How to Catch a Suckerfish

Suckerfish are bottom-feeding fish found in fresh water rivers. They aren't the typical game fish that anglers normally target, but they are pretty exciting to catch. You can find this species of fish during the spring when other fish species aren't as active.

Things You Need:

• Tackle


• Fishing net


• Worms


• Hooks


• 1 ounce clamp sinkers


• Pliers

1. Fish for suckers when water temperatures are too cool for other fish species. Many fish do not bite during the fall or early spring. Suckerfish travel when temperatures are as cool as 50 degrees Fahrenheit.  


2. Find a river that is narrow and flows slowly. Bigger rivers tend to have stronger currents that pull suckerfish away. They like to sit on the bottom of a slow-moving river inside deep pools.


3. Equip your pole with a 12-pound test line to avoid line breaks. Suckerfish usually only get up to about 5 pounds, but they fight hard. A 12-pound test line should be able to withstand the force of any suckerfish.


4. Rig up your hook with a live worm. Suckerfish prefer live night crawlers to other baits. Make sure you run your hook through the worm’s entire body to make a good presentation for the fish.


5. Place about three 1-ounce clamp sinkers 6 to 8 inches apart on your line. Your lowest sinker should sit about 1 foot higher than your baited hook. These sinkers will ensure that your bait sinks to the bottom where suckerfish feed.


6. Cast into a slow moving current where suckers wait to catch passing food and wait for them to strike.


7. Set your hook by jerking your rod backward and reeling when you feel a strike. Reel in the suckerfish, being careful not to reel the fish in too fast. Give them some space until they run out of energy.


8. Use your fishing net to take the fish out of the water. Take the hook out of the sucker’s mouth and release it. If the hook has been swallowed take it out using pliers.