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Location: Neenah, WI | When we came in from fishing Sunday at the county landing we ran into the warden and she checked our licenses. She told about checking fish at a tournament at Jefferson park in Menasha where a guy had a Sauger. It was the only fish he had. The fine was about $500.00. Save yourselves some money and make sure you know the difference. |
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| Good reminder, Dale. It's been so long since I caught a sauger on Bago, I don't really make a conscious effort to even check anymore. Probably should start, huh? |
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Location: Appleton | There were two brought in at Mercury National and Otter Street two years ago and these anglers were also ticketed. The Sauger population is improving thanks to the efforts of Walleyes for Tomorrow and Otter Street Fishing Club's efforts in netting and stripping Sauger the past couple Springs and raising them in hacteries. Both these organizations should be commended for there efforts. All this work is done by people donated many hours of thier time. Both these organizations are working to improve the fishing for everone. I was out there a couple mornings this Spring and have a photo of a Sauger and a Walleye that I would be happy to e-mail anyone that would like to see what they both look like to compare. They are by no means professional but you can see the differences. E-mail me and I will send you a copy of the photos. My e-mail is [email protected] |
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Location: Elgin, Illinois | Here's a sauger... saugeye and a walleye...
Edited by hgmeyer 5/26/2005 8:39 AM
Attachments
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 saugerbig.jpeg (45KB - 221 downloads)
LBF_Saugeye.jpeg (14KB - 156 downloads)
LBF_Walleye.jpeg (15KB - 139 downloads)
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Location: Elgin, Illinois | Biggest difference, easiest to see, is that a Sauger has no white spot on the bottom of the tail... |
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Location: Elgin, Illinois | How does Wisconsin categorize a "Saugeye" (walleye/sauger cross)? Illinois has a very extensive stocking program for Saugeyes in some lakes... (Evergreen near Bloomington has produced several Saugeye State records) |
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Greg,
Be very careful about the white tail identification. Many on this board will tell you about catching sauger with a very small white area on tip of fin. This generally turns into a saugeye discussion then. From what I have been told, the DNR has never identified any saugeye in bago system although many fishermen swear they have caught them. |
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Location: Elgin, Illinois | Dennis,
Look at the "Saugeye" picture, above. You will see the white spot... That bit of info... (reliability totally unknown to me) was given to me by an Illinois DNR employee at Evergreen Lake.... I look for the larger "flower petal or leaf shaped dark blotches" and a more grey color as well as the absence of the "spot" to identify a Sauger. The Saugeye seem to have "irregular" blotches, still mostly grey color and a white outline or smaller area on the lower tail fin tip... Sometimes its easy to identify and sometimes you can stare at a Saugeye and not know what you have...
On Winnebago what do/would they classify a Saugeye as?
Edited by hgmeyer 5/26/2005 8:46 AM
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Location: Plover, WI | At the MWS Bago rules meeting 2 or 3 years ago the rep from Walleyes for Tomorrow was there and said they have seen saugers in the Bago system with white markings on the tail. He warned everyone to be on the watch because the white spot on the tail would not get you out of a DQ or ticket.
Never checked into it any further and don't keep that close of tabs on the Bago system sauger situation, just thought I'd give a little FYI. Would be nice to get the current official word on the bago saugers in that regards if anyone has it.
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Greg,
I think that the standard, most reliable identification process involves looking for the rows of dark spots on the dorsal fin.
Check out the following link:
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/fhp/fish/pubs/walleye.pdf |
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| Dennis, is that you on the bottom of page 6? hehehe
Oh, that's right, you only use ice for your drinks!
Edited by Shep 5/26/2005 10:42 AM
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Yes Shep,
That is me. How did ya' guess. That was in the good ole' days when men were men. I used an ax to make the hole. I was using cat gut line (don't ask) on a rod that I made myself ( could ya' tell?). If you look real close in the picture you'll see my horse tied to a tree on shore. Those were the good old days when the average walleye was bigger than the hole. |
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Location: Elgin, Illinois | This gets "murkier" as we go along... The Wisconsin DNR page (quoted above)says to identify a "Walleye"... "look for the dark blotch in the lower back corner of the first dorsal fin and a white tip on the lower half of the caudal fin (tail) to distinguish the walleye from its close relative, the sauger.
Of course, there is no sauger fact sheet on the DNR site.... But, the Sea Grant Fish of Wisconsin site does have a Sauger identification that is "pretty scientific"... And mentions a "ventral lobe of the caudal fin sometimes white edged"... So much for the Illinois DNR employee's "help"... LOL
I am now quite prepared to have a fisheries biologist accompany me on all outings... LOL Or maybe they should all come labeled "Identification of this fish as a Walleye is at your own risk"... |
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| You guys are kidding right? everyone knows that was MY first photo op back in the day! Thanks I needed that laugh!
Good Luck
Tyee |
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