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Posts: 1316
Location: Madison, WI | On the drive to work today got me thinking about fall fishing. Mostly sucker fishing. I've only sucker fished in last year fall and this year spring so I don't have much experience with the whole routine. I've had a couple rips but never set the spurs into a fish.
Sucker rigs/quick strike rigs:
I've been using a lift off rig, which i'm not sure if i like. It takes some time to harpoon the sucker and then thread a rubberband through it's nose. Then trying to keep the hooks stuck in the sucker is a whole other ordeal. I think there are too many steps, but it was recommended by a couple people. Does anyone have a suggestion for different setup? I've seen he rigs where the treble goes in it's back behind the dorsel and there is a smaller hook in the front lip. Does anyone have better luck on one type than the other? Who here makes their own quick strike rigs, and do you sell them? I know there's an on going debate about circle hooks, i'm not interested in those ATM.
Setting the hook:
I've heard and tried 2 methods of setting the hook. The first is once the reel starts screaming, you pick up you rod and and chase the fish around with the trolling motor until you get right over and then try to break the rod. Second is using the quick strike rig to for it's purpose, once the fish grabs the sucker you give it a few seconds to take the fish and wait for it to swin away, then you once again try to break the rod? Which method is preferred? A quick strike rig is meant to be set right away, right?
Are there any other suggestions?
Thanks
-S
Edited by Magruter 8/23/2006 2:00 PM
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Posts: 661
Location: Roscoe IL | Love sucker fishing as well. I make my own QS rigs using 124# Toothproof wire & both the #3 & 4 Eagle Claw treb hooks. Depends on the size of the sucker I'm using. Love using the monster 20"ers when I can get them. I also use the rubberband through the noze vs a smaller hook through the lip. Yes it's work but the payoff can be a fish of a lifetime. The thrill of the drag buzzing after a pickup is a knee knocker for me, then to reel up and watch the line cutting through the water as the fish heads deep..... It's always a thrill to see the first glimse of the fish after setting the hooks, all while praying for the hooks to stay in until the fish is in the net.
I do not try to chase down the muskie after a pickup, If I feel the fish swimming away from me then I set the hooks strait away. No messing aroung trying to get directly over the fish. I have had more muskies drop the sucker with that approach. Plus I would worry that the fish might swallow the whole darn rig while I was dicking around trying to get over it.
Best Luck
Mike |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | we'll have plenty of my custom adjustable sucker rigs that go on once, stay on and don't stress the suckers. i'm going to spend some time with bette to improve on these with the possibility of making them in fluoro. don't worry about buying any before coming to presque isle. we'll need all our spare money for buying the stupid things ... they'll be worth more than gold this year i'm sure. |
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Posts: 1316
Location: Madison, WI | Well now you got me thinking!! I hope i'll be doing some sucker fishing before PI. Any other suggestions? |
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Posts: 956
Location: Home of the 2016 World Series Champion Cubs | Scott,
Too bad I cant make it up to PI to fish w/you again. Was great fishing w/you in Rhinelander. Gotta hook up again. I just PM'd J-Sled re:Minocqua. Ill be there on the 11-13 of Sep.
Karl |
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Posts: 1316
Location: Madison, WI | We'll have to find some time this fall to get out, it never hurts to have one of the boys in blue on your side :P. I'm thinking dragging meat on okauchee!!
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| Pointer summed it up pretty well. I will say that setting the hook is somewhat of an art. I try to get the fish moving away from the boat, make sure I have all the slack out of the line, follow the fish with the rod tip and just a slight pressure, and then WHAM, over the shoulder drive her home hookset.
I have a prety good hookup percentage going after taking my first season to figure it all out.(and lost a few nice fish in the process)
Definately prefer the rubber band setup. Its not tough once you get the hang of it. Also, make your own bait needles out of some heavier gauge wire. The ones that come with the rig are worthless. IMHO anyway.
I did actually break a rod in half last year on a hookset. Still boated the fish though after it popped of the remeainder of the guides on the rod! A nice 44"er.
