# Suckers



## ErieBoy75 (Aug 4, 2009)

Anyone know where to get 12-18" suckers? I'd love to try sucker fishing in Ohio.


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## fishless (Sep 18, 2014)

ErieBoy75 said:


> Anyone know where to get 12-18" suckers? I'd love to try sucker fishing in Ohio.


If you mean for Muskie bait...live shad are the ticket in inland lakes


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## MuskyFan (Sep 21, 2016)

ErieBoy75 said:


> Anyone know where to get 12-18" suckers? I'd love to try sucker fishing in Ohio.


Look up live bait for your area. Not everyone carries large suckers like further north stores do. Then learn how to set up (make or buy one) a quick strike rig to use them on.


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## the_waterwolf (Feb 8, 2013)

Cabela's in Dundee, MI used to sell them years ago when they had the bait shop inside. 

The past 10 years or so I have resorted to catching my own. 12"-18" suckers are pretty big, I've used 6"-12" with great success. Find a small tributary stream and start walking until you find them. Generally they are in holes below riffles. You may need to ask for permission, don't be afraid to ask. 

I catch them with a 4lb mono leader, #10 wide gap hook, and a piece of night crawler or the Berkeley gulp fry in 1" length.


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## Legend killer (Apr 20, 2011)

You can't buy suckers in SW OH.


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## Ol'Bassman (Sep 9, 2008)

You can get suckers (chubs) and Israeli carp at Hamilton Bait & Tackle in Fairfield. They are seasonal and you should call them before making the trip. 

http://www.hamiltonbait.com/fairfield-oh-live-and-frozen-bait?_rdr


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## Legend killer (Apr 20, 2011)

Chubs and traditional muskie suckers are not the same. Pull your chubs bassman


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## ErieBoy75 (Aug 4, 2009)

Thanks, fellas. I'll see what I can figure out. Might be fun catching my own.


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

LK just likes to fight, while suckers and chubs are not the same I have never heard anyone refer to suckers as "muskie suckers" and nothing is as effective as creek chubs, in my opinion, for live bait pike and muskie fishing. Creek chubs are best caught in fish traps in small creeks or with ultra light, or ice fishing gear, in the same creeks. You can find really nice creek chubs in very small feeder streams and branch creeks, often found in large locked pools during low water.


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## Legend killer (Apr 20, 2011)

Papaw, have you pulled Chubs for muskie? Would like to know your first hand experience.


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## the_waterwolf (Feb 8, 2013)

Chubs work just as good if you can't find suckers, suckers happen to be a tad more Hardy of a bait.

If pulled chubs and suckers behind the boat when casting. A lot of times if I had one follow in that wouldn't commit to a lure it would take the bait.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Legend killer said:


> Chubs and traditional muskie suckers are not the same. Pull your chubs bassman


Are you seriously trying to insinuate an Apex predator (any apex Predator) is going to differentiate between a Chub and a Sucker in Ohio? Really?

Maybe, MAYBE one is a tad more hearty then the other. But there's really no difference between the two when it comes to a Muskie (or any Apex predator).


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## Legend killer (Apr 20, 2011)

acklac7 said:


> Are you seriously trying to insinuate an Apex predator (any apex Predator) is going to differentiate between a Chub and a Sucker in Ohio? Really?
> 
> Maybe, MAYBE one is a tad more hearty then the other. But there's really no difference between the two when it comes to a Muskie (or any Apex predator).


What's been your experience dragging chubs for muskie?


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Sigh....


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Legend killer said:


> What's been your experience dragging chubs for muskie?


Whats your first hand experience in pulling chubs vs. Suckers??? 
School us LK. Or have you only pulled suckers? 
Ive only pulled chubs when my wifes not around


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## Legend killer (Apr 20, 2011)

I've only dragged suckers, done pretty good.


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## MuskyFan (Sep 21, 2016)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Whats your first hand experience in pulling chubs vs. Suckers???
> School us LK. Or have you only pulled suckers?
> Ive only pulled chubs when my wifes not around


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## burnsj5 (Jan 30, 2014)

Ol'Bassman said:


> You can get suckers (chubs) and Israeli carp at Hamilton Bait & Tackle in Fairfield. They are seasonal and you should call them before making the trip.
> 
> http://www.hamiltonbait.com/fairfield-oh-live-and-frozen-bait?_rdr


Thanks for this information, I went out last Thursday and made a stop out that way to see what they had. They call them chubs/suckers but they are suckers. 
I tried some out but only had action on artificials with 2 follows and one in the boat about 37". I think it might be a better option when temps get colder and fish are lazier. Plan to experiment a bit more with them later in the season.


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## Ol'Bassman (Sep 9, 2008)

burnsj5 said:


> Thanks for this information, I went out last Thursday and made a stop out that way to see what they had. They call them chubs/suckers but they are suckers.
> I tried some out but only had action on artificials with 2 follows and one in the boat about 37". I think it might be a better option when temps get colder and fish are lazier. Plan to experiment a bit more with them later in the season.


Did they have any Israeli carp? If so, what did they look like? I have not been there recently. I suggest getting the biggest chubs they have and do a slow troll and cast with the chubs following 2' -3' behind you. Cast from the stern and retrieve in the direction of your chub and figure 8 as close to you chubs as possible. Sometimes a following ski will take the chub. This way you are leading the ski right to your chub. Another way to get live bait including white suckers is a cast net.


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## burnsj5 (Jan 30, 2014)

Ol'Bassman said:


> Did they have any Israeli carp? If so, what did they look like? I have not been there recently. I suggest getting the biggest chubs they have and do a slow troll and cast with the chubs following 2' -3' behind you. Cast from the stern and retrieve in the direction of your chub and figure 8 as close to you chubs as possible. Sometimes a following ski will take the chub. This way you are leading the ski right to your chub. Another way to get live bait including white suckers is a cast net.


I was wondering too what those are, I didn't ask specifically but pretty much asked for the biggest bait they had and the gentleman working there was incredibly nice and made sure I had the bigger suckers out of the tank. I looked at all the tanks and aside from the goldfish the suckers looked like the best bet. 
Trying to keep the bait near the boat without drowning it or dragging it too fast was really tough with the high winds that day. I think that is great advice about keeping the bait fairly close to where you're going to make the 8, as the follows that turned away probably would have eaten the live option if it wasn't so far away (back opposite corner of boat). I also think I was running them a little too deep.


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## Ol'Bassman (Sep 9, 2008)

burnsj5 said:


> I was wondering too what those are, I didn't ask specifically but pretty much asked for the biggest bait they had and the gentleman working there was incredibly nice and made sure I had the bigger suckers out of the tank. I looked at all the tanks and aside from the goldfish the suckers looked like the best bet.
> Trying to keep the bait near the boat without drowning it or dragging it too fast was really tough with the high winds that day. I think that is great advice about keeping the bait fairly close to where you're going to make the 8, as the follows that turned away probably would have eaten the live option if it wasn't so far away (back opposite corner of boat). I also think I was running them a little too deep.


It's a tactic for calm water days and working a point or structure where you know skis hunt.


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