The Quilbacks are back. I had one hooked about 10 years ago on Shenango River had it just about in when it got off. It was hooked on a minnow in the mouth but slipped away. I told my buddies that was a silver Carp I just lost ! They said I was crazy and seeing things. Had no idea what a Quilback was or ever seen one on Shenango River back then. Looked it up on the internet and there it was. You guys are right you usually end up fowl hooking them more often. I have seen schools of Quilbacks in the mouth of Walnut Creek in early Spring they just lay suspended out near the very mouth.....won't touch anything I tossed near them. 
Troutguy you have the best and oddest variety of fish I've ever seen. That Golden Shiner looks like the one I caught in Hartstown Swamp many years ago. Glad you got a photo of that one....I wasn't as lucky

 

Golden Salmon (below )

 

" I'd take a Quillback over an 'Eye any day, better fight and cooler fish!"

Divemaster you better ease up on that crack your smoking  !  LOL .....

CAPTAIN HOOK

" I'd take a Quillback over an 'Eye any day, better fight and cooler fish!"

Divemaster you better ease up on that crack your smoking  !  LOL .....


*****************************************************************************************
 
I think he may have inhaled some bad compressed air.....  how 'bout it?

CAPTAIN HOOK

" I'd take a Quillback over an 'Eye any day, better fight and cooler fish!"

Divemaster you better ease up on that crack your smoking  !  LOL .....


Been breathing too much Argox. Apparently it's only for dry suit inflation, not inhaling. Shhhh, it's my secret! XD

In all seriousness, I still like catching Walleye here and there, I just don't target them like most diehard 'eye guys do. It was fun as heck dragging in a 12 pounder I caught in Erie back in June but the fight was rather disappointing. No head shakes, runs, dives, jumps, or anything. Just a consistent, heavy weight on the end of the line and it felt like I was pulling up a pair of bricks LOL. On the other hand, I've never caught a Quillback but they appear very similar to Smallmouth Buffalo which I have caught and I have to say they're some of the best fighting fish out there. Long, persistent runs taking out 100+ feet of line before getting pulled in 50 feet to take out another 100. They're like Carp on steroids!
If you're fishing for food, I can understand why you'd want to go for walleye, though. Nothing I like better than coming back to the cottage after 8 or 9 hours of trolling, filleting up a nice walleye or a few perch, and having a fresh fish sandwich before heading out for the evening inshore White Bass and Drum bite.

If ya truly would like to target these guys, here is some information provided by the Ohio DNR.  Note the area and foods preferred by the Quillback.  Also, these fish move in large schools which may be why they are caught by being snagged.
 
Just like any other fish, they will immediately spit out anything that does not meet their food criteria.  Sight fishing is by far the best way to fair hook one of these characters then, hang on!
 
Also, you Red Horse fans should try peeled crayfish tails or sometimes shrimp then, hang on.  Just remember to get the crayfish from the same water you are fishing. 
 
 
The following information is provided by ODNR:
 
Northern quillback carpsuckers are found only in Lake Erie and the first mile or two of some of its larger tributaries. They can be found throughout the lake but are most common in depths of 15-25 feet. The central quillback carpsucker is found throughout inland Ohio in most streams and rivers. They are most common in the low gradient streams of northwestern and southeastern Ohio. They can also be rather abundant in some of Ohio's larger reservoirs. Both adults and young often feed in large schools, moving slowly over a sand or gravel bottom. They feed on small crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates, protozoa, and filamentous algae.
 

BeenThereDoneThat.
If ya truly would like to target these guys, here is some information provided by the Ohio DNR.  Note the area and foods preferred by the Quillback.  Also, these fish move in large schools which may be why they are caught by being snagged. Just like any other fish, they will immediately spit out anything that does not meet their food criteria.  Sight fishing is by far the best way to fair hook one of these characters then, hang on! Also, you Red Horse fans should try peeled crayfish tails or sometimes shrimp then, hang on.  Just remember to get the crayfish from the same water you are fishing.   The following information is provided by ODNR: Northern quillback carpsuckers are found only in Lake Erie and the first mile or two of some of its larger tributaries. They can be found throughout the lake but are most common in depths of 15-25 feet. The central quillback carpsucker is found throughout inland Ohio in most streams and rivers. They are most common in the low gradient streams of northwestern and southeastern Ohio. They can also be rather abundant in some of Ohio's larger reservoirs. Both adults and young often feed in large schools, moving slowly over a sand or gravel bottom. They feed on small crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates, protozoa, and filamentous algae. 

