|
|
Posts: 172
| I m plan on going wisc for opener next week and few time throughout season. Since they allow 3 line out. I m plan on draggin sucker behind boat awhile casting.. I never had try the sucker for muskie or even pike. I'll m plan on using quick strike rigs, I was wonderin if muskie grab the sucker how long should I let it go before I set the hook? And what's ideal sucker size to draggin behind the boat? Big bobber? Or just let 2-3' line out? Thanks!
Matty |
|
| |
|
Posts: 222
Location: c.wis | cork with half the water depth under, when you hit the gas on the trolling motor the sucker rises and falls again as you slow. I like the ones 12-14" but if you will get pike on that size. is Wi I run one on a cork, one carolina'd on the bottom, and casting another. count to five after I hear the clicker then givem hell- good luck
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 158
| I am by no means an expert on sucker fishing but I have had some success here in MN. I like to hang my sucker directly over the side of the boat under my feet so I can really draw them to dinner (cliker 'on' w/quick set rig). The amount of line I let out is dependant on water depth, but my ideal depth would be where the sucker is just going out of sight and is also above any weeds to avoid hanging up. This is usually about 8-12 feet down on the clear lake I usually fish (I am usually fishing off the first break/outside edge). As far as timing, it usually goes down pretty quick for me. Grab the rod, makes sure it's a fish, reel down to her and if she is going the other way I hit her hard hard hard. I bet the fish doesn't have the rig for more than 45seconds to a minute before I set. Just the way I do it, I am sure others do it differently with success also. Good luck |
|
| |
|
Posts: 692
Location: Pelican Rapids, MN | Set the hook as soon as the fish grabs it and starts to swim away. No single hooks! |
|
| |
|
Location: SE Wisconsin | I second that Jerry. When a musky hits a sucker, it will generally hit the side of the body, run with it, stop and turn it head first, swallow. Because you have a treble in the high side of the back behind the dorcel, your hook should be in the fish's mouth when she grabs it, so as Jerry said, set the hook right away. One tip I can offer is when you rig the sucker, barely hook it in the back - I mean slide the barb under the skin, trying not to bury it too deep in the meat... The hook will stay put, yet rip free with ease on the hook set. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 172
| Thanks for replyS! Only one thing I m concerned about is if clicker is loud enough for me to hear. I m plan on have one rod next to me close enough for me to hear the clicker goes off and check once in awhile make sure its still there. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1887
Location: syracuse indiana | i third with jerry, use quick strike hooks and make sure that the fish is going away from you and hit'm hard twice to make sure....bill |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | If you're fishing the boundry waters opener or the Musky season N of hwy 10, you can't drag suckers around using your trolling motor on lakes that don't allow motor trolling. Wind drifting or row trolling only. Keep an eye on the regs for where you'll be fishing. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 425
| Do any of you use bobbers? To keep the fish high, off the weeds and sticks. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | THill slip floats are what I use. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1887
Location: syracuse indiana | yes on the bobbers.. all the time. usually 1 or 2 (bobboer rigs)and a 3rd sucker is usually deep...bill |
|
| |
|
| I do a lot of sucker fishing north of 10 in NW Wisconsin. (Ceded territory lakes) You CAN use your trolling motor while sucker fishing IF you keep your sucker down under the boat as much as possible. It's called position fishing, and the WDNR allows for it. It is in the rules and regulations booklet if you look for it.
I'd recommend a few things, technique wise:
1) I prefer using a clicker reel in a rod holder, with a quick-strike rig. You don't need a bobber or anything else, as a healthy sucker will stay down, and the "clicking" of the reel will alert you as to when a fish is on. If the sucker doesn’t want to stay down, you can add a little weight ahead of the rig to help.
2) Don't wait any longer than you have to set the hook, as the intention of the quick strike rig is to minimize the chance of gut-hooking the fish. Once you feel him on and swimming away, set the hook and set it HARD. It can take a bit of a yank to break the rubber band and get a good hook set.
