Redhorse

[almontefisher]

Well Brent it was an MNR or MVCA person who saw us on this bridge fishing. I questioned it as well but didnt want to get charged so we left. It was about 5 -6 years ago so it may have been in play then but looking around now I do not see anything that say's this.

[smitty55]

Funny how things work out lol. I've always like to preserve my own fresh food and came across a thread on canning sucker and I got intrigued. That's why I started the thread here to ask for local input and even open up the topic on catching suckers. So many of the responses here and elsewhere all related back to those great kid time memories where it didn't matter what you were catching, it was FUN, and it was part of spring rituals, You knew where and when the spring runs were and hoped the bugs weren't too bad yet, not that it made any difference.
I have recently talked to many folks who grew up in this area and received a number of good tips, as well as from here and from Bennett's too, but those spots were a lot further away.

So here is what really learned from all this so far, which I knew as a kid at one time locally, (east end of Ottawa), but hadn't thought about much in 30+ years. In In the spring, and depending on the run that year, pick any decent tributary of a creek, or the creek itself, that comes off ANY of the local rivers, big or small, and of course the smaller rivers like the Jock, Tay, Carp, Clyde, Miss, and plenty enough lakes with creeks as well that hold suckers. If you can access the areas that have good spawning habitat like current and riffles with pools beneath them where the fish will stage, that's where you want to be, at the right time of course. When the apple trees are blossoming, or the dandelions are out, or as I heard yesterday from a local who grew up around here... " when it was time for the second lawn mowing" Gotta love it lol.

Cheers

[RyanW]

...

[smitty55]

That's good to know Choke. Tks for that. From what I've read they don't actually spawn until water temps are well into the 50s. Guess I'll be picking worms tonight.I just got permission on Friday from a nice 85 year old lady to fish a good creek that comes off the Miss. There is a high culvert there that seems to block any further movement upstream. Looks like a perfect spot. The creek is down in a steep valley and I looked from the roadway but couldn't spot any fish. I'll be trying this week, assuming I don't break anything getting down that steep mucky slope lol. Cheers

[Moosebunk]

When the apple trees are blossoming, or the dandelions are out, or as I heard yesterday from a local who grew up around here... " when it was time for the second lawn mowing"

There are no Dandelions or apple trees blossoming in Lanark.
No one I know has even thought about mowing the lawn yet.
But I tell ya a little secret... The suckers are running in Lanark county

Well... probably next week the mower will be out.

Will tell ya, haven't seen BIG river redhorse suckers in a long time... thought I heard they were a species at risk at one point. Not many common or white suckers have been seen either, (believe that's what they're called) least around here. Did however see redhorse yesterday that at first glance I thought for a second were carp. But nope. Giant redhorse, in two tight pods of about a dozen fish, and some smaller white suckers around as well. Question??? Tried still baiting with a worm, drifting a worm under a float and jigging too. Nada. If I remember they don't bite jacksquat really, and not reading this full thread to see if it's been said, does anyone have any suggestions in how to successfully catch these redhorse? They looked like they had to be 6 to 10 pounders some of them.

[zippyfx]

From what I have heard is that the redhorse tend to take worms best presented on the bottom with just enough split shot to keep the worm bouncing along the bottom.

Then again, what do I know, I have not caught one yet.

[NMG]

We didn't have Redhorse back in BC, but we did have other types of sucker. The only time I ever caught them was with weighted nymph patterns being bounced along the bottom while fly fishing for trout. There were an incidental catch, but you always knew when you hooked one because they would have the reel SCREAMING. Incredibly strong fish, especially in the current.

Not sure if you have any fly gear, but if you do, give it a shot. If it's still water, I suspect you'd want to plop the fly right near to the pod and just twitch it every now and then. I don't think they will chase like a trout would. In a river I think they are more reactionary and in a lake they probably just dig stuff up around them.

[Kerrazy]

Been checking my section of rivier Blanche, and nothing yet, I suspect any day now.
Funny thing, my daughter picked some dandelions the other day, and I was quizzing her as to where she found them, as I had not seen any yet in our area. If she only knew my motives were related to fishing, Dad, was not interested in her weeds from a stop and smell the roses angle.

Any how, water has dropped significantly, and I actually felt bad, as I witnessed a fish spawning, at least building it nest in a section that would soon be shoreline, when the water dropped. But it was really cool to see the fin pop up every few minutes in this shallow pool, while they were working the area to create a nest. I could not tell the species, as it was a good 20-30' away and could only get a brief glimpse of its fin, but it did look big.

Unfortunately, when I returned from a weekend up north, I noticed Monday, on my evening inspection, the pool was now a mud hole with the water levels dropping off. I guess it was the recent passing of my mom (May 6), but I kinda felt bad for the fish after all their hard work building their nest, and to see it dried up.

Anyhow I will keep an eye and report what I see here in east Gatineau.
Kerrazy

[almontefisher]

Just came back from my first softwater fish of the year and was skunked on targeted fish ( bows ) but I did manage around 20 suckers in about 5 minutes. All released again even though it killed me to do it. They are poluting a good trout lake in my opinion and hurting the populations greatly. But I did have fun in the rain grabbing them in a trout net at about 3-4 at a time...lol. Kept me occupied for a few minutes after a fruitless day on the water.

[Jimmy_1]

A friend of mine is catching plenty of suckers at the back of her farm on the Little Nation.

She caught a beauty white sucker the other day and sent me a pic.

So far she's managed nothing but kitties and suckers. No walleye at all yet.

[Kerrazy]

Their here, their here!
First sighting this morning, I have been checking religiously everyday or two and today was the first I have seen them.
Guess I better cut my grass...rats.
Kerrazy

[smitty55]

And the apple trees are blossoming too. Right on time hehe

Cheers

[Kerrazy]

Smity you are bang on. It is funny how my brain is holding these little tidbits of info, as just today, I noticed an apple tree around the corner in bloom, and thought of that statement you made weeks ago.
Kerrazy

[RyanW]

.....

[RyanW]

...