Differences between Walleye and Saugers...

[Mongro02]

Besides physical looks is there really a big difference between Walleyes and Saugers.

I'm just curious since most people tend to target Walleyes but Saugers don't seem to get as much attention.

[CrappieJohn]

I love this topic. Basically the waldos are favorable to shallower water with less current and the sauger tend to like the deep water and really don't give a shake about current. While the two species will over-lap their preferences for specific water, they are seldom far apart.
One of the reasons you will find walleye shallower is the sauger are far more light sensitive that the walleye, even though the walleye has eyes geared for gathering light.
When the two are found in the same body of water, they can both be caught using identical baits. This helps eliminate needing six tackle boxes for two different fish. The key is where to fish. Walleyes are notorious for coming up on shallow structure to feed and can be actively caught on even moderately bright day off sand flats and rocks that are only a few feet deep. Sauger prefer the deeper water for feeding which lies adjecent to that shallow water, so basically you can find both fish withing a very short distance from one another. Wind into a rocky shoreline can bring walleyes up to feed within mere feet of shore.
When I fish I prefer to target the sauger....I think they eat better and they are easier for me to locate. Once found though, I can take a rod with a jig/twister or a jig/ringworm and cast these shallow areas and catch my waldos with little need to move to a different area altogether. There are times when the two are definitely separated by their water preferences and this takes time and experience to figure out.
Here is some food for though. We are talking about two completely different species that are from the same general family of fish. They act differently, and look decidedly different. Physical differences are easy to see and the assumption is that they are a world apart, but why then do we see- in waters where the two exist together- the hybredizing of the two? I cannot make a technically qualified repy to my own question, but I think these two fish are just like people. We don't all share the same color, nor do we share the same food likes. Some people like life on a hill, others in a valley. These fish are about like we are...so different, yet so closely related.

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Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom
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[Mongro02]

THat's very interesting CrappieTom.

WHat about as far as taste goes. Do they both taste the same?

I assume since they are from the same family and have similar looks physically, they would have the same flesh makeup.

[CrappieJohn]

I think the saugs eat better. I know others who think the waldos are the thing. And yet others who could give a flap either way. The walleye will yeild a greater portion of meat per inch than the saug, but I'll only keep four or five at a time. I do not keep walleyes at all unless they have to be killed. I just feel that the waldo is sort of a "glamor" fish and if you can catch the saugs for dinner, why eat the walleyes. I don't feel that the saugs carry less fat under the skin than the waldos. Taste though, is a matter of personal preference.

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Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom
muckbootsonline.com Pro Staff
Culprit Tackle Crappie Pro Staff
[email protected]

[BackHerUp]

The walleye is the most sought-after fish in Minnesota. Its thick, white fillets, handsome shape and coloring, and elusive nature make it the ultimate prize among anglers. Each year, anglers in Minnesota keep roughly 3.5 million walleyes totaling 4 million pounds. The average walleye caught and kept is about 14 inches long and weighs slightly more than 1 pound. The walleye is named for its pearlescent eye, which is caused by a reflective layer of pigment, called the tapetum lucidum, that helps it see and feed at night or in murky water.

A close cousin of the walleye is the sauger. Sauger have a more limited distribution than walleyes, and they don't grow as large. The two species look similar, but you can tell them apart by looking at the tip of the lower part of the tail. That part of the tail is white on a walleye, but not on a sauger.

To ensure that lakes produce enough walleyes to keep up with growing angler demand, the DNR protects habitat, limits the catch through regulations, and stocks fish where natural reproduction is limited and other desirable fish species will not be harmed. In recent years, the DNR has also instituted special regulations that protect medium-sized walleyes on several lakes to increase the average size of walleyes that anglers can catch.

Oh well...I was bored...

[This message has been edited by BackHerUp (edited 06-06-2004).]

[the olde man]

i have cooked both at the same time and i can`t tell the difference both are delicious!and once fillet' i can`t tell the difference between them either also i should add the saugers won`t grow as large as a walleye mn. record sauger is like 6 1/2 lbs. i believe