A close relative of walleye — smaller, more heavily mottled, with spots on the dorsal fin. More tolerant of turbid water than walleye, making them dominant in muddier big rivers.

Also called: Sand Pickerel (regional; incorrect), Sauger Pike (incorrect)

Native status: Native to Mississippi and Hudson Bay drainages

§ Quick facts

SizeLength 25–60 cm; record 79 cm
Weight0.5–2 kg; record 4.5 kg
LifespanWild 6–12 years
OrderPerciformes
FamilyPercidae

§ Encyclopedia

The sauger is a freshwater perciform fish of the family Percidae that resembles its close relative, the walleye. The species is a member of the largest vertebrate order, the Perciformes. It is the most migratory percid species in North America. Saugers have two dorsal fins; the first is spiny and the posterior dorsal fin is soft-rayed. Their paired fins are in the thoracic position and their caudal fin is truncated, which means squared off at the corners, a characteristic of the family Percidae. Another physical characteristic of saugers is their ctenoid scales, which are common in advanced fishes. Saugers have a fusiform body structure, and as a result are well adapted predatory fishes and are capable of swimming into fast currents with minimal drag on their bodies. They may be distinguished from walleyes by the distinctly spotted dorsal fin, by the lack of a white splotch on the caudal fin, by the rough skin over their gills, and by their generally more brassy color, or darker color in some regions. The typical sauger is 300 to 400 g in weight.

Source: Wikipedia — Sauger Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Slender olive-bronze fish with dark saddle markings on back; distinct rows of dark spots on dorsal fin (not pigmentation pattern of Walleye); lacks distinctive white tip on lower tail fin.

Similar species. Walleye (no spots on dorsal fin; white tail tip). Saugeye hybrid (intermediate features). Yellow Perch (very different body shape).

Voice. Silent.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Small fish (especially shad, alewife, emerald shiners), aquatic insects, crayfish.

Behavior. Closely related to Walleye but adapted to more turbid, current-driven river systems. Hybridizes with Walleye where ranges overlap, producing "Saugeyes" widely stocked in reservoirs. Like Walleye, has reflective eyes adapted to low-light hunting — population strongholds in dam tailwaters where current and turbulence create ideal conditions. Sensitive to siltation and dam impacts; populations have declined significantly from historic levels.

§ Range

Mississippi, Missouri, and Great Lakes drainages

§ Habitat

Large rivers, big reservoirs, turbid waters

§ Threats

Habitat loss from dam construction, water quality issues, hybridization with walleye.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the sauger is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Support river free-flow restoration. Practice catch-and-release. Follow regulations.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • American Fisheries Society
  • Tennessee Valley Authority
  • Missouri Department of Conservation
  • IUCN Red List 2013