sucker question

[outdoor junkie]

Went out sucker spearing the last two nights in a small creek. The first night three of us managed 12, all white suckers. Last night we got 7 three were whites. The other four looked like whites, but had a black line the length of the fish which ran from the snout to the tail. We had never seen one like this. Just wondering if it's a different kind of sucker, or maybe it got the stripe somehow from being up in that little creek? Also seen quite a few walleye and a few monster pike(none of which were disturbed). Thanks for any info you folks can offer me on these fish.

[waterfoul]

males and females perhaps?

[CubanFisherman]

males and females perhaps?
Yeah, or maybe spawning colours?

[Oldgrandman]

In the Grand, we get these suckers all the old West siders called pike suckers when I was cutting my teeth on the river. I believe they are actually long nose suckers. Not really sure though. They get a black and sometimes reddish stripe down the side. Maybe thats them?
They are spawn sack stealing little $#!+$ and usually show up during or at the tail end of the steelhead run. Probably be thicker than thieves any day now if not already.

[586 spearing]

Yeah, usually that black stripe indicates that they are spawning. Went out thursday and friday night and got 43 fish so far, going out again tonight. nothing keeps me from spear fishing, it has to be one of the best activities to do. I'm from the east side of michigan near Port Huron so i dont know who is from the west side of the state but how are the suckers running there?

[586 spearing]

In the Grand, we get these suckers all the old West siders called pike suckers when I was cutting my teeth on the river. I believe they are actually long nose suckers. Not really sure though. They get a black and sometimes reddish stripe down the side. Maybe thats them?
They are spawn sack stealing little $#!+$ and usually show up during or at the tail end of the steelhead run. Probably be thicker than thieves any day now if not already.
those long nose ones you're talking about are probably gar pike, we get a lot down by the Belle River

[Oldgrandman]

those long nose ones you're talking about are probably gar pike, we get a lot down by the Belle River

Uh, no they are not.

[Mister ED]

Uh, no they are not.

Uh .... they could be .... if they had teeth.:rolleyes:

:lol: :lol:

[Little Roober]

I've caught white suckers in the rifle then later in the year went to the white river and caught those ones with the black stripes. I think they're a different kind of sucker.

[Oldgrandman]

I tried to find a good pic of a longnose, here is about as good as I can get but it is a dark photo and probably not a spawner.

http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish/longnosesucker.html

Maybe I'll g see if I can "catch" one that I believe is a longnose for a pic and post it.
They should be pretty easy to get right now and I got cabin fever bad!

[586 spearing]

Uh, no they are not.
they could be, or they could just be a lognose sucker he really didn't give a good description