Desert Sucker (Catostomus clarki)

The Desert Sucker or Catostomus clarki is a freshwater fish that is found in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico all around the Great Basin and the Colorado River Basin. Also known as the Gila Mountain Sucker, this fish can grow to about 31" in maximum lenght and can weigh just over 4lbs.

Desert Suckers have an olive brown coloration on the top half of their bodies, with a yellow underside. They have a very thick upper lip which is common of fish in the Sucker family. Their dorsal fin has 10 to 11 rays in it.

Desert Suckers are known to be very tasty, but do have floating bones which can cause a problem if not prepared properly. If you are fishing for Desert Suckers you should take into consideration the fact that they feed on algae, aquatic insects and larvae. Using worms or crickets are often said to produce the best results.

These fish reach sexual maturity in just two years. Spawning occurs in gravely areas from February to July. Once hatched these fish tend to inhabit areas in streams that have deep pools often around rocky areas.

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