Sucker run

[dispatch1313]

Now that the ice is off the local rivers, has anyone gone sucker fishing yet? I know most years the run is on in the beginning of April, but it has been pretty cold lately. I am dying to go fishing (for something other then panfish) and I'll probably give it a try sometime this week. Let me know if you've had any luck!

[NCLaker]

Never fished for "sucker". Didn't know people targeted them. How do you fish for them? And no offense, but why would one fish for them?

[goblueM]

well they're fun to catch, particularly when its this in-between time of year. And they're surprisingly good table fare

[dispatch1313]

I think most people fish for them when they're waiting for the "real" fishing opener to begin. For me, panfishing gets a little boring...I would rather catch fish with some size to them. I think we need a week of warmer weather before they will start to run upstream to spawn, but once the bite is on you can't keep them off your hook. Look for current breaks, eddies, or where a smaller tributary enters the river. I mostly use 2-hook Lindy rigs, just make sure you have enough weight to keep it on the bottom. I release everything I catch (mostly because I'm just lazy), but some people actually do keep suckers. They have firm white meat which tastes really good, unfortunately they have lots of little "y" bones which you can't get out by just filleting. I've ground the fillets up in a meat grinder before and made sucker paddies, which were actually pretty good. I know most people who keep them smoke them, but thats sounds like too much work for me. Also, suckers are a very clean fish, thats why you always find them in trout streams. They like hard bottoms with a mixture of rocks and sand, and fast water. Oh, and there are many kinds of "suckers"...white sucker, river redhorse, golden redhorse, longnose sucker, quillback, northern hog sucker, and the list goes on. I think redhorses look the coolest. You will know if you catch one of them...the fins are a really deep reddish/orange color. I'm probably getting a little carried away here, but I can't stop thinking about fishing and this cold weather is KILLING ME! I checked water temps on the St. Croix yesterday and they were right around 37 degrees. This blizzard thats coming tonight won't help my cabin fever either:(

[NCLaker]

Interesting ... thanks for the info.

[ole matty]

where in east central area can i find the sucker run? wld love to try for them.

[sparcebag]

See your in Stacy....Try the Sunrise in Sunrise,Kost or any roads it goes under.

[Neighbor_guy]

Kost dammmm is always a good spot to try. Or head over to the Croix.

[shorefisher]

I have got a few on the Sunrise right in Stacy where it runs under HWY 61 in past years. Easy spot to get to.

[JBMasterAngler]

Speaking of the sunrise...anything below the dams yet? I am looking at spending a day fishing for pannies and bullheads next week sometime. Hopefully the water will warm up quite a bit in the meantime.