Suckers
Scientific Name: White Sucker Catostomus commersonii
Toxicity Level
About The Fish
Suckers
White Sucker: Catostomus commersonii - scientific name
Northern Hog Sucker
Spotted Sucker
Longnose Sucker: Catostomus catostomus - scientific name
Quillback Carpsucker
Redhorse Sucker (Golden, Greater, Shorthead, and Silver)
The white sucker is one of the more common members of the sucker family found in the U.P. The species is found throughout much of North America, usually in rocky stream pools, rivers, or cool lakes.
Adult white suckers typically range from 12-20 inches. The world record white sucker weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz and was caught from a lake in Wisconsin in 1978.
Small to medium-sized white suckers are classified as a rough fish are often caught and used as a natural bait for MUSKELLUNGE or NORTHERNS.
You can catch bait size sucker fish in local rivers and creeks with an ice jig and small bit if worm. Then use the natural bait superior performance than bait-shop suckers.
The sucker family is very deep, although most of the sucker species do not live in cooler northern waters or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Both common carp and suckers can be taken by spear or bow and arrow from the Great Lakes and non-trout inland waters.
Health : Local waters have PCBs, dioxin, mercury, PFOS, and other chemicals that can be found in fish and stay in our environment for a very long time.
Be aware of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services - The Eat Safe Fish Guide (ESF Guide)
Wisconsin has the a health guide for eating fish in Wisconsin - Choose Wisely Contaminate Advisories for Wisconsin
Fishing Season
Season:
Northern Wisconsin - Suckers are a nuisance species.
Cannot locate any regulations on the Sucker Fish.
No daily limit and open all year.
Both common carp and suckers can be taken by spear or bow and arrow from the Great Lakes and non-trout inland waters.
Upper Peninsula of Michigan -Suckers are a nuisance species.
Cannot locate any regulations on the Sucker Fish.
No daily limit and open all year.
Both common carp and suckers can be taken by spear or bow and arrow from the Great Lakes and non-trout inland waters.
WI Fishing Hook & Line Record
Wisconsin Record White Sucker.
Weight – 6 lbs. 2 oz. Length 23.1 Inches.
Date – 08/27/1997
Location Miller Flowage Taylor County.
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Sucker, Northern Hog 1 lb. 13 oz. 16.0 03/17/2004 Fox River Green Lake
Sucker, Spotted 4 lbs. 10.2 oz. 20.5 02/22/2018 Lake Onalaska La Crosse
Carpsucker, Quillback 13 lbs. 8.8 oz. 24.75 04/23/2022 Wolf River Waupaca
Redhorse, Golden 5 lbs. 2.2 oz. 24.0 04/21/2022 Mississippi River La Crosse
Redhorse, Greater 10 lbs. 8.5 oz. 26.5 05/14/2023 Oconto River Oconto
Redhorse, Shorthead 4 lbs. 4.1 oz. 23.5 05/15/2023 Peshtigo River Marinette
Redhorse, Silver 11 lbs. 7 oz. 29.25 05/29/1985 Plum Creek Vilas
MI Fishing Hook & Line Record
Michigan Record White Sucker.
Weight – 7.19 lbs. Length 28 Inches.
Date – 1982
Type – Drift-fishing Rubber Egg
Location Au Sable River Iosco County.
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NORTHERN HOG SUCKER 2.54 19 1994 Still-fishing Worm Saint Joseph River Berrien
LONGNOSE SUCKER 6.88 22.5 1986 Spin-casting Spawn Bag Saint Joseph River Berrien
QUILLBACK CARPSUCKER 9.98 24.75 2020 Baitcasting Rapala Muskegon River Mecosta
REDHORSE SUCKER 12.89 29.25 1991 Baitcasting Night Crawler Muskegon River – Croton Pond Newaygo
Michigan Hook and Line Records for Fishing
DNR Master Angler Michigan.gov Program and Map