A Trophy of a Different Sort

June 11, 2011 — 6:32 pm | Posted by John Juracek in Books and Photos, 2011 Blog Archives

My brother, Tom, caught this magnificent sucker specimen yesterday while braving the spring runoff. Unfortunately, my sucker identification skills have lapsed, and in the process of photographing this fish I didn't look at it closely enough to gather the details important in determining the species. But based on its large size and what the photograph does show, I believe it to be a Utah sucker. In any event, ain't it a beauty?

Comments

Nice fish! Where was it caught? That would help to narrow the possibilities. A white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) is a better possibilty if it came from the Madison or Yellowstone drainages.

John

By John Graham on 06/12 2011
John,

It was taken in the Henry’s Fork drainage in Idaho. I certainly can’t rule out the white sucker as a possibility, but this fish didn’t seem to have the oblique scale pattern below the dorsal fin that the white sucker usually shows. If you can lend further authority to this, I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

By John Juracek on 06/12 2011
John & John,

How about a rouge Longnose Sucker, C,catostomus? They are quite similar ans are found in rivers like the Madison.

By Kirk Giloth on 06/12 2011
John & John,

Upon further research, disregard my above post. Like John J. I think the fish is an Utah Sucker or a hybrid of same, which is not unusual for the species. I assume the fish was released or you could check the three rows of Papillae on the upper lip. The 2nd & 3rd rows are significantly larger.

By Kirk Giloth on 06/12 2011
John and Kirk,

I agree now that it is most likely a Utah Sucker. The distribution maps I’ve seen online don’t show white or longnose suckers in the Henry’s Fork.

What other sucker species are in the area? Mountain sucker? The Desert Fishes Council shows Mountain Suckers in the Snake River Drainage http://www.desertfishes.org/na/index.shtml. Might Utah suckers hybridize with mountain suckers?

I ask because I’ve been studying hybridization on and off over the past 30 years: sunfish (Enneacanthus), Northern Flickers, big sagebrush, and most recently rainbow and cutthroat trout.

John G.

By John Graham on 06/13 2011
John,

Thanks for looking further into this. Other suckers we have around here are Mountain, Longnose, and White. But Mountain suckers are quite a small fish, and I don’t know that they do much hybridization.

By John Juracek on 06/13 2011
John,

Thanks. In 20 years of fishing Yellowstone I’ve never caught a sucker of any kind. I’ve caught Grayling and westslope cutthroat when I didn’t expect them, in the Gibbon and Madison respectively, but never a sucker. Perhaps this is the year.

See you in a few weeks.

John G.

By John Graham on 06/13 2011
Great catch! Hope you’ll catch more

By custom essay on 08/28 2011
Well I guess I don’t have to spend the weeeknd figuring this one out!

By Jayhawk on 11/15 2011
pics of <a > nude tape</a> Nude babes .

By celebritynakedq on 11/25 2011
photos of <a > naked shoots</a> Nudes .

By frenudepicturesr on 11/25 2011
Cheap Canada Goose
Canada Goose Trillium Parka
Canada Goose Women Jackets
Canada Goose Red Glove
Canada Goose Brown Parka
Canada Goose Parka Grey
cheap snow boots

Canada Goose Coat
Canada Goose Women Chilliwack
Canada Goose Women
Canada Goose Red Expedition
Canada Goose Parka Brown
Canada Goose parka Light Grey
winter snow boots

By hfdsj on 11/26 2011
Top quality and latest style discount north face jackets for men, women .

By discount northface on 12/02 2011
Ugg brand boots are the existing in ugg classic boots set up accessories. Not idiosyncratic carry through they support maintenance ugg classic tall your feet blazing or bragging according to the weather outside,ugg tall boots they activate a whopper effect statement too.ugg bailey button Ugg boots are cool, cute, cozy further relaxedugg bailey boots . They are all told Australian Sheep scratch boots made bailey button triplet ugg boots from twin faced sheep gall. They are salutary well-formed ugg bailey button triplet boot stump lackadaisical besides are available in a characteristic of shades for you to meet from. bailey button triplet boot Girly boots be present in lively shades dote on flaming further naughty season guys seem to exalt oatmeal shades. ugg bailey button sale They again be present in a myriad styles congeneric due to heels, flats, ugg bailey button on sale chunky; hide or gone laces etc. These boots also accept an upping of since spent shroud or astray socks being they fall for an inner yarn filling further help in keeping your feet burning.

By fsag on 12/02 2011