's too sedentary for my personal metabolism. On the other hand, two years ago I was Largemouth fishing a Florida lake for two weeks tossin' plugs and other artificials. I did very well by New York standards but never caught even a 10#-er. Only later did I read that guides use live Golden Shiners as a matter of course. Even later I read the In-Fisherman results from their annual contest; ALL the Largemouth awards in Florida went to those fishing with live Shiners. And they were catching big fish, too!
So...when I go there in April this year will I set out a Shiner or two? Nope. "Little Brother, I just love to cast!" |
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Posts: 686
Location: Tomahawk, Wisconsin | Another tool in the arsenal, well said gents! When the middle of November comes and it's 22 degrees out and you're bobbing around on your favorite pond it sure is nice to take a break, warm the digits for a while, and then watch your hard working sucker get T-boned, nothing quite like it really!!!! I, like most other musky fishermen and fisherwomen am out to catch a greenfish and do what it takes to put one in the boat!! I am also the guy in spring throwing 6 inch chubs into the newly emerging weeds and watching em skip on the surface just trying to get the hell out of the way, neat tactic, will lead to many multiple fish days, just a few thoughts. I guess I LOVE TO CHEAT!! |
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Posts: 58
| Two years ago my son and I were on a weed flat 8 to 10 feet we had two suckers out and were casting {Illinois} we been at it for about 6 hours and nothing. {late november and water temp 40-45deg.} We were jst drifing the flat and I told Matt I was going to take a break and laid down after about 15mins we both heard splashing we look to see a 12" sucker, mine
jumping out of the water like a dolphfin. It was being chased be Mr.Muskie.We watch this for a min or two and the Ski T-boned the sucker.
This had to be one of the coolest thing I seen to date fishing muskie.
She was a fall fattie 45" or so. Quick pixs and back she went.
RonP
Chicago.
Madd Dogg Lures Inc.
temp site. http://my.core.com/~caveman |
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Posts: 544
Location: Alsip, Il | Have you ever seen a forty inch plus musky follow in a sucker you are bringing in to clean off weeds or chase your sucker, it will definetly get your blood pressure and heart going, even better is then just put the sucker back in the water and the musky immediately takes it what a rush!!!!Sucker fishing as everyone else has already talked about is just another tool in your arsenal. I feel it is very acceptable and exciting as long as you use quickset rigs! Sometimes at best you get 50% of the hits in the boat. |
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Posts: 346
| I didn't know there was any such thing as "cheating" in musky fishing. In my opinion, keeping a sucker in prime positions AND casting is much harder than just casting. Takes that much more effort to watch the bobber, keep it untangled, keep a live sucker on the QS rig, pull up the sucker rig when ready to leave the spot, keeping all the suckers alive, keep precise boat control, and still put as much effort into casting as you would when not soaking a sucker. Cheating? You get what you put into it. My dad has a bad shoulder and would rather sit back and watch a bobber float instead of casting huge lures all day. Who cares? We're out to relax and catch fish and I'll do whatever it takes to increase the odds.
MJB |
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Posts: 2089
| Indianapolis?Hmmmmm.Don't like the tone in that post.Very inflamatory.Hmmm.Statements like the "cheating" reference are made to instigate fights not initiate intelligent discussion. That would be like me saying that going to some secret(yeah right) location and spending thousands of dollars to fish with a guide is cheating because the anglers didn't do it themselves.Nuff said. Steve
Editor's Note: Steve,
Nope. Looks like a different guy, just some similar stuff, that's all. Someday I want to go spend money like that, but on with Trophymuskie. YAHOO! |
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Posts: 158
Location: Eagan, MN | What about July when bucktails will easily outproduce suckers? Are bucktails cheating? I mean, c'mon, anyone can cast and retrieve a bucktail.
Next summer we should all handicap ourselves by using suckers so we can satisfy 'purists' like Tony B? |
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | Is there a rule that states it's cheating? To each their own. It's legal, the fish are no more harmed than they are using lures. I will continue to use them. I want the advantage and hearing the clicker go off is a rush. Then there's that click, click, like in the movie jaws, you know it's there, at least you think. |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Diff'rent strokes...
Slamr and I dead tied this Fall, me tossing Wabulls and Slamr smacking around the muskies on a Sucker. He had exciting moments like when his sucker went air borne, and got T boned at boat side, as I did when I had a fish follow, drop away from, rush and T bone a Wabull. Works for me either way!
Tony, please be a bit more tactful in the future, OK? My wife happens to have two cats, one that is 23#, the other 6#. After she read your post she thinks she could find a use for you ( at least portions, anyway) in a muskie presentation instead of a cat, maybe. 
Here's Tigger, ali 23# rompin' stompin' mouse murderin' feline. WOuld have to be one heck of a muskie to even THINK about it.
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Location: Illinois-Indiana | Steve,
I have a quick strike rig that would work with that little feline;)
SORRY SUE, JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)
As for Tony, I guess he is entitled to his own opinions as A$$ANINE as they might seem. We all know better, the ole sucker debate has been around for a long time and I'm sure it ain't going away any time soon.
Let's just keep catching Muskies the best way we know how and PRAY FOR SPRING TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | Just a little bonus info to give you on the percentages of sucker fishing.
Out of 14 fish that I had eat suckers, only 4 of them  found their way to my boat. There were different reasons for loosing the fish, but that shows that it is by no means cheating. I won't beat a dead horse on what was said above, but well put.
If I was cheating, I would have 10 more fish in the boat. |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | Wish there was a way to cheat for sure!!! Live bait use is definately not it. I have become a sucker using afiacondo of sorts, in that I have tried and failed in as many situations with live bait as I have casting. That said, I enjoy dragging meat around, and I mean dragging it around while casting. I pull the sucker around with my electric motor(only where legal) keeping it close to structure and cast my lures as I would if I were not using bait. The only thing I have found is that using live bait is more work than simply casting artificials plain and simple. I make my own quick strike rigs, and have found that my catch to hit ratio has been about 65-70% over the past 4 seasons using the new method. I hope to find a way to actually cheat with my sucker use as to increase my catch rates, and if anyone has any ideas, please come forward. |
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | Speaking of cheating.. Anyone ever use dye to make those suckers stand out more? I saw colored bait fish for sale somewhere recently. They have had the stuff out for a while for night crawlers. |
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Posts: 736
Location: Hartford, WI | I have trained my suckers to seek out the largest muskies and harass them. This way, Im not only getting the hungry strikes but also the reaction strikes.. For tip on how to train your sucker feel free to send me an email.
Jim |
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Posts: 10
Location: Indianapolis | O K I'm sorry for saying it's cheating. Cabin fever has set in. I shouldn't cause trouble like that. That duck lure bobbing around on the waves sounds like fun. I will have to try that. Last year at LOTW we found a baby duck in the belly of a Northern Pike. Yeah another tool suckers & trolling. Different strokes for different folks I guess. As long as we're all having fun.Time on the water with family and friends is special. As is catching then releasing that big Musky. See you at the Musky show in Ohio. I'll be the one walking around with a new duck lure in my hand, if I can find one there.
Tony B |
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