# No suckers yesterday, but saw a good show.



## Ausable Junkie (Oct 2, 2002)

Fished some private property with no luck. My buddy had one on but never landed it. We decided to head to Big Bend Campground to give it a try. We knew it would be busy, but there weren't any places left to fish when we got there.

We hung out for a bit to see how the action was. There was a group of guys, most of 'em high school age with a "sucker camp" set up. Lots of hootin' and hollerin' brought on by all the empty beer cans I think. As we stood and watched for any fish action, I noticed a bunch of these guys stripping down to their fruit-of-the-looms. I turned to my buddy and said "I think they're gunna take a dip.". He said "Naw, they aren't that stupid".

'Bout 10 seconds later, 8-10 of them they charged into the river and swam across to the other side. Everyone that was fishing laughed when they got to the other side. Their skin was beet red and they were hanging out there, not wanting to get back in they icy water to swim back.

They walked upstream a bit and dove back into the water and swam back.
Just before they did, one of 'em yelled out to the spectators on shore "You guys will never forget this!":lol::lol::lol:


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## -Axiom- (Jul 24, 2010)

Someone was water skiing on Grand Traverse bay yesterday, the water temp was 32.


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## sweet tree (Apr 30, 2006)

Sounds like spring fever in Michigan...Its been a LONG winter


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## ScavengerMan (Sep 6, 2006)

That's not the good show I had in mind when clicking on a suckerfest thread , but pretty funny nonetheless.

Stopped by the Pine River Store yesterday and you could barely find a place to park. Young guy behind the counter said it was crazy busy all weekend. Good for them.....




.


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## jayzbird (May 19, 2005)

Had a buddy that just drove through Omer and said it was a ghost town. I had planned on taking my 8 year old sucker fishing this weekend in Sterling according to the reports everyone has been posting.I see some haven't even got into any or just a few fish recently. What's goin on?


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## Putman Lake Campground (Oct 4, 2010)

-Axiom- said:


> Someone was water skiing on Grand Traverse bay yesterday, the water temp was 32.


That was Brunner,he was scouting the schools seeing what was coming up the river next!!!!

:fish2:He over does his scouting to make sure his customers have a good catch!!


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

Between the reports on here, talking to some of the bait shops and talking to people in person who have been fishing the Rifle, it seems as thought his year is either hot or cold with very little in between. One person is bouncing off the walls because he absolutely cleaned up on the suckers where the next person is griping that this is the worst year for suckerfishing that they have ever had.
I havent made it out yet but I'm hoping to change that soon!


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## Stumpy Fish (Apr 13, 2005)

I can attest to what the previous poster says. I have been up to Omer twice this year and have landed a total of four suckers. Yesterday, I hooked about a half dozen but couldn't get them in for various reasons. In year's past, I have caught many more suckers. 

On a side note, I DID land (foul hooked on the top of the head) a beautiful rainbow trout that was well over 20 inches. Just seeing that fish made the $15 gas trip worth it!


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## riflerivertroutchaser (Dec 10, 2007)

Just for the record catch rates tend to decrease when the river is a raging flow of chocolate milk. The runs in the rifle have been stretching out longer and longer every year. Give the river some time to calm down and I am sure the suckers will be in there so thick you can walk across their backs. That last winter storm we got put us about two weeks behind normal on the rifle which makes me optimistic that we might be able to find some green eyes in there still when the season opens back up in a few weeks. Spring on the Rifle is all about timing. The river doesnt handle rain and snow melt like the bigger rivers in the state but if you make your visits at the right time limit catches can happen. Good luck to everyone out there.


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