Shortnose Suckers are probably the most highly-endangered fish in Oregon. The two I’ve caught incidentally have been insane surprises, but given that I fish 150-200 days per year, it was only a matter of time before one took my worm for a spin.

Species: Shortnose Sucker (Chasmistes brevirostris)
Location: Undisclosed Location
Date: January 12, 2018

A few people told me I shouldn’t write about this one, and I both understand and respect their reasoning; however, I think I should write about this precisely because nobody else wants to talk about it.

We have a species at risk of extinction in the next five years, and it’s right in our backyard. The Shortnose Sucker, an endemic to the Upper Klamath Basin, has an estimated 5000 adults left in the wild.

That doesn’t sound so bad when, say, compared to some of the localized pupfish or Alabama Sturgeon, but when we’re talking about a fish that was once so abundant that anglers lined up to snag dozens of them in a day as they moved to spawn, it’s scary.

These fish are notorious for their phenomenal ability to smell the slightest hint of bait in the water at up to a mile away. This, in conjunction with their less-than-prominent proboscis led to their name: Shortnose Sucker.

Of course, only one of those things is true, but you believe it because it was written on the Internet from a seemingly reliable source. Now, I don’t ever lie to my readers, and I’m pretty damn informed about fishing, but even I don’t know every detail relating to the fish I write about.

But some people do. Some people knowingly spread misinformation about fish and the culture of fishing soaks it up without questioning the source. This, in combination with rapid habitat loss, is why Shortnose Sucker populations have declined.

People honestly believe they “eat trout eggs” and are actively competing with trout. This is just not accurate. Yes, they probably suction up some eggs, but so do trout. There are numerous videos of trout eating their own eggs. Further, suckers do not compete with mature trout. They have some overlap in their diets, but suckers are bottom feeders while trout are apex predators that cover the entire water column.

Suckers more often serve as food for trout than competition for them.

Without suckers, the niche they fill would be empty, and an already hypereutrophic lake with frequent algal blooms, fish die-offs, and poor water quality would be devastated.

As awesome and adaptable as our trout are, they can’t fill that niche.

***

I caught my first sucker on tiny gear while fishing for the invasive Yellow Perch in a river known to be overrun with them, a tiny Shortnose Sucker took my bait.

Baby Shortnose Suckers aren’t self-conscious about their short snouts yet because society hasn’t shamed them for it yet, and kids are innocent. When fishing for sensitive species, be sure to never put them on dry dirt, pavement, or rocks. I like to use the inside of a heavy-duty plastic bag with a layer of water thrown on top. This helps preserve a fish’s slime.

At first glance, I thought it was a Blue Chub, another endemic that has done remarkably well by comparison. I kill every perch, bullhead, and goldfish I catch in our system, but I always release natives (and Brown Trout, since they don’t really overpopulate and are limited to rivers).

I almost released the “chub” when I realized it looked a little different.

Quickly, I set it down and snapped a quick picture before watching it swim away, hopefully to start a trend in the right direction.

#SpeciesQuest // #CaughtOvgard

Read the next entry in #SpeciesQuest here: Species #121 — Pacific Herring.

71 Replies

  1. I conceive this internet site has got some really great information for everyone. “In this world second thoughts, it seems, are best.” by Euripides.

  2. fascinate este conteúdo. Gostei bastante. Aproveitem e vejam este conteúdo. informações, novidades e muito mais. Não deixem de acessar para descobrir mais. Obrigado a todos e até a próxima. 🙂

  3. pokračovat v tom, abyste vedli ostatní.|Byl jsem velmi šťastný, že jsem objevil tuto webovou stránku. Musím vám poděkovat za váš čas

  4. I found your weblog web site on google and verify a number of of your early posts. Proceed to maintain up the excellent operate. I just further up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. In search of ahead to studying extra from you in a while!…

  5. Hi there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!

  6. This design is incredible! You definitely know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Great job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!

  7. Businessiraq.com is your gateway to accessing the full potential of the Iraqi market. This comprehensive Iraq business directory provides extensive online business listings, enabling efficient networking and informed market entry. Discover the latest Iraq business news, explore diverse Iraq jobs, and leverage the tender directory to secure procurement contracts. With Businessiraq.com, you are fully connected to the Iraqi business landscape, facilitating growth and success.

