Zumbro River

[Lights]

Dan, I'll be at the BP station waiting for you in a 4 door blue Saturn.

See ya then,

Lights

[MURPHFISHER]

I will be going down to our fishing spot around 3:30 or 4 on Thursday. If anyone is early just follow the river road and look for my red Blazer and my dog (see my avatar) she is pretty hard to miss, so you will know it is me. I will be at the second wing dam up river from the bridge in Hammond. Should be a great outing....

[Dan Thiem]

Tonights adventure was sure a pleasure. We had a small in-formal F.M. gathering. Down To Earth, Murphfisher, Lights, Swamprat72, Alex, and myself.

Species caught: Sheepshead, carp, suckers,(whites and blacks. no reds), and two accidental bass.

Mr. Murphfisher, you are the man! You definatly schooled us tonight. Outfishing us by far. How many did you end up with? I saw at least 12.

Biggest one of the night was a 22 1/2" white. Caught by the master Murphfisher. Who else?

We still have to get the elusive 23+"er.

It was a very good time and I for sure would fish again with any of these guys. All made for good company!

[MURPHFISHER]

I lost track after 12, but I think I ended up with a few more than that We had a great time. Nice to meet some other FMers. We had one that traveled all the way from Leroy, IA. Sorry you guy's that traveled so far got skunked. I think it is all about bait placement with these fish. If you are not casting right where they are foraging you wont get bit. Don't give up on it, move around and find that "honey hole" like I was in and you will have nonstop action. Too much fun. What day are we planning to meet next week Dan? Thursdays are working out well...

I have some photos I will get up later today.

[Down to Earth]

Well, to anyone who says "Anyone can catch a sucker" I'd have to say that is wrong. Spent a couple plus hours on the Zumbro River, with nothing to show for. Had a couple hits I think, but nothing brought to shore. Overall still a good time watching the rest pull in fish. Maybe next time I'll have better success.

[Lights]

I had a great time last night meeting all of you. Dan Thanks for the "sodas" and river dogs. MurphFisher you are the King of the Sucker fishermen. I'm glad to have meet you all and we will have to do it again sometime.

Later,

Lights

[MURPHFISHER]

pics...

I thought we took more. Must have been too "busy" catching fish

[Dan Thiem]

Murph, we need for Roughfisher too see these pictures. I think the top one is a Northern Hog. It has less rays on the dorsal than the whites do. Also the body is more tubular than the whites. Also the scales are smaller, and of coarse they are darker. I've always just called them blacks.

Do me a favor and post them on the Carp- Real Game Fish forum. Roughfisher is turkey hunting right now but when he gets back from the rough fish round up down at Eagle Bluff he can tell us if it's a Northern Hog.

The second and the third are whites. Is that white the 22 1/2"er, or was that a different one.

It's too bad we didn't catch any redhorse to complete a cycle. All three sucker species.

Why didn't we get any pictures of the bass masters fish?

Oh well nice pictures!! And them is some nice bugle nose trout. Thanks for posting them. You Sucker King!

[MURPHFISHER]

I already posted that question on roughfisher’s site. We are WAY off when it comes to identifing these fish. The first pic is an odd colored white sucker and the second is a silver redhorse they tell me. We have mainly been catching silver and golden redhorse (the silvers do not have red fins). I am starting to learn the difference and with roughy's help I will be a master at identifying these fish. I am thinking about fishing again tomorrow afternoon. You want to join me?

[Roughfisher]

Hi guys, the first fish is a big White Sucker. The Northern Hog Sucker has a black ring around the mouth, larger scales, and a bigger head with protruding eyes. The bottom two fish are both Silver Redhorse. If you look at the dorsal fin, it is fan-shaped. Any redhorse with a fan-shaped dorsal and a grayish tail is a silver; golden look similar but have a concave dorsal (curves inward). Great catch, those puppies are fun.

Also - the white sucker you caught is in spawning colors; makes it look darker and different than most of them you catch. Just thought I'd mention that because it does look quite different from the white suckers you usually catch because of the spawning coloration.

[MURPHFISHER]

Thanks for the identification. I have caught some huge silvers this spring up to 24 inches. Man they fight hard in fast current. I hope the forecast is correct and we get some warmer temps later this week. I am planning to fish there again on Thursday. You game again Dan?

[Roughfisher]

Here's a picture of a Northern Hog Sucker where you can see the black marking on the mouth. You can see it best at the front of the mouth. Look for that and you won't go wrong.

[Crickschop04]

Hey guys, I gotta scratch the itch are you going to be down there this Thurs.? What time? I'd love to wet a line and see if I can hook in to a set of those lips.

[Dan Thiem]

We would be glad to have you join us. Do you know where we have been going?

Just go up river from Hammond on the river road. It's only about a mile and a half or so. Watch for a red 2door Blazer and a green Chevy pickup with a topper.

We should be there around 5:00.

[Crickschop04]

Went sucker fishing last for the first time down by Hammond. Pretty uneventful one 18" in about 2.5 hours. Apparently there is more to this then I first thought...or maybe I was in the wrong spot.

[Dan Thiem]

The action has slowed some. And the water is down about a foot maybe two. It also has cleared up quite a bit. I think all these things have had an impact on the sucker fishing.

Were you fishing on the first wing dam up from Hammond?

Are you coming down tonight?

[Crickschop04]

I was actually at, I think, the 2nd wing dam. I will hopefully be down there tonight for a little bit. I'm going to have a 3yr. old along so I will only last as long as she does.

[Dan Thiem]

Well folks, we just got back from the mighty sucker hole and I heard a rather large heavy set lady singing. Man, I think the suckers are winding down. Alex and I only ended up with 5 sheepies and one accidental bass.

After the fat lady sings at the sucker hole it's time to hit the lake for some of that crappie action. Maybe put away my steel rod with the agate guides and get out my C.T. signature series.

[MURPHFISHER]

I am planning to go down this afternoon and then we will really know if it is over Stop on down again tonight if you can.

[Dan Thiem]

Well folks, the lady wasn't done singing after all. As a mater of fact she was just warming up. All told MURPHFISHER was the king again tonight! He definatley taught school AGAIN! Out fishing me easily ten to one. He must have a nice shiney gold horseshoe stuck somewhere in his netherlands.

[hanson]

Baaaaaa... Baaaaa...Baaaaa...

I'm not ashamed to post this photo. One heck of a nice little sheepshead I landed while fishing with Dan a few weeks back.

[Dan Thiem]

Hey Hanson, how ya been?

I remember that fish well. It seemed like it just wouldn't come out of that current. Nice battle!

If catch and release is all a guy does, who cares what's on the other end of the line?