Bear Lake Sucker Spawn

[gmwahl]

I know, I know......for those of you that don't understand why I'm posting this, just bare with me here.

The suckers just started their spawn here on Bear Lake and for those of you that want or need some next level catfish and big trout bait, now is the time!
Just bring your poles along with some cheapo jigs or, even better, bring a cast net and haul in all you care to process. This has proven to be my absolute, number one cut baitbait to use for all the species that I fish for. It won the catfish contest for me last year and brought numerous large Lakers and cutts to my net. I also use dead minnows, but this stuff works even better than the minnows for me.
Another lesser known use for them around here is to bottle the fillets and use them like tuna fish. Tastes just like it.

Anyway.... Jeff, Yote, Derek... Come get em while ya can. It will last for about a week and a half.

Mike

P.S. if anyone decides they need help getting a few while here, just PM me and I'd be happy to assist you in getting your stash.
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[wiperhunter2]

Do you tip the jigs with any bait, like a piece of worm. I hear that suckers taste as good or better than whitefish.
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[gmwahl]

I do tip them with worm from time to time, but for a different reason. There are whitefish that follow them to slurp their eggs and its not uncommon to pick up a whitefish or two while trying to catch the suckers. Same with a cutt or two, and last year I even caught two rainbows off of the marina while fishing for them. Leftovers from the rainbow plantings from a few years ago.

Last year I decided to try to eat one of the suckers I caught. I cut the fillets off and scored them cross wise about every 3/16" almost all the way through the fillet. Then I dredged them in corn meal mixed with creole seasoning and fried them. They were delicious, very much like the whitefish, very mild and flakey. Problem is the bones. They have the typical minnow family Y-bone structure (exactly like a carp) so you either have to score them or bottle them. Bottling dissolves the bones. Last year was also the first time I tried bottling a few and my little girls and I scarffed it down within days. Very mild, white and flakey. Still...it took some psyching up to try it at first due to preconceived prejudices. I grew up thinking anything that wasn't a trout was a trash fish! My how I've broadened my horizons since then[]

The recipe I use to bottle them is to cut the fillets to length to fit within 3/4" of the top of the jar and pack them in fairly tight and close together, then add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke and equal amount of kosher salt. Do not add water. Process in a pressure canner for 90 minutes at 15 psi. Use like tuna or eat on crackers.
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[wiperhunter2]

Well that is good to know, I've never tried to bottle fish. I might have to give it a try. I wonder how it would taste smoked then bottled[:/].
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[r2u2]

OK! I think I have everything but the where to. Where do I start looking for them?

What size fish you talking about?

Thanks,
Richard J
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[gmwahl]

Pay the fee to go into the state park marina and fish off the outside rocks on the dike. The state park manager doesn't allow angling with a pole inside the marina itself, but if you bring a cast net he will allow you to cast net them off the rocks on the inside of the marina as long as you don't cause too much of a disturbance to the boat slip owners.
The rocks all along the east side from first point to rainbow cove are also great, although I have driven over to check it out yet. I have only seen them inside the marina so far and several pods along the outside south dike.
Just look for the pods and run your jig through the pods and you'll snag up on one in short order. They are skittish if you choose to cast net them so be stealthy and good luck.
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