Good luck to you!
|
|
| |
|
Location: SE Wisconsin | Like GanderMtnGuide said, I use Thill - big ones. If I'm deep, I'll let them dangle and dance on their own accord. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 18
| Hawkeye is right on target. Our DVD SMALL POND MONSTERs has an entire segment on sucker fishing. From early spring to the late fall. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 172
| Bet u 1000 bucks your dvd don't have captions. that one of reason I don't watch muskie fishing dvds a lot due to no captions.
Thanks for the replies its very helpful. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8781
| I'd be careful if you are fishing areas where trolling isn't allowed. There's a fine line between position fishing and trolling, and only the local warden knows when you've actually crossed that line. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 18
| I'll pass on that bet, but thanks for bringing that to my attention. Our next will surely have it. Good luck with your sucker adventures. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8781
| DMH, I use an Abu garcia 7000HSN for my sucker reel, and it's got the loudest clicker of any reel I have ever used. I like to have it pretty close to where I am casting, so if I bring a fish in casting it will see the sucker and (hopefully) eat it. The added bonus there is that you can physically keep an eye on the rod AND the sucker if you're in clear enough water.
Fishing with live bait for muskies is something I didn't expect to enjoy very much, didn't seem like much of a challenge... But MAN it sure is fun! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 73
| Position fishing with Suckers and a clicker reel in a rod holder for Musky is actually a very common practice in the Northwoods, even on lakes that are classified as "no trolling allowed". Most all of the area guides and anglers utilize it in the Fall.
While there have been numerous debates on "what consitutes trolling or not" on various sites, it's been done for years and I've never heard of anyone receiving a citation for it.
Whether a bobber or a clicker reel, I highly advocate using a quick strike rig and an doing an early hook set. We typically use 12"-14" suckers, if they're available. |
|
| |
|
Location: Northern Wisconsin | i use quick strike rigs and let out 10-15 feet of line. i have only used suckers on a shallow flowage with lots of stumps and snags so i wanted to keep the sucker shallow. its cool to see the musky swimming under the sucker if the sucker is shallow. when i hear clicker i check to make sure its a fish not a snag then set the hook. have gone one for two on suckers so far so not much experience but it is fun. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 172
| I was wonderin what's a good set up for sucker fishing? Just regular rod n reel that use for casting as well? I had seen jim saric use troll rod/lc reel for sucker fishing on muskyhunter tv months ago. |
|
| |
|
Location: Northern Wisconsin | i have just used regular rod and reel and have had no problems. |
|
| |
|
Location: Illinois | Here's a tip I just thunk of: Buy some bright orange tape, preferably masking tape. Rig sucker, place in rod holder. Place a small piece of orange tape onto itself in between the first line guide and the reel. THIS should give you a visual aid of when to check your rod for chomping muskies or a weed snag! Good luck, if this doesn't work, hopefully it inspires a better idea of your own. My experience is limited to Indiana in the fall, what worked for us was BIG suckers, the biggest available to buy. And my friend started selling his handmade live bait rigs under the name Musky Psycho. They're really good rigs.  Check em out at http://www.muskylink.com/profile/KeithCortopassi
Edited by muskellunged 5/12/2009 5:55 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 172
| muskellunged - 5/12/2009 5:44 PM
Here's a tip I just thunk of: Buy some bright orange tape, preferably masking tape. Rig sucker, place in rod holder. Place a small piece of orange tape onto itself in between the first line guide and the reel. THIS should give you a visual aid of when to check your rod for chomping muskies or a weed snag! Good luck, if this doesn't work, hopefully it inspires a better idea of your own. My experience is limited to Indiana in the fall, what worked for us was BIG suckers, the biggest available to buy. And my friend started selling his handmade live bait rigs under the name Musky Psycho. They're really good rigs. Check em out at http://www.muskylink.com/profile/KeithCortopassi
hmm i was thinkin abt that with ribbons but never tho of tape! i will try it out when i get chance. thanks! |
|
| |
sucker fishing ??s