Anybody have experience fishing for white suckers?
Pool 3 has an excellent population of them and I see the state record is only 9#. Saw one on camera yesterday that no doubt would crush that.
Have only caught a few on the rainy fishing worms for sturgeon.
Most that I see on camera are in main channel and suspended 6″-4′ off bottom.
I’m thinking worm on a drop shot rig but would like to hear others experience.
Think sturgeon on a smaller scale. I either use a slip sinker or a few split shot, a small octopus hook (some people like circles), and a piece of crawler or a couple angle worms. Then, it’s a waiting game.
I don’t target them on big rivers because there is a lot of water and not much to concentrate them. I like smaller rivers. Not to say it can’t be done, but I like to tip the odds in my favor.
Are you sure what you saw was a white sucker? I’ve caught a lot of them, and I have never seen one close to 9#. There are a number of redhorse species that get to a pretty good size, and not all of them have red fins.
Are you sure what you saw was a white sucker? I’ve caught a lot of them, and I have never seen one close to 9#.
Absolutely sure.
I see them often in main channel and am beginning to recognize them via SI before I even drop camera.
I’m not surprised you don’t see big ones in small rivers.
LOTW/Rainy has a great population too.
The sucker families keep a lot of river fishermen scratching their head wondering why they aren’t catching that walleye lol.
Amazing what you can see in a clear river with a high quality camera.
I would attempt to figure out which ones would actually take a bait. Assume the suspended probably wouldnt and the active feeders would be on bottom?
Cold water suckers always seemed to be really finicky for myself. Smaller hooks, flouro leaders, really got to let em check it out for awhile and put it in their face before they go. I’d opt out for slow slow trolling upstream with a heavy weight to drag a 2 hook harness behind with 2 chunks of crawlers. Both chunks being heads of worm, tails just don’t get as much love.
Good luck, sounds like a good time dragging snit around
If you catch a white sucker bigger than 5 lbs, I want to see pictures.
Right on. Hopefully I can get a couple Jumbo’s for a photo and we can positive Id.
Ralph!
I caught a nice one a time or two. You have seen pics of them over 5 before.
Caught a decent one on a jig and moxie last week. Not five lbs but I’d guess around 3. Definitely my biggest one.
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Caught a decent one on a jig and moxie last week. Not five lbs but I’d guess around 3. Definitely my biggest one.
Nice fish, but not a white sucker. It’s a redhorse, but I’m not positive which of the redhorse. I think it’s a silver redhorse. Hopefully, @aaronbye will chime in with a positive ID.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
Caught a decent one on a jig and moxie last week. Not five lbs but I’d guess around 3. Definitely my biggest one.Nice fish, but not a white sucker. It’s a redhorse, but I’m not positive which of the redhorse. I think it’s a silver redhorse. Hopefully, @aaronbye will chime in with a positive ID.
I’m not an expert, but I don’t think it’s a silver. Could be a golden redhorse or river redhorse also?
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It’s a Silver Redhorse. See the head and mouth shape. Also, I count 15 dorsal rays. I’d link a good resource for ID but this forum deletes the link when I post…
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