Hey all - I have been trying to figure out what kind of fish this is, but I can't for the life of me get a good answer. I was fishing a small river in northern Illinois, and I saw packs of these swimming back and forth. Never seen them before and I accidentally snagged one - see that big 'ol pointy dorsal fin? 

 

What is this thing... and who or what eats it?

 

Thanks! 

This fish is called different names : quillback, carpsucker, long-fin sucker, mullet, etc.

In French: couette

Looks like a Quillback Sucker....same Order as Carp but a different Family....pretty much a trash fish.

No, not a sportfish by any means but they bite, fight hard and get big enough ( 5-6 pounds where I fish)

Interesting looking fish, usually you see that style of dorsal in salt water 

Yup, quillback carpsucker

 

Current Michigan state record is almost 10#, caught an hour north of me a few years ago on a rapala.

 

I'm sure pike, musky, & bass eat them if they're the right size.  I probably wouldn't.  

 

 

Quillback. A native fish in Illinois. Usually hang out in packs. Eats algae and are good for the river ecosystem. Not easy to catch. Many fishermen mistake them for invasive carp and kill them. 
 

I see them all the time when I fish the Kishwaukee river. 

Got it - thanks guys! Today was the first time I had ever seen anything like this, and they were roaming in packs. Interesting fish. Much appreciated! 

On 9/18/2025 at 6:40 AM, AJ Hauser said:

who or what eats it?

 

@TnRiver46 would probably eat it.

28 minutes ago, BASS302 said:

 

@TnRiver46 would probably eat it.

Ya he would

53 minutes ago, BASS302 said:

 

@TnRiver46 would probably eat it.

 

25 minutes ago, gim said:

Ya he would

I draw the line there !!! 

I feel like if you deep fried the crap out of it, it wouldn’t be much different than any other fish filet!
 

@gim They are much different than any other fish, in a bad way. Even a deep fried drum in not good