Suckers or decoys

[openorice]

I've speared for years but I've never uses live suckers, I've always just used decoys. I've always thought that live suckers would result strikes as opposed to how they come in a freeze in front of a still decoy. The last time I was out spearing I had a very slow day and an old timer told me I wasn't spearing if I wasn't using live suckers. Is he correct?

[Archerysniper]

I have never speared without a live sucker down and if I only have one and a pike takes it I leave and run to the bait shop to get another one.

[TDH]

I use both and see more fish with a live sucker swimming around. I sometimes just have one or the other down, but I prefer to have both down at the same time. I think any spearer should have both in the house just to change it up if one isnt working.

[Archerysniper]

I have been having both down and the hillbilly spinner also and getting great results

[shamalex72]

I very rarely use a live decoy, and I think I see a fair amount of fish. But it had been kind of slow for me this year so I got a live decoy last weekend to change things up. Haven't noticed much difference, the one I speared the other day went right past the live minnow and hit the red/white. I will use this one until it dies, then stick with wooden decoys the rest of the year.

[openorice]

I guess I may have to try a live sucker the next time I'm out. Now the real question; does size matter? Do I want a Johny Holmes sucker or your normal 6 - 8 incher?

[Gordie]

I use both live and fake at the same time and to me size does matter I like them BIG like 12 inch plus you would be amazed at how many small pike will check out these mamoth suckers I have even had a pike smaller than the decoy sucker sit in the hole for 15-20 min checking out the decoy until a bigger pkie chased the smaller pike off

[Huey]

Do you weigh the sucker down some how?

I had a BIG sucker last Sunday and it was swimming around the hole all day long. It would get tangle with the wood decoy about every 15 minutes. Ughh.. The decoy pin had a 1/2 oz sinker on it but that did not seem to slow the BIG sucker down at all.

[Archerysniper]

I guess I may have to try a live sucker the next time I'm out. Now the real question; does size matter? Do I want a Johny Holmes sucker or your normal 6 - 8 incher?

[BehindtheHead]

i like smaller suckers. 6 or 8 inches

[fishuhalik]

i like a big ol' live sucker. i very rarely used a fake decoy. it did get hit sometimes, but with the live decoy it seemed like it was easier to pull them back in the hole with a live minnow.

[brakedancer]

when I go spearing and have a chance to buy live suckers I will run one and a decoy at the same time.but..I've had them come in and stare at the decoy and not give the time of day to the sucker and vice versa...who know what goes on in the mind of a northern..

their mood can change by the hour...must be alot of female northerns..

[MJ1657]

My take is that the fake decoy attracts them and they usually go for the live sucker.

If you have a sucker that is a little to lively and won't stay in the hole clip a corner off of its tail fin. I really like it when I get a sucker like that. They appear wounded when they swim.

[pikestabber]

I use both (I love to carve decoys and that makes it hard not to use them!), but if I could only use one or the other, I would take the live sucker without hesitation. I have no way to quantify this save personal experience and hearing it again and again from other friends that spear, but I would argue the biggest fish taken or seen in a fish house are when only a live sucker is down (no artificial), and the second best set up for big fish is a decoy you don't jig a lot and a live sucker next to it. By big fish, I mean 15-20+ pounds. Fish of that size act and react different than fish under 10 pounds, and they generally don't like as much action in the hole as small fish. My 2 cents.

As for size, I say go big. Not many 20lb pike are caught on crappie minnows... There are, of course, exceptions, but in general, big fish like big eats. It takes the same relative amount of energy for a big pike to catch a 3lb sucker as it does a 3" shiner. Pike will go large more often than not.

[mrklean]

never been a fan of live suckers but i broke down and bought one today, ran that and a red and white, had one come in to the live and watch it for a bit, then awhile later had one come in to the red and white, first time i have ever had luck with live decoys, time and place i think

[MJ1657]

How is the new house working out mrklean?

[mrklean]

Works good so far haven't used my heater yet very warm gonna be nice when I can pack some snow around it will be pitch black inside.

[Spike76]

I usually use both, and have good success. Sometimes they go for the live one and sometimes they hit the wooden one. If you only have one of them down you won't know if the other one would have been better. What ever you do you will always be second guessing yourself. One time I speared one with no decoy down. I had decided to quit for the day and was putting every thing away when before I shut the spear hole cover I looked down and saw a northern and speared it. She must have been wandering where the decoys went?