Canning suckers

[Sniper-T]

Saturday evening I got a phone call that sent shivers down my spine. My neighbor on the other end said simply "Suckers are running"
When and where? I ask
Tomorrow 0700 says he and hangs up.

Boots - check
Landing net - check
coffee set - check

We arrived on site at 0930... by 1030 we had almost a hundred suckers in the truck... and since we teamed up with another couple guys we met out there... so did they.

Home by noon, and set up in the garage. By 1600 the garage was cleaned up and all the meat in bowls.

I have some in a straight salt brine, a tomato sauce, Italian salad dressing, and Greek salad dressing, to marinade, and I will stuff the jars and pressure can tonight.

[Sniper-T]

my share, getting washed:



first set drying:



second set:



third set:



didn't get pics of the last set. Will get some more during canning tonight.

[helomech]

Cool, but what are suckers?

[Sniper-T]

a type of fish, considered a 'course' fish and not generally tried for, due to their boney nature. Canning is basically the only way to eat them.

[jamesneuen]

Look like carp

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[bacpacker]

Yep snipers version of carp.

[Stormfeather]

ok. im intrigued. They look like carp, but didnt know they "ran". Would you mind going into a deeper explanation?

The reason I ask, Carp here, are bottom feeders, so they are pretty rough meat to handle and not very tasty, they can be eaten, but have to either soaked in milk overnight, or salt water.

[ElevenBravo]

Cockroach of the water, bottom feeders...

[Sniper-T]

Yep bottom feeders, that explain the sucker mouth. I am pretty sure they are a relative of some kind to carp; and probably not too distant.

They are the first fish (at least up here) to spawn in the Spring, so with the high water and runoff everywhere, the scoot out of the lakes and up the ditches in the fast water. This is what is called the 'run' not too different than a Salmon run.

This is when many people head out with nets and waders and scoop them up, or they can be taken with Archery equipment too. it's also not uncommon to see people in the ditches with pitch forks.

Following the suckers, are the Jackfish and then Walleye run, but both of those are considered gamefish, and not legal to dipnet.

I got 24 pints and 4 quarts of fish canned last night, under 4 different recipes, and have about another 8-10 jars to do tonight.
They are typically a pretty bland tasting fish, so they will take on whatever flavours that you give them.

[bacpacker]

Love me some Walleye. We don't have a large amount of them here, but they sure are good.