Saugeye

The Saugeye is a hybrid fish created by crossing a female walleye with a male sauger. Saugeyes can be taken with light spinning and bait casting tackle using spinners, spoons, or live bait like minnows or night crawlers.

 

HOW TO IDENTIFY A SAUGEYE

These fish are often confused with their parental species but can typically be distinguished by their markings. Saugeyes have dark brown backs with darker saddle shaped markings like that of a sauger, and a white blotch on the lower tip of their tails like that of a walleye. These fish also have a continuous black blotch at the base of the dorsal fin, while saugers only have rows of distinct black spots.

 

WHERE TO CATCH SAUGEYE

Saugeye occur in the middle portion of the U.S. and are focused along the Mississippi River drainage basin and its surrounding tributaries. They can be found as far north as Michigan and as far south as Mississippi. Although they do occur naturally in the same regions as walleye and saugers, they are often farm raised and released into the wild to supplement other sport fish populations.

Saugeyes are typically more tolerant of warm water than walleyes, and are particularly suited to life in turbid reservoirs. Saugeyes often run upriver in winter and spring, congregating in slow moving waters below dams.

The following list includes places where you can catch Saugeye:

 

CLIFFS AND STEEP SHORE BANKS           GRADUAL SHORES

INLETS AND OUTLETS                                     OPEN WATER

POINTS AND BREAK LINES                     DAMS AND FALLS

SPRING HOLES                                              FRESHWATER LAKES AND PONDS

HOLES                                                INSIDE TURNS AND COVES

PIERS, DOCKS AND PILINGS                   ROCKS

SHORELINE SHALLOWS                                   SUNKEN OBJECTS

 

HOW TO CATCH SAUGEYE

Like their parent species, Saugeyes can be taken with light spinning and bait casting tackle using spinners, spoons, or live bait like minnows or night crawlers. These fish can often be caught at night and are considered to be excellent table fare.

The following are fishing methods you can use to catch Saugeye:

 

DRIFT FISHING                                     TROLLING

STILL FISHING                                      FLY FISHING

BAIT CASTING                                     SPIN CASTING

 

SAUGEYE LURES, TACKLE & BAIT

The following are fishing lures, tackle or bait you can use to catch Saugeye:

 

FLIES                                        LEECHES

PLUGS                                       SPOONS

JIGS                                                    MINNOWS

SPINNER BAITS