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White Sucker

White Sucker

The White Sucker is a native fish species found throughout Tennessee, extending south through the Appalachian and Smoky Mountains to the Tennessee River drainage in northern Alabama and Georgia.

In Tennessee, they inhabit a wide variety of freshwater environments including streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, showing remarkable adaptability to different water conditions.

Scientific Name: Catostomus commersonii

Physical Characteristics:
  • These bottom-dwelling fish have distinctive fleshy, papillose lips positioned on the underside of their heads, which they use to vacuum sediments and organisms from the substrate.
  • Adult White Suckers typically reach 12-20 inches in length and can weigh 2-6 pounds, with some specimens growing up to 24 inches.
  • They have olive brown to black coloration on their backs with lighter-colored or white bellies, and breeding males develop gold coloration on their backs with red, cream, or black stripes along their sides during spawning season.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Found throughout Tennessee, extending south through the Appalachian and Smoky Mountains to the Tennessee River drainage in northern Alabama and Georgia.
  • In Tennessee, they inhabit a wide variety of freshwater environments including streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.

Specific Spots

  • Look for them in shallow streams, tributary inlets, deeper pools below dams and waterfalls, eddies, slack water behind logjams, and areas with gravel-rubble bottoms.
  • Target rocky areas, current breaks, and areas where tributaries enter main water bodies.

White Sucker FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for White Sucker in Tennessee?

The most effective baits are small pieces of garden worms, nightcrawlers, red worms, and crawdads fished directly on the bottom.

What flies work for White Sucker in Tennessee?

Effective patterns include sucker spawn e.g.g patterns (particularly natural chartreuse), scuds, nymph patterns, and worm imitations. Flies must reach the bottom quickly - use larger patterns in muddy water and smaller ones in clear conditions.

When is the best time to fish for White Sucker in Tennessee?

The best time to target White Suckers in Tennessee is during their spawning season from April through early May when water temperatures reach around 50°F. Focus on early spring when they're feeding aggressively before spawning begins.

How do you catch White Sucker in Tennessee?

Approach stealthily wearing earth-toned colors as White Suckers are easily spooked by movement and shadows. Cast upstream and allow bait to drift naturally to the fish rather than casting directly on them.

What do White Sucker eat?

White Suckers are omnivorous bottom feeders with a diverse diet including invertebrates, mayfly nymphs, chironomid larvae, detritus, small fish, fish e.g.gs, aquatic plants, mollusks, insects, rotifers, algae, worms, and crayfish.

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