Best way to rig suckers

[Shark_bite]

Larry (or any of the other muskie hunters out there), what in your opinion is the best way to rig a sucker to drag behind the boat while casting? I just started fishing with suckers while casting to try to up my odds a little bit. Yesterday, at the end of the day (a day with lots of action) I was lamenting to my buddy what a waste of money I thought suckers were, since we hadn't got so much as a look with them and I had never got a bite with them. Guess what happened as I was complaining. 45in. fish crushed it. But I lost him at the boat. What is the best way to rig a sucker so that when you set the hook the hooks will release from the bait ant into the fish? Thanks. Also, when dragging suckers, is it best to use a float? Seems like that is the only way to keep them out of the weeds.

[Muskie buster]

Use a quick set (Strike) rig, the video below best describes it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBASCU17jK4

pt.2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxEKrLUf ... re=related

pt.3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umvlgQxa ... re=related


AP

[dahlberg]

HI S
The quick strike rig is fine in terms of not killing fish but is, in my opinion, better for dead bait than live bait, especially if you are in motion.
A large single hook through the nose, in my opinion, should be banned due to extreme mortality.
The best two ways I've discovered is to rig a single hook on the leader ahead of the sucker at a distance that's approx the same length as the sucker. That way, even if the sucker is head first down the fishes throat, the hook is still in his mouth rather than in the gut. Use a weedless hook if needed, and you may have to wrap floss around the leader and hook shank all the way to the bend of the hook for reasons that will become obvious if you don't do it.
THe other way, and my favorite, is no hook at all. I run leader through snoot, crimp it and let the fish eat the bait. Play them gently, bring em to the boat and look at them. Maybe take it away a few times so I can watch them bite it again. If I want to touch the musky I let him eat the bait and then lightly play them to the boat and land them. After that just give a firm jerk on the leader (27#-36# 7 strand) and the crimp pops loose. YOu get a free ride, the fish gets a free meal and no one is the wiser, except the sucker of course.
best,
L

[Shark_bite]

Thanks guys. I would never fish a single hook rig for musky, except in the way Larry mentioned. Obviously, no one else should either. The problem I've been trying to solve with quick strike rigs is to get the hook (or hooks) out of the back of the sucker and into the mouth of the fish with minimum resistence. If you have to drive the hooks (even just one treble prong) through sucker meat before the hooks can penetrates musky jaw, I think it compromise the hookset. Fishing with no hooks is an interesting idea though. I have no doubt it can work. I've brought several big muskie up to the boat after they grabbed a walleye I've been playing......

[dahlberg]

I wouldn't kid you. If I told you the numbers you would call me a liar.
best,
L