sucker run

[fishinbros]

last year on the sucker run I got a couple red horse below silver lake dam, are there any better spots

[Tyler Holm]

Yep! Both the Zumbro and Root rivers have great sucker fishing opportunities in the spring (and secretly all year round in certain spots). The Cannon is another, and I hear White Water is full too.

It takes a little ventureing, but it pays off. I've had days where 4-5 of us prob caught 150+ redhorse.

[Flaco651]

 Quote:

The Cannon is another

I've Always done pretty good with the Redhorse when I make it down to the Cannon.

[Shack]

Boy, a month away from sucker time. I know you guys are south, but the Rum River is a hot river during late March and early April. A buddy of mine keeps the sucker/Red horse for his trees and garden and have a pic of a huge pile of them, but because of forum policy, I will not post it. But I have some other images of last year’s sucker’s runs up on the north side of town.

[fishinbros]

would near the Y work

[DEADhead]

 Originally Posted By: shackbash

A buddy of mine keeps the sucker/Red horse for his trees and garden and have a pic of a huge pile of them,

why is it worth killing all that fish just for fertilizer? I just don't get it.... If someone did that with pike or walleye they'd be stringing up a noose. Redhorse and other suckers don't deserve the same fate. Your buddy should try eating them, they can be quite tasty.

[Shack]

I would say he does it because he likes really like it for his newly planted trees and his garden, I guess. He is one of those guys that do it every spring, has been for years and he says it is a lot better than (in his opinion) than throwing chemicals on the foods he eats.

Like Tyler said, you can catch a 100 plus fish in a sitting if you have enough worms with and I do not see him affecting the eco-system in any way, but I get your point. I catch and release every thing I get.

What do you do?

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'm all about C&R for suckers and redhorse. I usually keep a few to fillet and use for catfish bait, though. Seems like a waste to use them for fertilizer.

I think a lot of folks confuse carp and suckers. Suckers are native fish and cause no harm. Carp are non-native and muck up the water. I have no problem taking carp out of an ecosystem, but why get rid of a native fish?

[blackdog1101]

Good point Ralph. When I go trout fishing it's not uncommon to find a sucker someone has thrown up on the bank. Not only is that illegal, it's taking a native fish out of the stream. If we want to get technical, it's the brown trout that are the "invasive" species.

[DEADhead]

 Originally Posted By: shackbash

What do you do?

I typically CPR, otherwise it's C&R. One of these days, I'm probably going to keep a buffalo and smoke it, I just want to make sure it comes from cleaner water.

I hear your buddies point about throwing "organic" fertilzer on his garden rather than using chemicals. I don't like the use of chemicals either. I bet if he composted his waste food he would have just as organic quality as the fish, plus the reduced landfill waste.

I'm not comfortable with the fact that many anglers or bowfishers are taking these fish just to kill them, and then find uses for them after the fact. Many of our native sucker species don't get any glamour, but should deserve the respect that is afforded to the traditional game fish like walleyes, pike, bass, etc. These natives have been around a lot longer than the gamefish, and have been able to evolve. Many of them are great indicators for stream health, and also serve an important part in the ecosystem, whether it be as forage, or for controlling invertebrate populations. These are not "trash fish". I wish more of the general public would understand this. I know many of the members here feel this way, and do what they can to educate other anglers.

[Shack]

Deadhead

Sorry, I meant what do you do with buddies and family like my friend.

But it was a good explanation and I have encouraged my buddy to release them back.

[Tyler Holm]

 Originally Posted By: fishinbros

would near the Y work

Not quite sure which Y

[Tyler Holm]

I'm in the exact same boat at RW and completely agree with Deadhead.

The only reason I've ever harvested a sucker is for cut bait (and we're talking maybe 1-2% of the suckers I catch (and likely deep hooked ones)). I'm not opposed to eating them, just have never tried. I am opposed to those that kill them foolishly. I addition to what was mentioned above, these fish provide several hours of joy to many of my outings and I can't see why anybody would want to harm them.

I know there are many people that don't care at all about suckers (or rough fish in general), but please don't spoil it for those of us that do care. Suckers ARE a valuable resource to our streams.

Personally, I think catching any fish is AWESOME. Any child (and many of us adults) would think the same exact thing. Lets please do our best to educate those harming this resource.

[Tyler Holm]

PS Once our weather warms back up a few degrees you'll soon find me putting the long rod into Y sticks in the morning, simply hoping a sucker gulps in my bait. Simple, easy, productive fishing.

[Shack]

This thread had got me thinking.

I called the DNR to see if it was ok to utilize sucker for in ground fertilizer. I talked with a gal and then a guy. It is perfectly legal to utilize sucker for in ground fertilizer. I was told it is illegal to just dispose of sucker on the bank or shore of the lake or river you catch the fish from. He also stated by using sucker in ones garden for the growth of vegetables is the same as consuming the fish direct, which consuming “under-utilized” fish (which I guess a sucker is defined as) is encouraged by the DNR. It helps keep a balance in our streams and rivers.

