White Sucker

The white sucker is a bottom-feeding freshwater fish found throughout rivers and lakes across North America. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavour and soft flesh, though it’s known for being bony — a trait that’s kept it from widespread commercial popularity despite being perfectly good eating.

White sucker is more commonly caught by recreational anglers than sold in shops. In Indigenous North American food traditions, it has a long history as a reliable spring food source, often smoked or dried. The flesh works well when smoked, as the process firms up the texture and the bones soften enough to eat.

It’s not a fish you’ll typically find at an Australian fishmonger, but it appears in some imported or specialty products.