2020 Suckers

I suggested that the kids dig some worms in the garden the other day, and we took a break from work and “distance learning” to drown a few worms near home.
The water was ripping from the weekend’s rain, and it’s a little on the early side, but we had a few nibbles, and my son landed 2 shorthead redhorse. Not a bad way to kill and hour or two.

Awesome! Ralph, where in the country/state are you located?

NW metro.

I used to fish suckers every spring. I love it. I’ve been slacking the past few years, and these were honestly my son’s first suckers. He was thrilled, as you can tell by the smiles.

Action will pick up soon!

Awesome!

Taking kids fishing after picking their own bait has to be the best possible way to fish. The world needs a lot more of this.

Nice hook set, musta learned that from the old man.

Good job dad!

Awesome, love it!

So much fun. We’ve been doing the same😁

A silver and a buffy too

Nice, Bob!

They really turned up this AM, caught a dozen or so, good mix.

Kids were with other day, youngest got a nice carp, and middle got her butt kicked by one we weren’t able to see. I got to fight it for several seconds before I handed it off, huge whatever it was, gave her heck for 5 min or so. She’s super stoked to get back and have another shot at it.

Bob you mainly fish above the coon rapids dam and north I presumed, is that were you got that buffalo? That would be fantastic, haven’t really seen those up there.

Deuces wrote:

They really turned up this AM, caught a dozen or so, good mix.

Kids were with other day, youngest got a nice carp, and middle got her butt kicked by one we weren’t able to see. I got to fight it for several seconds before I handed it off, huge whatever it was, gave her heck for 5 min or so. She’s super stoked to get back and have another shot at it.

Bob you mainly fish above the coon rapids dam and north I presumed, is that were you got that buffalo? That would be fantastic, haven’t really seen those up there.

Yes, above Coon Rapids to Monti. Those buffy’s rock, love bumping them but they are kind of a unicorn, I don’t see many, but a hoot on spinning gear.

I’ve caught one smallmouth buff in my life. Very cool fish. I love their dark eyes.

Is that a mirrored buffalo?

Mind is imploding looking at that color and patterning.

Headed back out today. It’s our spring break, and if it weren’t for the virus, we’d be shark fishing tomorrow, but spring suckers in MN will have to do.

I brought both kids along today, and we had our first redhorse before I got our third line in the water! We got a few more redhorse, and my son got a carp that put up a nice battle for him. The leopard frogs are coming out, too!

A few more pics.

Great pics, love em! Enjoy this time with the kiddos, it dosen’t get any better.

Riv is up but the fish are still eating.

I’m amazed that she can handle that carp Ralph for the pic. That’s super cool. My kids cant seem to hold on to them for very long, and to be honest neither can I, squirmy things they are. What makes em so fun.

Believe it or not I’m a lil suckered out. Been hitting it hard this past week with time off. Gonna chase some kitties possibly the next few evenings

Redhorse suckers are proof that the water is of good quality. They can’t live in polluted systems. The presence of suckers is also a good food source, especially for esox species like northern pike and muskies.

I took my 11-year-old out today for our first ever attempt at suckers. No luck. We fished Rice Creek where it dumps into the Mississippi. The water was high and fast. Is the idea to keep the bait in one spot or have it slowly drift with the current. We were drifting, maybe that was the problem.

Maybe I have to find a new spot?

I’ve heard of people drifting, but I prefer to keep the bait pinned to the bottom. Thanks for the report. I’ve never tried there.

Are you holding the rods? I like to keep them in rod holders/forked sticks and watch the tip. Often, they don’t hit hard. Watch for a bump, pick up the rod and feel for a fish, and set the hook.

Never fished for Suckers what do you look for, for spots to fish?

Kids and me explored down there last week vision, high water for sure. Makes for tougher fishing off that bank, only few spots to cast I’m sure. We didn’t fish but if I were to I’d get as far up into that pool down there as you can. Want your worms in the current that is coming down into the sippi which is on other side of eddy.

Not my favorite early spring spot, the lake up there keeps the water coming down a bit chillier than some other creeks that can warm up in the sun with darker bottoms and shallower runs. Once that water does warm tho can be very good.

Alot of thorns in that river bottom. Kids get a kick out of the trees down there, amazing!!

Tom P. wrote:

Never fished for Suckers what do you look for, for spots to fish?

We use to fish where smaller streams would dump into larger ones. Often suckers and redhorse stage at the mouths of creeks till they are ready to travel up the smaller creeks to spawn. It’s best when the smaller creeks are not flowing to fast and there is a small slack water area right were it spills into the larger stream or river. Load up a hook with nightcrawlers or worms weight with enough weight to keep the bait mostly stationary. Toss into the slack water mouth – prop the rod up with a forked stick – tighten the line slightly and watch the rod tip for it to bounce or bow. Pick up the rod and set the hook. Simple and fun.

@aaronbye

Aaron, can I get a ruling here? This one looked different than the shortheads we usually catch, but I’m not sure. Maybe it’s just a big shorty?

I knew enough to take a lip pic.

Regardless of variety, that’s a nice Fish.

We use to fish where smaller streams would dump into larger ones. Often suckers and redhorse stage at the mouths of creeks till they are ready to travel up the smaller creeks to spawn. It’s best when the smaller creeks are not flowing to fast and there is a small slack water area right were it spills into the larger stream or river. Load up a hook with nightcrawlers or worms weight with enough weight to keep the bait mostly stationary. Toss into the slack water mouth – prop the rod up with a forked stick – tighten the line slightly and watch the rod tip for it to bounce or bow. Pick up the rod and set the hook. Simple and fun.

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Thanks fishthumper at least it gives me something to look forhave not done any bank fishing in years.

I used to love fishing suckers when I was a kid, we would always smoke a few up, those things were good.

Got a little silver and some redhorse tonight

Nice, Bob! That is a small silver–I haven’t caught a silver in a few years.

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

@aaronbye

Aaron, can I get a ruling here? This one looked different than the shortheads we usually catch, but I’m not sure. Maybe it’s just a big shorty?

I knew enough to take a lip pic.

I’m not Aaron, but that is a big Shorty. Head length to body length ratio and fin shapes eliminate the other red-tailed redhorse in MN

tonys wrote:

I’m not Aaron, but that is a big Shorty. Head length to body length ratio and fin shapes eliminate the other red-tailed redhorse in MN

Thanks, I initially thought it was a greater or river because I haven’t caught many of either, but when I got home and looked at my cheat sheet, I pretty much ruled them out based on fin color and shape. It was a huge shorty, then! I’m ticked that I didn’t measure it.

Here’s another shot of it.