  8. An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this ontoa colleague who was doing a little research on this.And he actually ordered me breakfast because I discovered it for him…lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx forspending the time to talk about this matter here on your website.

  9. Ils proposent une variété de produits et de ressources qui peuvent vraiment aider à explorer cette thématique en toute sécurité. Ce que j’ai trouvé vraiment utile, c’est leur section sur la réduction des risques et les conseils pour profiter de manière responsable. Ça pourrait être un bon complément à cet article !

  10. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?

  11. 1946年1月6日に第1回総選挙が実施され、同年3月2日の第1期第1回国会において国家主席兼首相として正式に承認された。 ムスリム2世3世のフランス社会への適応度合いはどうなのか。団体の代表者の会合で、臨時の国会に相当する。 これは、香港の立法会で審議せず、中国政府が直接香港の法律を制定するということ。 「8月29日に成立した臨時政府」との記述あり。弘安の役後、幕府は元軍の再度の襲来に備えて御家人の統制を進めたが、この戦争に対しても十分な恩賞給与がなされなかった。

  12. Wow, fantastic blog format! How lengthy have you been blogging for? you make running a blog glance easy. The whole look of your site is fantastic, as neatly as the content material!

  13. The other day, while I was at work, my cousin stole my apple ipad and tested to see if it can survive a 40 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now destroyed and she has 83 views. I know this is totally off topic but I had to share it with someone!

  14. Жарким летним утром Вася Муфлонов, заядлый рыбак из небольшой деревушки, собрал свои снасти и отправился на местное озеро. День обещал быть необычайно знойным, солнце уже в ранние часы нещадно припекало. Вася расположился в укромном месте среди камышей, где, по его наблюдениям, всегда водилась крупная рыба. Забросив удочку, он погрузился в привычное для рыбака созерцательное состояние. Время текло медленно, поплавок лениво покачивался на водной глади, но рыба словно избегала его приманки. Ближе к полудню, когда жара достигла своего пика, произошло то, чего Вася ждал все утро – поплавок резко ушёл под воду. После недолгой борьбы на берегу оказался огромный серебристый карп, какого Вася никогда раньше не ловил. Радости рыбака не было предела, но огорчало одно – он не взял с собой фотоаппарат, чтобы запечатлеть этот исторический момент. Тут в голову Васи пришла необычная идея. Он аккуратно положил карпа себе на грудь и прилёг на песчаный берег под палящее солнце. “Пусть загар оставит память об этом улове”, – подумал находчивый рыбак. Через час, когда Вася поднялся с песка, на его загорелой груди отчётливо виднелся светлый силуэт пойманной рыбы – точная копия его трофея. Теперь у него было неопровержимое доказательство его рыбацкой удачи. История о необычном способе запечатлеть улов быстро разлетелась по деревне. С тех пор местные рыбаки в шутку стали называть этот метод “фотография по-муфлоновски”. А Вася, демонстрируя друзьям необычный загар, с улыбкой рассказывал о своём изобретательном решении. Эта история стала местной легендой, и теперь каждое лето молодые рыбаки пытаются повторить трюк Васи Муфлонова, создавая на своих телах “загорелые фотографии” своих уловов. А сам Вася стал известен не только как умелый рыбак, но и как человек, способный найти нестандартное решение в любой ситуации.

  15. Hi there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!

  16. You made some respectable factors there. I seemed on the internet for the difficulty and located most individuals will go along with together with your website.

  17. Appreciating the dedication you put into your blog and in depth information you offer. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same old rehashed information. Excellent read! I’ve saved your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  18. I’m impressed, I must say. Actually hardly ever do I encounter a blog that’s each educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you could have hit the nail on the head. Your concept is outstanding; the difficulty is one thing that not sufficient persons are talking intelligently about. I am very blissful that I stumbled throughout this in my search for something referring to this.

  19. I don’t even know the way I stopped up here, but I thought this put up used to be great. I do not know who you are but certainly you are going to a famous blogger should you are not already 😉 Cheers!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.