Thanks for all the replies!

On one hand this problem is a little comical. A fisherman who's afraid of fish? What?

The fear though isn't by any means minor. For instance, I'm slightly afraid of snakes, and will jump a bit when I see one. But for the most part I can pick them up or observe them without any real fear after the initial shock (well, I don't go trying to pick up rattlers of course!).

Suckers are a different story. The fear is overwhelming. If I were to try to touch one at this point I would begin to shake heavily and probably start crying. It's very odd. I have at times tried to picture in my mind touching them... well, at least touching whitefish. That's why I thought that maybe I'd be able to grab one after my extended break from fishing. The fear was overwhelming though. When I picture suckers in my mind I have the same irrational, excessive response as when I'm actually confronted with one. I've used these types of visualization techniques to get over my fear of wading in fast water (I didn't even know I was doing it, but as a kid I would imagine myself being swept down stream and force myself to stick with the thought no matter how frightening), but realistic fears of physical danger are much easier to get over than unrealistic fears of "gross" things.

I've touched suckers before. I used to catch a lot of squawfish on the Blackfoot when I was younger, and caught a number of whitefish and removed them successfully in my teenage years (I'm all too familiar with the "whitefish squeeze"...ick). I even remember once catching a giant sucker in the missouri and handling it when I was probably 11 years old. I've caught and handled a lot of other "ugly" fish that I'm not afraid of: bass, walleye, sheephead, perch, etc.

The hook remover idea is a good one. I do have one of those gizmos, but just proximity to the fish frightens me. Like I have to remove myself from the water if I have one on the hook, even if I'm wearing waders. I'll have to see if I can do it.

The idea of trying to lessen my fears by making light of the things about the fish that disgust me the most is a good one. That may help as well.

Thankfully I'm the type who thinks that a 99 cent fly can catch just as many fish as a 2.99 fly! If you happen to be in Montana and catch a whitefish with a bead head hares ear in its lip, you can be sure that I've recently been in the area. Enjoy the fly. Haha.

I think what I'll do is try to use a hook remover on a small whitefish and gradually work myself up to larger ones. The small ones don't have as pronounced scales and don't squish as much.