I love using suckers for bait. But to be honest, I have hooked up with more lakers on smelt. As for cusk, I like to use either sucker or heavy shiners. Sometimes, I'll even use suckers that are on the smaller side of Intended for cutting. That can be a pricey bait, when the 'large' suckers are going for 3 or 4$ a whack. Also, you may miss out on fish as it takes a beast to swallow one BUT, they are also very hearty, and hooked through eyes can live on your hook for a couple days, and I think cusk are attracted to live bait action. I'm sure you'll land more fish on true 'tip-ups'. I like to fish tip ups for lakers somewhat suspended in the water column so they're white underbelly is very visible to fish beneath them. They are pretty well camouflaged on top and built, obviously for running on the bottom, where I think they are adept at hiding, so, I like to put them in harms way - minimum of three feet off it.