Lake Vermilion Sucker Sale Underway!

The traditional spring sucker sale at the DNR’s Pike River Hatchery started Monday Apr 22. The hatchery team began its walleye egg-take activities last Saturday and quickly filled the sucker holding pen to its 6000 lbs capacity over Easter weekend.

Sales will generally take place every day at 8:00 am when enough suckers are available. Buyers who arrive before 8:00 may sign in on a clipboard to record their place in line. Each buyer is limited to one 100-lb tub until all have had their chance. An hour later, another batch of suckers are headed to smokers in the northland.

Suckers are sold for $10 per 100 pounds. Proceeds are used by the Vermilion Lake Association (VLA) for a broad range of activities at Vermilion.

Need inspiration? The VLA’s 22-page sucker recipe booklet is available at the sale for $1.00. The booklet is a compilation of 50 traditional recipes, many signed by the “old timers” who created them.

For additional information, contact Tom Forconi at 218-428-7096 or the hatchery at 218-753-5692. Sucker sale information is updated on the lake association website by 4:00 pm each day.