A most unique and crude method of utilizing suckers during the early days was using what was known as the "musky spike." A line was attached to the center of a pencil-length, barbed, metal spike and slid deep into a live sucker's gullet, and the sucker was then trolled behind the boat in the usual manner. Once swallowed by a musky, this spike would lodge itself crossways inside the Musky's gullet the moment that the "hook" was set. Obviously not a method to be used if a Musky was to be released. The musky spike was quickly denounced as being unsporting, unethical, and - most certainly - a kill rig. Anglers eventually realized that any Musky that was unfortunate enough to swallow a musky spike stood no sporting chance. Therefore, and interestingly enough, this method was discontinued, not through legislation but because common sense prevailed. Most recently, sucker-using fishermen have theorized that single hook sucker rigs may be killing too many fish so they have switched to using one of a wide variety of quick-set sucker rigs now being made. It's interesting to note that this idea isn't really a modern day innovation. World record holder Louis Spray designed, briefly marketed, and caught his 69-pound 11-ounce record-setter on a quick-set rig. Spray called it the "Sure-Fire" Minnow Harness. Another off-branch of the fall sucker method to develop, more than 40 years ago, was shore fishing with suckers. Originated by guides as a means of allowing their clients an opportunity to continue fishing during lunch breaks, shore fishing as its own method began to be practiced during the inclement weather periods at first; but then (more recently) by people who have
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