Using Big (4"-8") Minnows for Fall Walleye

I’ve seen a lot of posts this fall about guys using big sucker minnows for smallmouth, especially on Mille Lacs and doing great with them. What’s your thoughts on using big minnows such as suckers, creek chubs, or shiners for fall walleye fishing, especially on the Mississippi river? It seems for fall walleye fishing, especially on the Mississippi, most people are using plastics, hair jigs, and crankbaits. I’ve had decent luck in the past using big minnows on the trailer of a Dubuque rig on the river. I prefer creek chubs over suckers because they seem more lively on the hook and more hardy.

One problem I’ve have had with using the big minnows is my hook up percentage. I’ve had a lot of minnows get hit but I miss the hook-up and the minnow comes back all cut up. I’ve been hooking the minnows through the lips with a 2/0 – 4/0 Octopus hook. Any suggesting for improving my hookup percentage while using these big minnows?

Maybe most people don’t feel it’s worth the bother to get the big minnows when artificial baits work just as well. Just curious why you don’t hear about more guys using big creek chubs, suckers, or shiners for fall walleye fishing, and any tips from those that do.

Boone

You can use them all year around – not just in fall. Are you setting the hook right away? You need to let them take it for a bit.

Can you transport these minnows from somewhere caught and use in the Mississippi river? If you can buy these size minnows (creek chubs) where does one buy them?

I think circle hooks are more for catfish and other fish with softer mouths, maybe you would be better off with a jig hook. I don’t know, just an idea.

I hook my minnows in through the mouth as far back as i can and up behind the head. It doesn’t kill them and they stay on better and hook is farther back on the minnow for better hook ups.

I caught a 17″ sauger with about a 7″ shad sticking out of it’s stomach this weekend on the mississippi. They will eat big baits but the challenge is the presentation for me right now. I’ve thought about putting them on a 3 way like you mentioned so you could pin the bait in place. Not sure how that would affect hookup percent. I have to believe the fish would feel that weight. Might be better in low flow which we don’t have right now.

I have better luck with crankbaits so I haven’t given it a shot really. Would be worth experimenting with imho.

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Depends which part of the miss you are fishing. I fish more northern parts where the class of fish is not nearly the size of pool2 and south. Your typical shiner and fatheads work very well.

Up in the Monticello area big suckers do extremely well for the smallies this time of year, but again, the eyeballs are fewer between so you would be better served with smaller presentations if you want to catch more fish.

If I want big fish I just break out the #10 husky clown.

Much easier than grabbing the bait bucket string, hoping its not wrapped around your leg, oh wait its on the other side, string is wrapped funky around wader strap, finally open the bucket, oops there goes the rod and reel in the drink, bring that back up insert in mouth to dry out, empty the bucket mostly of its water so you stand a chance getting a good hold on the big minn, after short struggle get one how you want in hand, take jig, cold wet stiff hand drops big expensive minnow, you curse, you drop rod reel again, you say fu@# this and proceed to shore, trip on rock that wasn’t there on your way out and after seeing a short glimpse of god saving you with a miracle balancing act from drowning in 40 degree water you ask yourself why all this for using livebait?

LOL it just aint worth the time and frustration is it

Boone,
When I am lindy rigging big creek chubs I usually run a 5-6′ floro lead down to a #2 wide gap hook. I hook them through the lips as well. One thing that has helped my hook up percentage is feeding them enough line. When I go to set to the hook I have my drag pretty loose and all I do is reel in the slack until it starts getting tight then just reel really fast. I do not set the hook per se. Those wide gap hooks don’t need to be set hard. This way has really worked well for me

we use big minnows or chubs sometimes in fall/winter
had a lot of skinned/chomped baits and mis hits until i tied up some 4-5 inch long stingers with no. 6 or 4 trebles
we put the chub on the jig then the slipknot stinger so it runs kamikaze style along the top of the bigger bait. made a big difference in hookups

local bait shop will let me look through the minnows for the biggest ones. when we fish live bait its all we use in the fall. our dubuque rigs are huge minnows on a octopus hook and the dropper is usually at least a 4″ moxie if not a hutch 5″ walleye banger.