Early fall sucker fishing, never tried it anyone have any tips

[charlys1954]

I've never sucker fished so I know zero about it, they make great fall Musky baits. Have watched several videos but most are in the spring when they spawn and look easy to catch. Its getting fall time and the Skiis will be loading up for winter and I wanted some big suckers. I've caught some 5-6" shiners in my minnow traps but really need some 10-12" suckers.

We have the Wabash and Eel river here and just 2 good sized creeks I know of that flow into those 2 rivers(crooked creek and pipe creek), all others hardly have a flow. I was told by a buddy to use red worm wigglers or crawlers and thro where the river meets the creek flow. Anyone have any better tips.

I use the quick strike harness never let the musky get gut hooked.

[Spooled85]

I've Ben catching quite a bit of suckers here in my neck of the woods . But are much bigger then your talking. Are u referring to creek chubs ?

 We catch them alot bigger then this but here is a picture of a red horse sucker

[charlys1954]

I'm talking about suckers, creek chubs don't have a sucker type mouth. Not carp either I think carp have a sucker mouth with whiskers. THe picture you posted is what I'm talking about. Musky fishermen use them anywhere from 10-12" up to 15-20" for monster SKiis. I would like to catch some of the smaller ones around 12" but no idea where/how.

Bait shops do sell them but not around here, I've bought them when I went to Wis. I watched a video this week where a guy said caught a 10lber, it was big but I would say it was more like 5-6 lbs probably 20+ inches.

people do catch/eat them, I think they're is a few different kinds. One I think is called a red horse sucker and think my ex father-in-law used to call them white sucker, he ate them.

[Spooled85]

I keep one here and there they are good eating if prepared and cooked right but they are very bony so they have to be prepared a certain way. I don't know where you're located but we catch them every trip on the Kankakee bouncing bottom with crawlers they are almost a nuisance most the time lately I have been catching them back to back sometimes that's all I catch biggest one that I have caught was probably in the seven pound range here is a picture of one of the bigger ones that I have recently caught

[charlys1954]

I looked up Kankakee river and I'm far from there, Logansport about 60 miles north of Indy on 35. The Wabash and Eel flow thru Logan but both are pretty shallow. So it looks like you catch them but are not fishing for them. I was wanting some info on where to look for them in a river this time of year. Maybe I should just try to find some deep spots in those 2 rivers. We do have a small dam on the Eel and water is deeper behind it maybe try there.

The one in your 1st photo is a good size to fish with looks around 12+ inches.
tks for the input.

[charlys1954]

Its that time of year, almost. So I thought I would revive this thread. Anyone with any input chime in. I have never sucker fished but wanting to catch some to do some spring Musky fishing. If I have left overs I will put them in my 55 tank and try to keep them alive for Musky fishing in the fall. I don't want big 20"ers just 10-12".

So far I been told the spawn begins when the main river get into the 50's, then they start staging to go up creeks to spawn. Use a slip sinker with small hook and red worms or pc of night crawler.

[bigr]

You mentioned being close to the eel. The eel has a real good run of suckers every spring starting about this time of year. When the river is down they stack up on the ripples. You'll get them in the mouths of the creeks also using crawlers on the bottom. Guys I know use to go and gig them then can them. I also know that those same guys thought the tippy river was better than the eel. In the spring also. They do make good musky bait.

[charlys1954]

Yes close to the Eel. I'm in Logansport, that's where the Eel and Walbash merge together.

[redjones]

Try a #6 treble hook with flo. orange or flo. pink yarn with a split shot 16-18 inches from hook.
Used to be an ok run on burns ditch/deep river but have not tried either in years.

   Good Luck........Greg