Go Back   Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum > Main Category > Fishing Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #31  
Old 06-06-2009, 12:01 AM
fish-man fish-man is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 313
Default

I can vouch for the fighting ability of suckers... I used to catch them all the time at the river; I remember one 6 lb plus fish that put up more of a battle than most of the pike I've caught.

I don't particularly want to eat one, but I wonder if a big sucker- or perhaps 1/2 of one- would be a good bait to catch huge pike. Anyone tried it?
Reply With Quote
  #32  
Old 06-06-2009, 07:55 AM
WayneChristie's Avatar
WayneChristie WayneChristie is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 12,772
Default suckers

I remember reading in old outdoor life magazines about people swearing by big "up to 2 feet" suckers for huge pike and musky bait, I thing they were using them live tho.
__________________
Dinos
681

Shove your masks and your vaccines
Non Compliance!!!!!!
"According to Trudeau, Im an extremist who needs to be dealt with"
#Trudeau must go

Wheres The Funds

The vaccine was not brought in for COVID. COVID was brought in for the vaccine. Once you realize that, everything else makes sense.” ~ Dr. Reiner Fuellmich
Reply With Quote
  #33  
Old 06-06-2009, 08:31 AM
Dark Wing's Avatar
Dark Wing Dark Wing is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: The elbow of Alberta
Posts: 1,362
Default

Our local rod & gun club use to trap them by the thousands out of the Grande Cache and Victor lake canal. In the early 70's the lake was poisoned and then stocked with bows and the lakes are still thick with them. Every sucker caught is left for the coyotes and birds. Their brutal on the stocked rainbows released so every one I catch gets the football treatment. From what I've been told their pretty wormy and the thought of eating them makes me gag.
Reply With Quote
  #34  
Old 06-07-2009, 11:25 AM
Freedom55 Freedom55 is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Perdue SK
Posts: 1,570
Default

Several years ago we stopped for a weekend at Ressor Res. near Elkwater. We had taken the kids there a lot of times to still-fish for the stocked rainbows and had always caught a fine feed of fresh trout. As we put in with the car-topper we were greeted by the Fish and Wildlife officer at the dock. He told us that the trout population had declined to near zero due to the illegal introduction of suckers, which had taken over the pond, and that perhaps we could present a dry fly if we wished to try for the few remaining tiny trout.
He went on to tell us that F&W planned to poison the lake the kill the "bottom-feeders" before they re-introduced the rainbows. I don't know if that ever happened but I have heard that fishing has improved there.
That seems to me to be the problem with suckers in a fishery and I don't hesitate to kill the big lippers and toss them to the birds when I fish a trout lake.
Dave Si
Reply With Quote
  #35  
Old 06-07-2009, 12:51 PM
fish-man fish-man is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 313
Default

How do suckers harm trout? Do they eat eggs? they don't seem particularly predatory.
Reply With Quote
  #36  
Old 06-07-2009, 01:33 PM
Dark Wing's Avatar
Dark Wing Dark Wing is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: The elbow of Alberta
Posts: 1,362
Default

They compete for the same food sources. I've caught suckers so loaded with eggs that their bellies were grossly distorted, so I'm guessing their prolific breeders. The lake I used as an example was poisoned many years ago and still has a huge population of suckers. If you want an improved trout fishery remove as many suckers as you can.
Reply With Quote
  #37  
Old 06-07-2009, 05:09 PM
1/2 oz Bucktail's Avatar
1/2 oz Bucktail 1/2 oz Bucktail is offline
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Grande Cache
Posts: 150
Default

Seriously, you are in Grande Cache, arguably some of the best Bull trout fishing and I dare say the best Grayling fishing in Alberta.... Who cares about a stocked lake. Let the suckers stay and dump in some Bull trout to help control the population. Have you seen the numbers of brook trout fingerlings that are stocked in Victor Lake each year? It is ridiculous. And where do you figure that all of those thousands of fingerlings are going??? Yup you guessed it, they are feeding the larger brook trout and rainbows in the lake. If the idea is to enhance the fisheries at both Victor and Grande Cache lakes, the answer is a major decrease in trout stocking rates, not the complete elimination of a native fish species.

The whole idea of giving the suckers the "football" treatment sounds very disturbingly similar to previous attitudes towards Pike, Burbot, and Bull trout, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Keep the suckers as they are a natural part of the system.
Reply With Quote
  #38  
Old 06-07-2009, 05:28 PM
Dark Wing's Avatar
Dark Wing Dark Wing is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: The elbow of Alberta
Posts: 1,362
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1/2 oz Bucktail View Post
Seriously, you are in Grande Cache, arguably some of the best Bull trout fishing and I dare say the best Grayling fishing in Alberta.... Who cares about a stocked lake. Let the suckers stay and dump in some Bull trout to help control the population. Have you seen the numbers of brook trout fingerlings that are stocked in Victor Lake each year? It is ridiculous. And where do you figure that all of those thousands of fingerlings are going??? Yup you guessed it, they are feeding the larger brook trout and rainbows in the lake. If the idea is to enhance the fisheries at both Victor and Grande Cache lakes, the answer is a major decrease in trout stocking rates, not the complete elimination of a native fish species.

