Buffalo: Bigmouth, Smallmouth, Black. Buffalo are planktivores, feeding on filamentous algae in addition to macroinvertebrates, small crustaceans and even baitfish. Often misidentified as carp, these fish frequently receive a cruel and unnecessary death, intended for the common carp. However, some bow angling groups purposely try to misrepresent these fish by calling them buffalo carp, as a means for justifying wanton killing of these large robust fish. High commercial value: uses include food fish, gefilte fish, and fishmeal. Their firm white meat holds high consumptive value and makes for excellent table fare.
Redhorse: Black, River, Greater, Shorthead, Silver, Golden. Often misidentified, many anglers share great difficulty distinguishing between the different redhorse species. Redhorse need clean water to survive. Species like the Black and Greater Redhorse are threatened or species of concern in many areas. Redhorse are great indicator species, serving as excellent indicators of water quality and stream health. Silvers and goldens are fairly aggressive fighters. Greaters are a highly elusive fish and difficult to catch, especially on a fly. Catching a greater redhorse with a fly is truly an accomplishment and a trophy; a catch of a lifetime.
Quillback, River Carpsucker, Highfin Carpsucker. Extremely wary fish. Their tiny mouths make it difficult to get a fair hook set inside mouth. These fish have a conspicuously long filament that extends back from the dorsal fin. Challenging; very difficult to catch with traditional American angling methods, these species of fish are rarely caught by anglers.
Other sucker species: Nothern Hogsucker, White Sucker, Blue, Spotted, Longnose, etc.: The white sucker is an extremely important forage species for gamefish like walleye, northern pike, and muskellunge. They are ubiquitous in many northern climate environs. Spring spawners, they will readily take a fly. The northern hogsucker is another great indicator species. They require clean clear, fast streams, holding in areas not fished by most anglers.