-=> Dale Shipp wrote to Jim Weller <=-

 JW> I just downloaded a batch of sucker recipes. I wonder if anyone here
 JW> has netted suckers during the spring spawning run. I used to do that
 JW> as a kid for eating fresh, pickling like herring and to use as bait
 JW> for game fish.

 DS> I really don't even know what they are.  The only thing that comes to
 DS> mind are the fish that attach themselves to shark for a free ride and a
 DS> free dinner on the leftovers from the shark attack.  I assume that is
 DS> not the fish you are talking about.

If you've bought minnows for fishing bait when you lived in the Midwest
there's a good chance you've met suckers. I used to net them (and shad)
in the tailrace of the dam at my local lake for use as bait, cat food 
and garden fertiliser - until some doofus was drunk and messing about 
and got drowned for his efforts. The city fathers have blocked access 
to that area.

Anyway - here's what Britannica has to say on Sucker Fish

Sucker, (family Catostomidae), any of the freshwater fishes constituting 
the family Catostomidae, similar to and closely related to the carp and 
minnows (Cyprinidae). There are about 80 to 100 species of suckers. 
Except for a few species in Asia, all are North American. Many suckers 
are almost indistinguishable from minnows, but catostomids may often be 
recognized by the sucking, usually ventral mouth with protrusible lips.

Suckers live on the bottom of lakes and slow streams and feed by sucking 
up invertebrates and plants. They are generally rather sluggish fishes. 
The species vary considerably in size. The lake chubsucker (Erimyzon 
sucetta), for example, is a small species up to 25 cm (10 inches) long, 
and the bigmouth buffalo fish (Ictiobus cyprinellus), a large sucker, 
measures up to 90 cm in length and 33 kg (73 pounds) in weight. Suckers 
are bony but are fished commercially and to some extent for sport. The 
various genera are known by such names as hog sucker (Hypentelium), 
buffalo fish (Ictiobus), carpsucker (Carpiodes), and redhorse, or 
jumprock (Moxostoma).

https://www.britannica.com/animal/sucker-fish

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Fried Carp
 Categories: Seafood, Breads, Citrus
      Yield: 4 Servings
 
      8    (5 oz/150 g ea) carp cutlets
           Salt & pepper
      1 tb Fresh lemon juice
      2 tb Pastry flour
      2 lg Eggs
      4 oz (120 g) breadcrumbs
  2 1/2 tb (80 g) clarified butter
 
  Rinse carp cutlets and pat dry. Season with salt and
  pepper. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Beat eggs in a bowl.
  Coat each fillet with flour, dip in egg mixture, then
  coat with breadcrumbs.
  
  Heat butter in a pan and cook carp for about 5 minutes on
  each side or until golden brown. Make sure that there is
  enough butter and add more if necessary. Drain filets on
  paper towels, then arrange on bed of parsley if desired.
  
  Serve.
  
  RECIPE FROM: https://eatsmarter.com
  
  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
 
MMMMM

... I smell a rat.  Did you bake it or fry it?
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 * Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)