The whole idea of giving the suckers the "football" treatment sounds very disturbingly similar to previous attitudes towards Pike, Burbot, and Bull trout, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Keep the suckers as they are a natural part of the system.

SRD doesn't have any problem with it and neither do I. There's talk of putting the old sucker trap in the canal again. Talk to a fishery biologist and maybe you'll have a different take on things.
Reply With Quote
  #39  
Old 06-07-2009, 05:43 PM
BigBow
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Wing View Post
SRD doesn't have any problem with it and neither do I. There's talk of putting the old sucker trap in the canal again. Talk to a fishery biologist and maybe you'll have a different take on things.
Back in B.C. I ran into a few fish and wildlife officers at one of my favorite spots on my favorite river, he said if I caught and suckers or squaw fish to kill them. I caught about 100 squaw fish and suckers that day. The birds loved the feed lol. Sad thing I only caught about 10 trout. I am friends with a fisheries biologist and he said squaw fish and suckers can take over a lake faster then most people think and he kills them when hes fishing and catches them.
Reply With Quote
  #40  
Old 06-07-2009, 08:07 PM
addicted addicted is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 374
Default

anyone have any receipes for suckers, I caught a huge one last year up my fort mac it had to be at least 5lbs. thought i hooked into a monster walleye at first I thought about wasteing it but then changed my mind and let it go .... It took right off it was a really good fight though
Reply With Quote
  #41  
Old 06-07-2009, 08:13 PM
Private Ear Private Ear is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Calgary
Posts: 499
Default

Smoke them.
Reply With Quote
  #42  
Old 06-07-2009, 08:21 PM
Jetski Jetski is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Poplar Grove
Posts: 199
Default

Deep fried;

http://www.valdosta.edu/library/find...suckerfish.htm
Reply With Quote
  #43  
Old 06-08-2009, 07:50 AM
Sundancefisher's Avatar
Sundancefisher Sundancefisher is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Calgary Perchdance
Posts: 18,775
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetski View Post
I hear you can deep fry an old sock and it tastes delicious...
Reply With Quote
  #44  
Old 06-08-2009, 08:04 AM
baitfisher83's Avatar
baitfisher83 baitfisher83 is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: In my house.
Posts: 2,387
Default

remind me never to let you cook for me...lmfao
Reply With Quote
  #45  
Old 06-08-2009, 12:20 PM
Cal Cal is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: slave lake
Posts: 4,221
Default

I ate a sucker once and will not do it again. My problem with suckers is not that they are bottom feeders or anything silly like that, they simply taste as much like sh*t as anything I have ever eaten. This is not second hand info here. In the eastern US they can them and smoke them which must taste better than pan frying them or nobody that was not starving to death would go to the trouble. I would bet dollars to doughnuts that the common house cat, dog, horse, or human fetus would taste better than suckers, and would not heasitate to try all but the last befor I eat another sucker.
Reply With Quote
  #46  
Old 07-11-2015, 11:19 AM
leloinjunior leloinjunior is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 42
Default Eating Sucker

I lived with a guy from Northern SK (Buffalo Narrows - Way North). One time he brought back some smoked/scored fish that he fried - some of the best fish I'd had. I asked what kind it was & almost fell off my chair when he said it was sucker. These were from northern cold water - other southern fish may not be as good?

The Northern Pike, Walleye, Burbot & other sportfish we all love to catch get large from eating 1lb, 2lb sucker fish - they are a native, natural, & healthy part of the lake ecosystem.

As for bones you can score them in a checkered pattern & when fry them you don't really notice the bones. I rarely catch suckers, but I've always wanted to try canning them as this takes care of the fine bones & many people say the canned meat is delicious.
Reply With Quote
  #47  
Old 07-18-2015, 09:04 PM
AK47's Avatar
AK47 AK47 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Calgary
Posts: 836
Default

Long nose suckers tastes the best from all suckers, redhorses pretty good and white suckers are the worst. So if you want to try one go for long nose sucker.
__________________
I intend to live forever. So far so good
Reply With Quote
  #48  
Old 07-19-2015, 01:30 AM
Red Bullets's Avatar
Red Bullets Red Bullets is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: central Alberta
Posts: 12,627
Default

