Trolling Suckers

[TheHawgTrough]

Since "Suckers" seems to be a popular topic this year (likely due to the poor fishing this summer?), I'd thought I'd throw a question out there. I'd tried trolling suckers under a float for the first time and wasn't very sucessful. One because I didn't seem to have enough weight (I assume you want them pretty vertical) and two the suckers seemed to spin in a circle on the harness. Now while erradic, I'm assuming a more natural presentation would be better when trolling? We were moving around 1 mph with the trolling motor. How do you guys do it?

[Esox_Magnum]

I can use 2 lines so I just drop one over the side of the boat while I cast.. So far no hook ups but have had a couple chasing... I clip on a couple oz bell sinker on the leader to keep them down, been running them just out of sight...If just trolling suckers I try and keep speed down to between .5 and .7...

[reinhard1]

i make my own trolling rig. i haven't made them in years but this winter it will be a project for i may advertise them here on HSO if i do decide to sell some. i troll this rig with an electric motor just fast enough to spin the blades. i use a large blade. willow leaf wont do it, but a colorado would. the sucker rig should be designed for the sucker to swim naturaly behind the blade. the hooks should be placed so when a pike hits, that there is a sure connection. the key i believe is that the sucker or large creek chub swim naturaly and you dont go to fast as to "drag" the presentation. good luck.

[50inchpig]

you're going too fast. .75mph is usually my target speed. lots of times it's more of a controlled drift than a troll.

use a 1oz egg sinker above your rig. it's heavy enough to keep the sucker down a bit without slowing down your hookset.

sucker spinning could be caused by your speed but more than likely your rig is a little tight and doesn't allow your bait to move freely, i.e - one of the lines running from the nostril area to the hook doesn't have enough slack which happens alot with storebought rigs that are too small. like i said before, anyone who sucker fishes a bit usually ends up making their own rigs, it's important to match the rig to the size of your sucker. maybe i'll try to get a good video of rigging this weekend.

lastly, don't get paranoid about presentation, a decent sized sucker swimming halfway natural will bring them in.

[kell0916]

How close to the bottom do you want the sucker while you're slowly putting around with the trolling motor?

[reinhard1]

when i troll live suckers with my rig i fish over sunken weeds and over and around structure. my presentation rarely goes maby 2 to 3 feet from the surface. i fish shallower waters with this type of rig. no deeper than 15 feet. i use this mainly for large pike in the early time of the year, shallow lakes during the year, and i fish the shallower waters and structures with this rig in the fall. for deep water i fish deep running cranks and heavier jigs with large minnows. good luck.

[50inchpig]

yeah i usually run 4-5 feet down, shallow enough to keep it above the weeds if i get too close to the edge. i've never found it necessary to run it close to the bottom on the milfoil lakes around here.

[TheHawgTrough]

Thanks for the tips. I suppose it matters what you're trying to do, but about how far back do you usually troll the suckers?

[RuKiddingMe]

If i can fish 2 rods - one right over the side of the boat 2-6 feet down and the other 15-30 behind the boat about 6 feet down.

[Esox_Magnum]

I do it right off the side of the boat, so basicly under the boat...if 2 of us my partner will run his 20-30' behind the boat on a bobber rig.. keep in mind we are also casting while the suckers do their thing....

[rambassanaga]

I have been doing a lot of sucker trolling the last couple of years and have a lot of success trolling large sucker minnows right behind the boat. I fish rivers a lot in shallower water so I keep the sucker minnow just below the surface. I dont use a rig because the sucker wont swim right. I use treble hook (legally) and let them chew on it for awhile before setting the hook. I believe right behind the boat is the best spot because muskies are attracted to prop wash.