Spearing Suckers

[pickledpike]

Catch them on jigs all the time and just realized its legal to spear them out here.  We can't fish and spear out of the same hole, so I'm guessing that a hook is illegal.  Anybody got any tips on getting them to the hole?  I will probably wind up just removing the hook from a jig.

[darkhousefisher]

I have never speared suckers so I can't help you much, but I would use a regular decoy.  A decoy attracts all fish not just pike, they also use decoys to spear sturgeon.  I think fish see the flash and movement and want to see what it is out of curiosity and/or hunger.  I used to bring in perch with my decoy all the time in MT.  Up here in AK I have brought in trout, char, landlocked salmon, and stickelbacks.  And While I am jigging the decoy they hang out there all day.  Dropping eggshells down the hole really brings the fish in too, especially on sunny days.  They see all that light reflecting off the shells and come in to investigate.  Hope this helps.

[podunk]

i have speared many of suckers in my iceshanty. but i havent seem to get the suckers to take any types of bait or hook i put down the hole. however i like to use tear drops and jig for perch. the suckers seems to swim bye, in which case i spear them. i hope that this helps you out.

[Whatpole]

We can't fish and spear out of the same hole, so I'm guessing that a hook is illegal.

Depends on which part of Montana you are in. In the eastern part, there is no size limit to your spear and/or fishing hole. It used to be 144 Sq. inches to fish out of.

[pickledpike]

I'm in the good ole central fishing district right now.  Not quite as no holds barred as the eastern district where I grew up.  So I guess suckers will have to do until I can make a voyage to some game fish spearing waters.  Thanks for the help everyone.