Spring Bait Runs, Suckers and Smelts

Anyone seeing any suckers running yet? Anyone check out the dams? Should be some smelting happening soon,... nothing in my night traps yet. Water levels on the rise but snows almost gone here likely this weekend. Spring flooding should be tame. Not suggesting anyone venture out too far considering the situation..... just curious if anyone has seen anything on their daily walks.

Cheers
Crappies soon (when we’re all allowed out again)

May I ask how you prepare suckers ? also which variety , used to see them netted by the bushel and carted away to do what with ??..

Thanks

I usually see suckers in Algonquin creeks/rapids around 2nd week of May.
Maybe 2 weeks after ice out.

Still a be a while yet I'd say

No suckers yet, early thaw. Checking smelts shortly here in Parry Sound area..

May I ask how you prepare suckers ? also which variety , used to see them netted by the bushel and carted away to do what with ??..

Thanks

Out in the western provinces the bullhunks can them, you would be hard pressed to tell them apart from any other canned fish.

May I ask how you prepare suckers ? also which variety , used to see them netted by the bushel and carted away to do what with ??..

Thanks

Out in the western provinces the bullhunks can them, you would be hard pressed to tell them apart from any other canned fish.

It’s called Manitoba Salmon...... canned suckers. Fish sandwiches all summer. My friend has a creek through his property near Warkworth. Gets a run of suckers every spring like you would not believe... Gar Pike also frequent that creek.

Suckers an walleye are just starting too show up in the lake simcoe spawning areas.

When I was a kid in southern Saskatchewan my mother used to pickle suckers. She would use all I could catch, but only in the spring. They were easy enough to catch all summer long in the local creek but she told me not to bother as they were best out of the cold water just after ice out. Her pickled Suckers were very similar to Rollmops, a kind of pickled Herring.

I guess if the fish was pickled or I was, then I would try them!

My daughter and I counted 35 suckers in a small creek on the north side of Simcoe a few days ago.

Does anyone have a recipe for canning suckers. Thanks

Here's one: Canning Suckers

Smelts were up last night in the local creek. No huge numbers but they were in.

Nothing yet in my area, soon though. still ice on the lakes. Some lakes are 90% ice free. some are covered open around shore, some tiny lakes are open. I saw an 18" trout (Splake) the other day, not on the smelt lake but nice to see in shallow in the current.

The trout will be hungry when we all get out in May. I've cleaned my boat thrice now in anticipation.

Did you wax it too?