Thanks for the info BTDT! That's the main reason I was going for them in Erie, our pier in the main lake sticks out 20 or 30 feet in to the lake and is next to a cove so there's always decent schools of Quillback roaming around in the gin clear water in May and June and it's easy to sight fish them, they just scare so easily. If I move my arm too fast they'll all take off in different directions! I've also been consulting with the Carpsucker Underground recently, but you didn't hear that from me.

   DM,  I totally agree about the deep trolling method for Walleye on Erie... like reeling in a wet rag. Most of the time they pop up on top of the water a hundred feet back and slide across the surface when reeling in. If it weren't for the dipsy bouncing around with that Eye on, the fight would be even less. Watched a guy fighting a fish and said it was really tugging good only to find out the dipsy never released and there was no fish ! I will take drift fishing or casting up on the Sandusky area any time over deep trolling as far as Walleye fishing goes on Lake Erie. Even caught Walleye casting from shore at night up there and that's much more sporty. No doubt if your looking to fill that freezer and enjoy the fine taste of Walleye deep trolling puts up the serious numbers all Summer.
 
As far as a fighting fish per size and weight Walleye are lower on my scale, but as far as taste I got to put them somewhere in the top three !
 
  

CAPTAIN HOOK
   DM,  I totally agree about the deep trolling method for Walleye on Erie... like reeling in a wet rag. Most of the time they pop up on top of the water a hundred feet back and slide across the surface when reeling in. If it weren't for the dipsy bouncing around with that Eye on, the fight would be even less. Watched a guy fighting a fish and said it was really tugging good only to find out the dipsy never released and there was no fish ! I will take drift fishing or casting up on the Sandusky area any time over deep trolling as far as Walleye fishing goes on Lake Erie. Even caught Walleye casting from shore at night up there and that's much more sporty. No doubt if your looking to fill that freezer and enjoy the fine taste of Walleye deep trolling puts up the serious numbers all Summer. As far as a fighting fish per size and weight Walleye are lower on my scale, but as far as taste I got to put them somewhere in the top three !   

LOL. I remover the first time I tried a dipsy last year. We were only trolling with downriggers until one day I decided to throw a number one dipsy on a $40 thick stick rod and spinning reel I had onboard with 25 pound mono line. Boy, that was a mistake. The rod was moderate action so it was bent in half the entire time and the mono line was stretched about as much as it could. Pulling it in in that rod took a solid 10 minutes with the diver only out 60 feet! Thankfully, I'm getting a pair of actual dipsy rods this year for Lakers and Steelhead.

And I have to agree with you about casting. There's always a few schools of 14-24" residents hunting emeralds around our pier in April and May and it's fun to catch those guys on a medium spinning rod with a floating rapala, adds a bit more fight to them.

CAPTAIN HOOK
Troutguy you have the best and oddest variety of fish I've ever seen. That Golden Shiner looks like the one I caught in Hartstown Swamp many years ago. Glad you got a photo of that one....I wasn't as lucky

 
Thanks Capt....and there's more where that came from haha. My username may be troutguy, but I'll take anything that swims.......except for that batfish thing Mikastorm posted hahaha.
 
With some exceptions, I've noticed golden shiners are mostly found in swampy/marshy areas with relatively clear water. Hartstown doesn't surprise me. There's a couple places that I know of that have a bunch of goldens, but very few other fish.
 
Here's an oddball golden shiner from a couple years back. Very recognizable location......hope I didn't spot burn anyones shiner hotspot!! lol. That was the only golden I've ever caught there. Was it a wild fish or a bait bucket escapee....idk.
 

 
And a logperch darter from the same place
 

 
 

CAPTAIN HOOK
 
 

 
As you very well know the redhorses that creek gets are massive!!

troutguy

CAPTAIN HOOKTroutguy you have the best and oddest variety of fish I've ever seen. That Golden Shiner looks like the one I caught in Hartstown Swamp many years ago. Glad you got a photo of that one....I wasn't as lucky

 Thanks Capt....and there's more where that came from haha. My username may be troutguy, but I'll take anything that swims.......except for that batfish thing Mikastorm posted hahaha. With some exceptions, I've noticed golden shiners are mostly found in swampy/marshy areas with relatively clear water. Hartstown doesn't surprise me. There's a couple places that I know of that have a bunch of goldens, but very few other fish. Here's an oddball golden shiner from a couple years back. Very recognizable location......hope I didn't spot burn anyones shiner hotspot!! lol. That was the only golden I've ever caught there. Was it a wild fish or a bait bucket escapee....idk.  And a logperch darter from the same place   

CAPTAIN HOOK  

 As you very well know the redhorses that creek gets are massive!!

Mind if I ask what creek that is? I don't want to spot burn though, so no offense taken if you don't want to post the name.