Sauger Fishing Tips

Do you want to catch more saugers? Saugers are very sensitive to light and you will find them in deeper water to escape the light from the sun. They are feisty and taste great. This makes them appealing to anglers. In this article, we share sauger fishing tips to help you take more sauger home.

Sauger Fishing Tips

1. Vertically jig using a large heavy jig up to 1 ounce. The jig can be soft plastics, feathers, or hair. The heavy jig will get down to the area where a sauger can be found.

2. Saugers are attracted to deeper, darker, and swifter water than walleyes.

3. Short jigs do a better job in reducing current, while longer jigs work well in stronger flows.

4. Saugers like slow-moving, and deep rivers. They can also be found in lakes and reservoirs. Being a migratory species, you will find saugers in a lot of habitats.

5. Adult saugers feed on leeches, crayfish, smaller fish, channel catfish, freshwater drum, and Grizzard shad. Smaller sauger eats insects and invertebrates.

6. Look for sauger in shallow water with cover, gravel bars, sandbars, holes, and at points where two rivers meet in the fall.

7. In spring, saugers spawn. You will find them upstream in gravel or sandy bars downstream from dams and lock walls. They can also be found around rocks, debris, and along eddies.

8. Look for saugers in deer waters during the summer. In early summer, look for saugers near deep gravel bars and holes away from the shore. Late in summer, saugers can be found downstream from tailwaters near drop-offs and holes near confluences.

9. Early fishing when the sun is rising or late in the evening can be the best time to fish for saugers. Saugers come near the shore to feed during early mornings or late evenings.

10. Sauger tends to linger close to the bottom in some areas. You will need to bring your lure down to them. Just touch the bottom and hold for a few seconds. Then use a slow retrieve to tempt the sauger to follow and get bites. You may not get any bites if you move it too fast.

11. The color of the lure you use depends on the water you are fishing in. Use bright-colored lures or spinners in clear water and darker colors in murky waters.

12. Since saugers are not as aggressive or active as other species like bass, go with a tackle of medium weight. Additionally, choose a 7 to 9-foot rod and reel set up with average action for best line control. Get a fishing line that is close to a 10 lb test depending on how deep you will fish.

13. Saugers are very sensitive to scents, especially pheromones that lure females during the mating season. Therefore, if you are using scents, don’t overuse them. It will put off the sauger.

14. The best way to get the attention of saugers is using spinnerbaits or other kinds of flashy lures as they like to follow an object. Use a spinning lure that has 3 “spinners” if you want to catch saugers with a simple spinning lure.

15. If you haven’t been successful in catching saugers with bait or lures, try different approaches like float fishing, spin casting, or spinner baiting. You have to factor in how active and aggressive a sauger is to know which method to use.

16. Pulling a three-way rig up current is another presentation to fish for saugers.

Sauger Fishing Gear

1. Rods & Reels

A medium-heavy spinning rod that is 6 or 7 feet and a reel will do the job for fishing saugers.

2. Fishing Line

A monofilament line with an 8 to 12-pound test line will work for fishing saugers.

3. Hooks

A size #1, 1/0, 2/0, or 3/0 will do the job for sauger fishing.

Sauger Lures & Baits

1. Jigs

2. Spoons

3. Crankbaits

Sauger Live Bait

1. Nightcrawlers

2. Minnows

3. Shad

The Bottom Line

Saugers are a unique fish as they are very light sensitive and will move away from the light. They are tasty and this makes them a good target for anglers. In this article, we shared sauger fishing tips to help you be more successful in fishing for saugers whether you are a beginner or an experienced angler.