Oklahoma’s fish come in all shapes and sizes, built for their respective lives in streams and rivers. The blue sucker typically lives at the bottom of deep, fast-moving rivers and has a long, streamlined body to match. The mouth is positioned on the underside of the head and is used to feed on caddisflies and other aquatic insects that also live on the bottom of the rivers.

In Oklahoma, blue suckers appear to be most abundant in the Red River below Lake Texoma, but may also be found in the Kiamichi, Arkansas, and Grand Rivers. This fish is considered a species of greatest conservation need in Oklahoma. It is also listed as a species of special concern in the Wildlife Department’s Administrative Code, which sets a daily harvest limit of one blue sucker and requires successful anglers report the harvest to the Wildlife Department.

Fun Fact: When adult and juvenile fish of the same species have different habitat or food needs, the adult fish tend to migrate upstream and spawn where conditions are more favorable for their young before returning to their preferred habitats. The blue sucker has been found to make impressive migrations, but the species isn’t consistent in the distance of its migration. Some individuals may migrate more than 180 miles within a year while others may stay within the same 1.8-mile reach of the river. Cool temperatures and high flows trigger the migration.