Hey guys I started a fishing charter and I'm looking to raise large suckers for the charter. I can only get them in the winter in my area but need them in the fall so I need to set up something to keep them healthy and alive for about a year in my basement. I was thinking of using a pool 120x72x22 with a sand filter but I'm just guessing. Can you guys help me out with what I might need? Thanks
Suckers.
- Thread starter Muskyguy
- Start date
They need cold extremely clean and well oxignated water. Also good flow. The real tricky part is how they like to eat by shifting sand. So people that have kept them have used turkey masters and such to inject food under the sand. They make quit the mess as well. If it where me I would ether but in black closer to the season and hold them or just match the hatch of the lakes your fishing in. Doing a guied for what flat head? Pike?
Edit just saw your name so musky. I like yellow bass a lot for them if there in the lake Easter to catch a bunch and work pretty well where there present.
Use bluegill in the 2 to 4 inch range to catch monster Muskie and pike,also as a charter u need to have a policy of catch and release and use barbless hooks if u plan to stay in business long term.
Musky would be catch and release. Bluegills aren't there preferred food cause of spikey fins and the musky would swallow the blue Gill killing itself so that would be a bad idea. I do use barbed hooks but have bolt cutters if there is any issues with the release.
At the sizes I mentioned bluegills don't have much calcification in their spines,it's why they are preyed on heavily when young. If that still bothers u u can use bluntnose minnows as they r softfinned and grow to 8 inches,they are also easier to feed and care for ,as for barbless hooks,u can just take a regular hook and squish the barb down with pliers.
I notice many northerners use treble hooks or multiple hooks for hooking up suckers and chubs,my advice is:don't bother,it's a waste of time ,money and bait. Just use a single straightshank hook either through the nose or thru the flesh between the lower jaw(depending on the species of baitfish).