Good luck,
Steve |
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Posts: 134
| What do guys do when using live bait in MN?? As far as I have been told, as long as some additives (spinners/beads ect.) have been incorporated to the quickset rig that it has become a "lure" and is now legal for live bait fishing.
Edited by figuree 8/24/2006 6:11 PM
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Posts: 406
Location: Stones throw away...finally!! | Does anyone have a drawing or picture of a home-made qs rig, specifically I am confused about the rubberband that you are talking about? I want to try making some of my own and could really use some pointers (what works and what does not).
Thanks in advance. |
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Location: Des Moines IA | O' great and powerful Chocodile, please tell us of your all knowing sucker fishing techniques ...... |
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Posts: 12
| Howie (Presque Isle) Rig. The hooking percentages are about what I've seen on other rigs, and you spend about 1/10th the time mussing with the suckers before getting them in the water.
Simple, easy, less hooks to mess with. Bell sinker above the whole rig, keep the suckers down, keep them just above the depth of where your bait comes up to before you start your figure 8. IE. if you're throwing a Draider, its going to come in about 8' down, before you start your figure 8, so run your sucker at 6'. Let the sucker roam free, the muskies will hunt them down and kill them.
I like the flexible/knottable leader materials out from cortland and tyger leader. It's expensive, but I can tie up a few rigs in just a few minutes and be ready to rock.
I'm pretty sure there's a ton of good info on Howie/Presque Isle rigs in the archives of this site.
The Fall Beckons and the Chocodile Cometh.
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Posts: 336
Location: Lino Lakes, MN | The fellas covered the bases pretty darn well. There is no better feeling than seeing your suckers get jumpy and then hearing the clicker scream.....as long as its not tuffdaddy giving me a heart attack ripping a little line while Im not looking. LOL. |
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Posts: 350
Location: WESTERN WI | Ahh Yes, Sucker fishing. This actually is being looked forward to right now by myself and others, but in mid-November when it is 34 degrees and snowing with a nice 13 mph wind I wish it was warm enought to be able to cast again. I'll be geting some heavy mono and purchasing a fiberglass rod or 2 this fall so I don't shatter another graphite rod again this fall. Startn saving your change to buy those suckers. |
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| Instead of a rubber band, go the your local cheap jewelry depot and buy some small hoop pierced style earrings.(1/2" Dia.) Use in place of the rubber band, can be rigged and ready in your livewell,strong enough to hold, weak enough to break on the set. Plus it makes your sucker look pretty!! |
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Posts: 227
Location: New Brighton, MN | Setting the hook while using big baits is a sticky subject. Some people wait as much as 30 seconds. I'm usually not that patient (5-10 secs). I bring in the line slow until I feel a bit of pressure then
I assume fiberglass rods are better because of the graphite prone to snapping in the cold weather ?
I am also confused about the rubber band usage. Any descriptions or diagrams available?
Depth-- how do you determine how deep to run the suckers? Do you anchor? move slowly with trolling motor?
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Posts: 327
| Word of advice , hookset REALLY SUCKS if you're sucker is on your 10 ft. trolling rod !!! Lost a nice fish ( multiple times !! ) due to no backbone in the hookset , DOH !! Won't be doing that again . That fish only wanted that 1 sucker , we were dragging 2 but it wanted NOTHING to do with the larger sucker , any ideas why ?? Maybe that sucker was already hit and weak and the muskie knew that ?? Not sure , but it was fun even though we never got her in the net !!! |
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Posts: 786
Location: Minnesota | hmmmm. Thought I posted this link to this rig last night?
Well anyway, here is a good rig for dead bait: http://www.stockerwobbler.com/
I would still us a rubberband to secure the bait to the above rig though.
James
http://www.gruntmuskielures.com
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Posts: 1316
Location: Madison, WI | Rubber bands are used in lift rigs to keep the hooks in place. W/O rubberbands the harpon hooks twist in the sucker, letting it get off the rig easier and also chewing up it's insides. |
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Posts: 154
Location: Appleton, WI | Presque Isle rig, easy to use, real fast set up, I would disagree with chocodile, in my experience the hook up % is better. Only time you don't is when they are light biting and grabbing tails, but no rig would help there. |
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Sucker fishing??