Ahhhh Suckers

When I was kid we caught many suckers. That along with bluegills and sunfish was our main fishing target. We cleaned and ate the suckers also. They had a very good flavor. Bones were terrible but we ate them anyway. Then one day some old lady told us a better way to cook the suckers. If you cut them the right way and fry them in hot grease or oil then the small bones would go away. Something like eating canned salmon.

My Father got us boys some flyrods (metal) and that is what we caught the most suckers with. I remember one proud day when I walked to the old swimming hole on the other side of town. That had to be over one mile one way. I caught a large stringer of suckers which was very heavy. So I carried them home right up the main street sidewalk by the few stores on the way home. My my such comments I received. Took them home and cleaned them and my Mother would aways cook what ever I caught. Bullheads are another story for another time.

And I still think those suckers had a great flavor.

Bernie my dad and a bunch of his friends use to drive up to the north shore of lake superior and they would would buy a couple pickup loads of suckers then drive home and clean them things all up. while they were cleaning i would be mixing 5 gallon buckets of salt water strong enough to float an egg, after the fish were wash up we would put them in them buckets for 24 hours. i bet ya can tell were im headed can't ya, yep they pickled them all and man they were good. i still use the same method but i pickle the pike, walleye, perch, sunnies, and man are they good. i sure do miss them days of the past, but ay least i still have the memories.

I think most kids can remember catching them out of the creeks...I know I can..

Yes there is nothing wrong with catching suckers and eating them, especially in the Springtime or shortly there after. Nice stuff.

They sure filled our bellies...