It seems like no matter where you fish there is one species that gets no respect. It is a fish that will get in the way of catching a targeted fish, like trout or steelhead. In the western United States, there’s the whitefish. It will grab a fly intended for a brown or rainbow trout. In the eastern United States, the fallfish will also grab a fly that the fishermen would rather have a trout sip it in. I’ve spoken with a few fishermen, and they almost feel cheated when a whitefish or fallfish are on the line. For me, I just like to catch fish.
In Steelhead Alley, many of the tributaries have a run of suckers during April and May. White Suckers are the most common. Redhorse Suckers are not as common, but are larger than the white. These bottom feeders just love to stage downstream from spawning steelhead picking off eggs. I’ve managed to catch a few over the years, and never felt cheated. The ones I’ve caught put up a strong fight which is a good thing, am I right? Sure, it wasn’t a steelhead, but it beats a skunking.
A few days ago I hit the Grand River for one last shot at some steelhead. I stood in a riffle nymphing with a pink egg pattern. On about the fifth or sixth drift the indicator went under and I set the hook. The initial bend in the rod made me think steel, but after a few head shakes it wasn’t fighting like steel. Finally, bringing it close, it was clear it was a sucker. It turned out to be the first of four suckers I would land that day, all between 16” and 18” in length. The reddish tail and large scales made these suckers members of the Redhorse family. What’s important is the Redhorse is intolerant of poor water quality, so finding them in the Ohio tribs is excellent.
Suckers are suckers for egg patterns. This was one of four caught, all about 16"-18" in length.
(Click on image for larger view.)
So, give these bottom feeders their due. From someone who knows, it beats a skunking.
Go out and fool a fish!
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