# Red Horse Suckers and the LMR



## ARReflections (Jan 7, 2011)

Had a chance to observe a water survey being done by an outfit contracted by the sanitation department at Bass Island near New Town. I never had too much luck with the fly there so I was real curious what would come up after they delivered a shock to the water. Here is what they counted:

A large channel cat and 1 or 2 small channel.
A couple of freshwater drum. 
A few red horse suckers (beautiful fish btw with their red fins and silver scales - also was told they live in clean water so the water quality must be good enough around bass island)
One sauger (this one surprised me! One of the staff stated saugeye but was corrected by what appeared to be the senior member)
A few shiners (again another beautiful yet small fish)
A couple of gar (small)

Surprisingly there weren't any bass (bass island) LOL! I was truly impressed with the red horse suckers. Some of the fly fisherman I know consider the carp to be the gold bonefish but I would have to say the red horse sucker would have to be the freshwater bonefish. I think they are harder to catch on the fly too. At any rate it was a pretty awesome experience.

Has anyone here had consistent catches of red horse suckers on the fly?


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

The past couple times I've been carp fishing I have also caught some suckers. It seems to be like 4 carp for every sucker, and like I said in the other thread suckers are much harder to catch than carp, especially if they aren't feeding. Other than the past couple months(I actually first started seriously targeting them and carp this year), the only redhorses I have ever caught were 2 in the spring on buggers(totally unexpected), during the sucker runs(both white and redhorse) on the Erie tribs, and maybe a couple other ones I'm forgetting about. I can't count how many times I foul hooked though.


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## zachxbass (Jun 23, 2011)

I'm trying to figure them out too... when they're just hanging out, not feeding, I've drifted flies right up to their noses. Small crayfish, size 10-12 nymphs (damsel nymph patter I tie), even a caddis nymph. They don't even move. Creek chubs like my damsel nymph A LOT though. As do bluegill.

Smallmouth bass ignore my nymphs but love my crayfish.

Anyone ever catch redhorse with bait? I tried corn but only caught giant carp  I was ok with that though. 

I really want to unlock the redhorse secrets as there are thousands in the areas I fish

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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

I don't have a lot of experience with suckers spinfishing either, but have caught them on redworms. A half of one is probably better than a whole.

Also the redhorses I have caught they didn't move toward my flies one bit either. I had to drift it right in front of them and hope they would eat it. The one creek I caught them in very slow water, I just casted my fly litterally a couple inches infront of them and waited for them to suck it in. Very frustrating, but also very rewarding.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I have caught suckers while fishing for steelhead on black nymphs and egg patterns but never can get carp in the summer to bite.


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## fishfray (Jul 19, 2012)

bait is your best bet but pheasant tail nymphs take them too. use a whole lively red worm on a size 8 hook with split shot and drop it near their head or dead drift it if you cant see them.


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