Species profile
White Sucker
Catostomus commersonii
At a glance
White Sucker (Catostomus commersonii) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 24 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 1 (Northwest Territories); the most generous is 100 (Missouri).
Confirmed by 5,750 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Ontario, Ohio, and Pennsylvania the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Their fleshy, downward-facing mouth works like a vacuum on stream bottoms.
- They can live up to 17 years in the wild.
- Adults commonly reach 45–60 cm (18–24 inches) in length.
- Spring spawning runs historically fed Indigenous communities across eastern North America.
- Walleye, northern pike, and muskellunge rely heavily on them as prey.
Where White Sucker are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for White Sucker
Background
The white sucker (Catostomus commersonii) is a freshwater Cypriniform fish inhabiting the upper Midwest and Northeast in North America, but is also found as far south as Georgia and New Mexico in the south and west. The fish is commonly known as a "sucker" due to its fleshy papillose lips that suck up organic matter and aufwuchs from the bottom of rivers and streams.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's White Sucker article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.