By ELMER "JOE" SPRICK
Many species of sucker frequent the Upper Mississippi drainage system. They include, but are not limited to, blue, quillback, highfin, hognose, silver, golden, river, spotted, ca
rp sucker, chub sucker and sturgeon sucker.
The hognose sucker featured in a photo as a delicacy on the family blogspot was an erroneous photo subsequently corrected by a photo of a fine string of white suckers proudly displayed by J.C. Kirkwood, right.
The book "Northern Fishes" by Eddy and Surber states, "None of the suckers bites readily on a baited hook." Consequently, only proficient anglers are consistently able to catch suckers with hook and line. J.C. Kirkwood and sons Joe and Tuk, all skillful sucker fishermen, were tutored in the sport by the late master angler Edward Sprick.
In early spring, suckers make their prespawning run up the tributary streams to the Upper Missisippi. April 1 is not only April Fools' Day, but also prime time to begin fishing for suckers in the Zumbro River, which is usually high and muddy from snowmelt and spring rains. The swift current often brings trees as well as a number of large household items floating down the river, a hazardous situation that precludes using a boat in the pursuit of suckers.
Back in the 1930s, before fishing and a lot of other stuff became high tech, it was common to fish with a set line containing sever
al hooks baited with earthworms. The line was tied to a small willow on the bank. Several lines were set out, with a railroad spike serving as a sinker in the swift current. One could spend a lot of time baiting hooks.
The meat of the white sucker is sweet and firm in the spring, excellent eating except for the fine bones. Grandma Maria Augustin Sprick always had a loaf of fresh bread on the table when suckers were on the menu. "If you get a bone in your throat, just take a piece of bread," she said. That usually took care of the problem.
After World War II, fishing became more sophisticated, requiring more than just a hook and worm. Using a spinning rod and a nonstretch braided line, an experienced angler could reel the bait slowly through a snagfree hole and feel the subtle bite of a sucker nibbling away at the worm. On a good day, one can catch more fish than he can carry, which is a good reason to fish near a road.
Not everyone fishes suckers for the same reason. A 5-pound sucker gives one a good fight in the current. Some, including the kids from the Environmental Learning Center I took out to the Zumbro, fish just for the sport of it. Sucker fishing is the most popular of the numerous outdoor activities scheduled by their program director.
Others who fish for sucker know that pickling the fish dissolves the fine bones and that when cut into small pieces, a piece of pickled fish on a cracker, enhanced by a glass of Miller Lite, makes an excellent hors d'oeuvre.
Uncle Ed (shown above with cousin Chris Miller, sainted dog-of-our-youth Alfie and fish) would have been pleased to know that his recipe for pickled fish appears on a number of websites. And there are still a few familiar names on his original list of those who relished his pickled fish as gifts. He would also be pleased to know that I and my fishing partner and usually dependable guide, Doc Knudsen, are carrying on his tradition of trying to prevent Nature Deficit Disorder among our nation's youth.
And this is most certainly true!
Elmer "Joe" Sprick, sucker fisherman, outdoors sage, astute essayist, scrapblog senior research associate and usually reliable uncle, can be reached at earlybird1@mchsi.com. Other of his essays can be found lower in this blog.
Many species of sucker frequent the Upper Mississippi drainage system. They include, but are not limited to, blue, quillback, highfin, hognose, silver, golden, river, spotted, ca
rp sucker, chub sucker and sturgeon sucker.The hognose sucker featured in a photo as a delicacy on the family blogspot was an erroneous photo subsequently corrected by a photo of a fine string of white suckers proudly displayed by J.C. Kirkwood, right.
The book "Northern Fishes" by Eddy and Surber states, "None of the suckers bites readily on a baited hook." Consequently, only proficient anglers are consistently able to catch suckers with hook and line. J.C. Kirkwood and sons Joe and Tuk, all skillful sucker fishermen, were tutored in the sport by the late master angler Edward Sprick.
In early spring, suckers make their prespawning run up the tributary streams to the Upper Missisippi. April 1 is not only April Fools' Day, but also prime time to begin fishing for suckers in the Zumbro River, which is usually high and muddy from snowmelt and spring rains. The swift current often brings trees as well as a number of large household items floating down the river, a hazardous situation that precludes using a boat in the pursuit of suckers.
Back in the 1930s, before fishing and a lot of other stuff became high tech, it was common to fish with a set line containing sever
al hooks baited with earthworms. The line was tied to a small willow on the bank. Several lines were set out, with a railroad spike serving as a sinker in the swift current. One could spend a lot of time baiting hooks.The meat of the white sucker is sweet and firm in the spring, excellent eating except for the fine bones. Grandma Maria Augustin Sprick always had a loaf of fresh bread on the table when suckers were on the menu. "If you get a bone in your throat, just take a piece of bread," she said. That usually took care of the problem.
After World War II, fishing became more sophisticated, requiring more than just a hook and worm. Using a spinning rod and a nonstretch braided line, an experienced angler could reel the bait slowly through a snagfree hole and feel the subtle bite of a sucker nibbling away at the worm. On a good day, one can catch more fish than he can carry, which is a good reason to fish near a road.
Not everyone fishes suckers for the same reason. A 5-pound sucker gives one a good fight in the current. Some, including the kids from the Environmental Learning Center I took out to the Zumbro, fish just for the sport of it. Sucker fishing is the most popular of the numerous outdoor activities scheduled by their program director.
Others who fish for sucker know that pickling the fish dissolves the fine bones and that when cut into small pieces, a piece of pickled fish on a cracker, enhanced by a glass of Miller Lite, makes an excellent hors d'oeuvre.
Uncle Ed (shown above with cousin Chris Miller, sainted dog-of-our-youth Alfie and fish) would have been pleased to know that his recipe for pickled fish appears on a number of websites. And there are still a few familiar names on his original list of those who relished his pickled fish as gifts. He would also be pleased to know that I and my fishing partner and usually dependable guide, Doc Knudsen, are carrying on his tradition of trying to prevent Nature Deficit Disorder among our nation's youth.
And this is most certainly true!
Elmer "Joe" Sprick, sucker fisherman, outdoors sage, astute essayist, scrapblog senior research associate and usually reliable uncle, can be reached at earlybird1@mchsi.com. Other of his essays can be found lower in this blog.