I guess why a sucker is classified as a “under-utilized” fish and has no limit, is because no one keeps them and throws them back.

The more I think about this, my buddy is doing his part as a sportsman, as well as staying with in his legal rights to do so.

My buddy Don, keeps about 20-30 fish during the spring time when he comes up to go sucker fishing with us. He brings a Rubber Maid style container and places the fish (dead) in the container and transports them home. The other reason he comes up my way to catch his fish, is the water is supposed to be much cleaner. He lives in St. Paul. We have been doing this for 3 years now and I guess I will not razz him anymore about

not returning the fish back to the river. By the way the DNR sounds, they encourage this as well.

Food for thought.

[Shack]

I figure he was talking to Tyler about the "Y", but maybe he was talking about my picture.

Where we fish for suckers, is at a "Y" in the river. A small stream meets up with the main river and as far as I can tell for numbers, this area produces way more than upstream and down stream. For the month of April, they congregate right in this area. It is by far one of the best spots I have found for numbers in this area. So yes, the "Y" area in my case is a productive area.

[DEADhead]

shackbash, I don't think anyone was doubting the legality of your friend using the fish as fertilizer. Also, you probably talked to two fisheries employees at the DNR and they likely shared their personal opinions on what to do with the fish. I'm sure if you talked to another couple of employees, they might have shared a contrasting viewpoint. Bottom line is they gave you a suggestion, but I don't believe it is a reccomendation or a policy of the department. Believe me, there are a lot of fisheries employees that could care less about these "underutilized" fish. It's sad.

My guess as why suckers are classified as underutilized fish, is because of the aquaculture and bait industry. If suckers were classified as game fish, you wouldn't be able to use them for bait anymore. In Canada, redhorse and other sucker species, especially ones that are threatened or endangered are closely monitored and are afforded the same respect and protection as other game fish species. I wish the same could be said here. There are several species of suckers here in MN that are nearing threatened status due to habitat degradation from urbanization and intensive agricultural use like corn and soybean farming.

You don't need to razz your buddy for fertilizing those fish. It sounds like he has a legitimate use for them. Maybe you can convince him next time to throw a few pike and walleye in the pile for some diversity

[Shack]

LOL, I should, but I know he never do that. Good info.

I made the call for my self and just displayed what I had found. I figure one day when we are fishing down their and he has a Rubber Maid bin with sucker in it, a CO strolls by and he asks what he is doing, that’s why I thought I would give a call. I would rather find out now if it was OK or not.

[northwoodsdreamr]

I fish the sucker run every spring. I pickle the bigger white suckers, I think its as good as pickled herring. The redhorse suckers I can in pressure canner. It makes a great spread with chopped onions, garlic powder and ranch dressing, put on crackers. It also makes great patties or loaf. You can use it just like canned salmon. Give it a try I know everyone I have shared it with is shocked when they try it and relize how good it is.

[fishinbros]

As for the y, I meant the fitness center with the pool in rochester, the river that runs by it, I do some fishing in the deeper pools

[DEADhead]

 Originally Posted By: northwoodsdreamr

I fish the sucker run every spring. I pickle the bigger white suckers, I think its as good as pickled herring. The redhorse suckers I can in pressure canner. It makes a great spread with chopped onions, garlic powder and ranch dressing, put on crackers. It also makes great patties or loaf. You can use it just like canned salmon. Give it a try I know everyone I have shared it with is shocked when they try it and relize how good it is.

There;s a few recipes floating around the net for sucker patties. I'll have to give them a try one of these days as they sound good, and other guys that have had them love them.

[Shack]

Sorry Fish'in bros.

I get it the "Y". LOL

Good luck.

I am thinking now of smoking some sucker this spring. I also like the idea of pickling. We will see.

[Tyler Holm]

 Originally Posted By: fishinbros

As for the y, I meant the fitness center with the pool in rochester, the river that runs by it, I do some fishing in the deeper pools

Awe, gotcha. YMCA...

I personally think there are better areas, but that's not to say your spot is bad. If you catch suckers there, great. I dipped a rod in a few of those area above silver lake, and don't seem to catch many. Below the dam seems to do better for me. Above the dam, your fish a fairly small water shed being Silver Lake, Silver Creek, and about a 1 mile stretch of river (between dams). Below the SL dam, your've got 20ish miles of river (between dams) and your fishing Lake Zumbro fish which is chuck full of suckers.

[Tyler Holm]

Slash,

Nice work on the research. I think the point Deadhead and I are really trying to get across is the is geared more toward those who simply kill fish for absolutely no reason. Those throwing fish on shore, or bangin them off the rocks on the release, drop kicks, etc. I have no problem with keeping a few fish for legit reason such as eating, bait, etc. I have a buddy that keeps 1 or 2 for bait for this traps. I suppose fertilizer could be viewed with some legitness.

Man I can't wait to get out again chasing suckers. Lookin at the weather, maybe next Monday morning.

[fishinbros]

Hey Tyler how far down below the dam do you fish, I tried right below the rapids last spring and only got a few