Suckers are beginning to pop up on some SW rivers. Run isn't in full swing by any means, we are averaging about 6-14 fish per trip. Kinda hard to fish with the water level up so high from melts but it should be a decent year.
Nice whites, I dont catch but a few whites here each season. Mainly golden redhorse, greater redhorse, shorthead redhorse (my fav. for their fight), a few longnose and sometimes a hog sucker or something may show. Great fun on a light or ultra light. I release all mine, besides a few for cut bait.
Awesome!! I recently moved to the area, didn't realize there were sucker runs... I thought that was just farther north. As a newb, please forgive my newbie questions- Do they only run in rivers/creeks that connect to big water like Lake Michigan or will they migrate up here in the Grand Rapids area as well? I caught a river redhorse last year and a bunch of carp the year before that, and they were some of the most exciting fish I've ever caught (well, besides salmon last fall). Can't wait to find some more!
The grand does indeed get a sucker run. I don't fish for them really but I know it used to be a big deal. My grandpa told me about how he would catch and sell the suckers when they ran. And btw, the grand river does connect to lake michigan. You probably already knew that but by the stucturing of your question it sounded like you thought the grand wouldn't get a run because it wasnt connected to big water.
Ah yes, I need to phrase my questions better! I know the grand connects to Lake Michigan, I was mostly wondering about smaller waters that may or may not connect to the grand (or be dammed like a certain river in Lowell). Not sure if there's a fish ladder there. So when they run are they coming from Lake Michigan, or are some of them "local suckers" that only "run" a few miles? Just trying to wrap my brain around the phenomenon.
