Suckers

[PSUFishMenace]

Does anyone have any methods/flies/tips for catching suckers? I have never caught one, although they are quite common in streams in my area.

I see many 16-20"+ and I imagine one of that size would put up a decent fight. I have never seen them chase anything, are they possible to catch at all? Aside from snagging them, of course. If it is possible to catch them I may try going after some big ones sometime after working a stretch of water for trout or smallies.

Just curious, all comments appreciated.

 

[Troutking]

When I was younger, I fished for catfish a lot and would catch suckers a lot. I not sure but I would say that I don't think you could catch them on flies.

 

[jayL]

I accidentally catch them all the time on standard nymphs.

 

[Brownout]

Stone fly nymphs, they're smarter than trout, good practice.

 

[David]

Rook,
If you hit the Erie tribs at the end of the steelhead run (late march / april) you will find great numbers of big suckers making their spawning runs.
Even though I target the steelhead, the suckers will take the same flies...nymphs, eggs, caddis, etc.
So a trip to erie could give you a 2 for one package!!!

 

[Troutking]

See shows you what I know lol

 

[MKern]

I've mouth-hooked many suckers on Spring Creek on just standard nymphs. when they're feeding they'll eat anything.

 

[PSUFishMenace]

LOL Troutking!

I suppose I have not fished often enough with nymphs to have realized that they will take them. It makes sense that they would. and maybe i should go after ones that are more than 20 ft away lol.

Thanks for the info guys. For those of you who have caught them, what kind of fight do they put up? Is it closer to that of a fallfish or of a carp? Or something completely different?

And do they still bite if you use a weight with the nymph? The ones I have tried to catch seemed scared by even the smallest weight but they also could have been scared by me in general.

 

[David]

Not the best fight, but worth the effort of going after them.
They typically wont come far off the bottom to get a fly, so you probably need some weight to get the fly down to them.

Here's some guys targeting them in Spring Creek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9fnWD-ghLE

 

[surveyor06]

I caught a sucker last weekend at the little lehigh and it went airborne, haha. I thought it was a trout the entire time, until i got it in closer and realized what it was. Most times they are not the best fight, but I guess sometimes you get lucky.

 

[shakey]

i find their fight similar to trying to haul in a bag of mud.but not in a bad way.

i have caught them on pink and gray scud flies.

 

[PSUFishMenace]

Thanks for that link to the video, David. Didn't think anyone actually targeted them lol!

Sounds like they shouldn't be too tough to hook or land. Of course now I am out of nymphs so I guess I'll try to catch some next year.

Again thanks for the responses!

 

[MKern]

I know those guys in the youtube video. I don't like catching them because you just drag them in and they stink.

 

[RLeeP]

I think, inch for inch, a sucker is every bit the equal of a rock bass as a fighting fish...

When the bass rivers I fish in SE Wisconsin get low and pretty much all the fish queue up in the pools, I catch a lot of suckers on dead drifted fur leeches while fishing for smallmouth. And judging by how the fish are hooked, the takes are deliberate.

Some of them are pretty formidable, up to 21-22".

They aren't bass, but they giver a decent account on themselves on a 6 wgt. rod.

I don't mind catching them, have yet to encounter one that "stinks" and overall would rate the experience as far better than a sharp stick in the eye, but not quite as good as a DQ strawberry/marshmallow sundae.

 

[jayL]

I think they fight well.

I do detect the stink, though. They're very slimy. Doesn't bother me.

 

[PSUFishMenace]

Fallfish are the only fish that bother me with their slime. I usually try not to touch them when I remove the fly because I gotta drive home when I'm done fishing and I don't want the steering wheel smelling like fallfish. The smell does get to me. plus they crap on you a lot but the big ones in heavy current do fight well so that almost makes up for it.

I have a 5 wt rod so I think a 20"+ sucker would be a challenge by size alone if not by making runs like the one in one of those videos.

So more like a DQ hot dog? Cuz you're at a place with something better than hot dogs but you get a hot dog and it isn't that great but you'll take it. LOL does this make any sense?

 

[RLeeP]

>>So more like a DQ hot dog? Cuz you're at a place with something better than hot dogs but you get a hot dog and it isn't that great but you'll take it. LOL does this make any sense?>>

Absolutely...

And looked at on a sliding scale that compares value with a lot of what is said around here, it comes very close to qualifying as wisdom...

 

[PSUFishMenace]

:-D I am too young to be wise...

I gotta be honest I just picked something and then made up an explanation afterwards...four years of top-level English classes will help you do that lol. I can find a symbolic meaning or analogy in anything even a DQ hotdog

 

[Wildfish]

I've never targeted them, so this is just a guess, but what about a san juan worm or leech? When I see them schooled up and hanging midstream they're not usually feeding, but sometimes a stray trout is hanging out with them, I'm guessing feeding on what they kick up. You could probably coax a hit by getting a worm or leech down in the mud and twitching it to create a small puff. Might trigger a strike.

 

[PSUFishMenace]

Maybe a bugger would work i don't have any worms or leeches, that's a good idea wildfish