Live bait for muskies while on Shelbyville

[Kevin McGill]

Has anyone really tried to use live bait, for muskies on Shelbyville?Since we really do not have suckers to buy at the local bait shops. The only bait would be the fish that we catch in the lake. Which in you're mind would be the best to use. Crappie,bluegill, bass,catfish, and how would one hook up each species?Through the lip or tail,would a quick set rig work. During each year, there is always someone from up north asking where they can buy suckers. I have always explained that the sale of sucker does not exist down here, as well as the sale of leeches. One could try to find schools of shad, and use a cast net, but they would die in a matter of minutes, unless you had a good livewell system,.....Anyone any idea?....

kev

[voodoo]

I like to seine small creeks in spring and get creek chubs about 5 or 6 inches long. A quickset rig will do the trick but use a reel that has a bait clicker on it so you can tell when the fish takes. While the fish is swimming away with the bait, position your boat as close as you can to a 45 degree angle to the fish before you set the hook.Any closer and the fish might spook and if you are too far away from him you lose hooksetting power.

[Kevin McGill]

Voodoo;

I think that in Illinois, you are really not allowed to transfer any type of bait fish, from one body of water to another. You can only use bait fish that is netted in the same lake. So, one must find large schools of shad while on the lake, and then cast a net for them.

[muskellunged]

Kevin,
You could invite someone from up north to go fishing with you provided they bring the suckers (hint hint)

My friends and I do very well on live bait, and my buddy makes a top of the line live bait rig. There's no law that says I can't drive suckers down from northern IL to Shelbyville. right? It's something I'd like to do sometime.

But to answer the ? of how to rig a crappie or bluegill: it's not my area of expertise- but something I've long considered doing in Hayward (rig a live bluegill). The rigs we use for suckers are the rubber band quick strike rig, and th erubber band is threaded thru the nostrils of the sucker. This is key to running the sucker straight while you position the boat and cast artificials.

My only suggestions are to barely insert the treble into the blugill (they aren't as hardy as suckers) and to use some weight (rubbercore sinkers) to keep it down where you want it.

mike W