If you ever see mullet on the menu or in the fish stick store... it's another name for white sucker.
__________________
___________________________________________
This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
___________________________________________
It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets
Reply With Quote
  #49  
Old 07-19-2015, 05:07 PM
pinelakeperch's Avatar
pinelakeperch pinelakeperch is offline
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Alberta
Posts: 2,444
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bullets View Post
If you ever see mullet on the menu or in the fish stick store... it's another name for white sucker.
Yes, but it's also the name for a ton of marine species as well.
Reply With Quote
  #50  
Old 07-20-2015, 02:25 AM
Cowtown guy's Avatar
Cowtown guy Cowtown guy is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 4,658
Default

Welcome to the forum. It's always a newbie when a 6 year old thread resurfaces.
__________________
"The Internet doesnt make you stupid, it just makes your stupidity more accessible to others." Huntinstuff 2011
Reply With Quote
  #51  
Old 07-20-2015, 11:59 AM
KegRiver's Avatar
KegRiver KegRiver is offline
Gone Hunting
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North of Peace River
Posts: 11,346
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cowtown guy View Post
Welcome to the forum. It's always a newbie when a 6 year old thread resurfaces.
Is there a rule against posting on older threads ?
__________________
Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.

George Bernard Shaw
Reply With Quote
  #52  
Old 07-23-2015, 12:04 PM
YeeHaw's Avatar
YeeHaw YeeHaw is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Edmonton Ab.
Posts: 1,417
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by WayneChristie View Post
main reason I missed using worms in the Bow in Calgary, we used to catch dozens of suckers, some quite big and always had a lot of fun. the settlers used to can them and called them prairie salmon because you couldnt tell the difference when they were canned
Granny use to can them with tomatoes. Yum yum
Reply With Quote
  #53  
Old 07-23-2015, 01:09 PM
Glenstr Glenstr is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 15
Default

Used to catch suckers in the Fraser & Coquihalla rivers in BC - never tried eating them though because they were always thought of as too bony. Canning them would take care of that though, and not just the small bones. They were good fighters though, same as the Carp, Chub & Sqawfish we'd catch on occasion.

When we were kids fishing in some of the BC lakes and slower running creeks we'd sometimes fish for sculpins (bullheads) when the trout fishing was slow. They were so easy to catch because they'd bite right down on the worm and not let go, so you could pull them out of the water even when not hooked. We always threw them back though because they were thought of a coarse or garbage fish. Years later I remember reading about them actually being one of the tastier fish you could ever eat, with very sweet tasting pinkish & bone free fillets.

If you're ever in the Fraser Valley in the late summer take a short drive to the end of #3 road (towards the Fraser) just west of Chilliwack. There is a river/slough there that drains in to the Vedder and you'll see lots of people (mostly oriental when I was there) fishing for Carp with really long one piece super sensitive rods. There is no reels on the rods just a length of line as long as the rod, they fish with a small bobber & dough balls just off the shore. Looks like pretty tricky to hook these guys because the Carp seem to be experts at gumming the dough off without getting hooked. I think I saw about one hooked for every 5 or 6 dough balls used - but it looked like pretty fun fishing.
Reply With Quote
  #54  
Old 07-27-2015, 05:39 PM
SD1797's Avatar
SD1797 SD1797 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Calahoo
Posts: 624
Default

I have been eating sucker my entire life. I make what I call sucker salmon. It's basically like the stuff u buy in a can.
__________________
There's only 2 times of year. Hunting season and getting ready for hunting season.

Big mouth don't make a big man-John Wayne
Reply With Quote
  #55  
Old 07-27-2015, 06:08 PM
KegRiver's Avatar
KegRiver KegRiver is offline
Gone Hunting
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North of Peace River
Posts: 11,346
Default

I wish I knew how to catch suckers. I know there has to be thousands of them within ten miles of my place, but I've never fished for them.

I think I've caught two in my life, while fishing for other species.
Dad used to catch hundreds with a net.
Mom canned them using a pressure cooker to soften the bones. Or she would fry them then grind them and make fish patties, kinda like a small thick pancake. We couldn't get enough of either. They were delicious !

Dad would always take some of the days catch and pickle them in a salt brine and then smoke cure then till they were the consistency of leather.
Those didn't last either. We'd sneak them for trail snacks. It took all day chewing to consume one but we like them better then candy.

I need to ask mom what spices she used. I think some of my sisters know the recipes too so I'm not in a rush. I need to find out how to catch them first. Nets are illegal in the rivers around here.

I have a boat and the time, if anyone in this area wants a fishing trip and knows how to catch Suckers or Perch, give me a shout, we'll do a trip or two.
__________________
Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.

George Bernard Shaw
Reply With Quote
  #56  
Old 02-21-2016, 03:47 PM
leloinjunior leloinjunior is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 42
Smile Govt Manitoba Preparing Sucker Fish

Manitoba is ahead of the gang, pdf article on how to prepare Sucker Fish.

