<p>I recently found that there are a bunch of quillback in a local body of water. I've been getting a few bites, but missing. I'm thinking a single Corn kernel bottom rigged with a two pound leader and a small split shot. </p>
<p>Any ideas?</p>
<p> </p>
A friend of mine sightfished one on half of a pea on a size 16 hook with a few spiltshot about 12" above the hook. I've connected with a few around here but they've all been blindfished. Trial and error is really the best way.
"I swear if you catch another drum"
I am not a very sucessful carpsucker angler, partly because I just don't have the patience for it. Guys I know that catch them regularly are generally sight-fishing to actively feeding fish with very small baits like waxworms or redworms. It is nearly impossible to detect the quick bite of a carpsucker, so setting the hook as soon as you actually watch the fish flare its gills is key. Light tackle is necessary.
I've seen way more of them caught at night than in the daytime. I got a few on green mr twisters during the spring walleye run this spring in Wisconsin. The green nightcrawlers available at some baitshops can work well, but keep the bait and hooks small. They dont seem to shy away from braided line (which is also usually green), so my advice is to go green.
For a successfull quillback assult you will need:
1. Luck
2. Lucky cigars (black and milds)
3. Luck
4. Worms (green like Tom suggested or original flavor)
5. Luck
6. size #10 or smaller hook
7. paitence/luck
8. detemination/luck
9. luck
10. Think lucky thoughts, also be sneaky
*I like to use a small slider rig (bottom rig) instead of running just a splitshot, you get more sensitivity this way and perhaps more luck.
Ya just Can't catch um from the couch.
That is an excellent list. As far as número uno and about half the others, I am a pretty freakin' lucky fishermen. I also have tried worms and had a couple of short strikes, but I'll have to remember to get some green ones. Thank you for the slipsinker idea, too, I will try that. The lucky cigars are out: I don't smoke.
SomewhereDownstream
the bane of my bite:hook-up ratio -- couldn't agree more that bite detection & determining the right moment to set the hook present the greatest challenge
P.E.T.A. sucks!!! Plants are living things, too -- they're just easier to catch!
Thanks for the tips, philaroman!