What do suckerfish indicate?

[my2labs]

Today I got into a school of suckerfish on the sandy and was wondering if their presence suggests that steelhead will be present as well?

Additionally, is the fact they are taking your presentation a signal that steelhead will as well?

Thanks.

 

[CrazyCaptainWillie]

Ive wondered this as well - I quite dislike thinking ive got a big steelie on just to find that it's a suckerfish that has taken my soft bead, but I hope it indicates a readiness and propensity of eggs (or similar offerings) in the stream as well

 

[Artwo]

Today I got into a school of suckerfish on the sandy and was wondering if their presence suggests that steelhead will be present as well?

Additionally, is the fact they are taking your presentation a signal that steelhead will as well?

I don't think their presents has anything to do with steelhead being present. Suckers are resident to the Sandy and there are tons of them. Whereas the steelhead are moving through the system to their destination. The suckers don't push the steelhead out, but I don't think it makes them hold in and around the suckers either. So my long answer to your question is "no".

Suckers are scavengers and will eat anything they can get in their vacuum tube. I don't think it's an indication a steelhead will take the same presentation or not......

 

[pinstriper]

If you are getting hit by nothing by suckers and no steelhead, that's an indication that suckerfish are present, and steelhead are not.

You're welcome.

 

[my2labs]

I don't think their presents has anything to do with steelhead being present. Suckers are resident to the Sandy and there are tons of them. Whereas the steelhead are moving through the system to their destination. The suckers don't push the steelhead out, but I don't think it makes them hold in and around the suckers either. So my long answer to your question is "no".

Suckers are scavengers and will eat anything they can get in their vacuum tube. I don't think it's an indication a steelhead will take the same presentation or not......

Thanks. This is a helpful response.

 

[my2labs]

If you are getting hit by nothing by suckers and no steelhead, that's an indication that suckerfish are present, and steelhead are not.

You're welcome.

This is fairly sarcastic but helpful all the same. Thanks.

 

[DrTheopolis]

The only thing I infer from lots of suckered is a fairly healthy ecosystem.

 

[Rusty]

If you're catching suckers and no steelhead, perhaps your presentation is dragging bottom?

 

[pinstriper]

This is fairly sarcastic but helpful all the same. Thanks.

Sorry for the sarcasm, I thought it was an EOBOY question.

The point stands, however. There might be steelhead there but if they aren’t biting, or getting to it before the suckerfish, it’s time to move somewhere that might have steelhead but no suckerfish.

 

[Artwo]

If you're catching suckers and no steelhead, perhaps your presentation is dragging bottom?

Rusty's got a good point...............

How were you fishing, what technique were you using?

The reason I ask is, I hooked (snagged two) four suckers on the Sandy last weekend bobber/jig fishing. In doing so that told me I was to deep so I raised my jig up off the bottom another 6" or so and never touched another one all day.........

 

[hobster]

Personally I don’t think it means anything. I have hooked plenty of suckerfish when steelheading. Perhaps they are in greater numbers later in the season when the steelhead are spawning, but they always seem to be present. I usually hook them drift fishing, always gets your heart going for a split second when you feel a fish. They get pretty big too!

 

[Hooked Up]

We got two on Saturday. Do you throw them back if you're not getting the bounty or kill them and leave them in the river?

 

[Willerman]

We got two on Saturday. Do you throw them back if you're not getting the bounty or kill them and leave them in the river?

Suckerfish and Pikeminnow are two different fish. There is no bounty that I am aware of for suckerfish. Both are native and I personally throw them back.

 

[my2labs]

If you're catching suckers and no steelhead, perhaps your presentation is dragging bottom?

This is an excellent point and i agree that dragging bottom produces suckers. I was drift fishing a corkie and roe but the drifts seemed right. Light ticks every few feet.... I am open to being wrong about this though

 

[my2labs]

Sorry for the sarcasm, I thought it was an EOBOY question.

Ha. No worries.

 

[my2labs]

We got two on Saturday. Do you throw them back if you're not getting the bounty or kill them and leave them in the river?

I don’t kill them. They are native fish and not pike minnow.

 

[my2labs]

Thank you for all of the responses. This is helpful.

 

[EOBOY]

Sorry for the sarcasm, I thought it was an EOBOY question.

Brain damage from hitting my head on rocks while chasing Steelhead.

 

[DrTheopolis]

I don’t kill them. They are native fish and not pike minnow.

Pikeminnow are native, and should be released unharmed, as well. Very good for the ecosystem, despite the negative publicity they get from BPA.

 

[Hooked Up]

Pikeminnow are native, and should be released unharmed, as well. Very good for the ecosystem, despite the negative publicity they get from BPA.

Yeah, that was kind of our thinking as well.