Its all about trying something new, obviously you don't have to, but sometimes you'll be pleasantly surprized if you do. Reminds me of Burbot - first time I caught one, I kicked it off the hook with my boots, I was horrified of that curling mass of ugliness. Me & Ex went to Nakusp BC one time & locals were fishing exclusively for Burbot. Had a few brewskies with an old guy who showed me how to hang / skin / fillet them, which was pretty cool. Came back, caught some Burb's, battered them up & deep-fried them. We were all blown away at how good it was, my dad was the most surprized & said it was the best deep-fried fish he'd had.

https://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/f...ges/sucker.pdf
Reply With Quote
  #57  
Old 02-21-2016, 08:39 PM
Big Red 250 Big Red 250 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,822
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by SD1797 View Post
I have been eating sucker my entire life. I make what I call sucker salmon. It's basically like the stuff u buy in a can.
Lots of people still do this. When I lived in Manitoba, people would dip net them in the spring when they would swim up the river's to spawn. They would haul them home by the 1/2 ton load, or 5 gallon pail full, I even saw them by the trunk load. The rivers would be so full, all you would see were fins sticking out when looking across. We would go down to the popular fishing spots and watch the people. Lots were being caught by hand. Was entertainment for us on a sunday afternoon. They are a very boney fish so mostly they are canned as it softens the bones, some people add a bit of tomato juice to give it a reddish colour.
I was told by a CO that they eat a lot of fish eggs.
Reply With Quote
  #58  
Old 02-21-2016, 09:47 PM
drhu22 drhu22 is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,090
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by addicted View Post
anyone have any receipes for suckers, I caught a huge one last year up my fort mac it had to be at least 5lbs. thought i hooked into a monster walleye at first I thought about wasteing it but then changed my mind and let it go .... It took right off it was a really good fight though
Mom made a really good fish chowder with sucker once. This is pretty close except I think hers had corn and carrots as well, and I would use more potato (to each their own)...

Potato Fish Chowder
Ingredients

2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
1 small leek, (white and light green parts only), diced
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, minced
half sweet red pepper, diced
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) paprika
3 tbsp (45 mL) all-purpose flour
2 bottles (each 240 mL) clam juice
1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled, quartered and sliced 1/4 inch (5mm) thick
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) milk
12 oz (340 g) cod or halibut fillets, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
(substitute sucker obviously)
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh parsley
3 strips bacon, (optional), cooked and crumbled

Preparation
-In large saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat; fry leek, onion, celery, bay leaf, garlic, red pepper and salt, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until leek and onion are softened. Stir in paprika.
-Add flour; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in clam juice; bring to boil. Add potato; cover and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until tender.
-Add milk; return to simmer. Add fish; simmer for about 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley, and bacon (if using).

Last edited by drhu22; 02-21-2016 at 10:11 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #59  
Old 02-22-2016, 12:02 AM
anthony5 anthony5 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Vulcan
Posts: 780
Default Suckers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Red 250 View Post
Lots of people still do this. When I lived in Manitoba, people would dip net them in the spring when they would swim up the river's to spawn. They would haul them home by the 1/2 ton load, or 5 gallon pail full, I even saw them by the trunk load. The rivers would be so full, all you would see were fins sticking out when looking across. We would go down to the popular fishing spots and watch the people. Lots were being caught by hand. Was entertainment for us on a sunday afternoon. They are a very boney fish so mostly they are canned as it softens the bones, some people add a bit of tomato juice to give it a reddish colour.
I was told by a CO that they eat a lot of fish eggs.
In NW Ont we would get into the creeks as early as the lake ice would let us, usually 1st or 2nd week of May. Suckers spawn after the walleye and get into the creeks and eat the walleye eggs. We would chase the suckers down the creek to a pool with a net or chicken wire stretched across and throw as many onto the bank as possible. This was in the late 60's and early 70's,to try and save as many walleye eggs as possible and get ready for the spring bear hunt, 2-300 lbs of suckers attracts a few bears. Nothing like standing in waist deep water in early may throwing 2 to 8lb suckers on to the bank, either with a dip net or bare hands Dad grew up in MB and said canned suckers were known as Manitoba Salmon Best part was boating into the shallow water where the creeks entered and seeing 30 to 40 lb pike waiting for the suckers to leave the creek. Still miss that area.
__________________
Not that old,but been around a long time
Reply With Quote
  #60  
Old 02-22-2016, 12:07 AM
Red Bullets's Avatar
Red Bullets Red Bullets is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: central Alberta
Posts: 12,627
Default

Canned sucker with tomato is yummy. A local woman I knew used to can suckers regularly.

Manitoba gov't has a canned sucker prep and recipe at the end of the article on canning fish.

https://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/f...es/canning.pdf
__________________
___________________________________________
This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
___________________________________________
It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:28 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.