Kentuckians are blessed with several places to bank fish for walleye and sauger. Excellent access exists below Green River Lake, Lake Cumberland, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley as well as below several locks and dams on the Ohio River. February through early March is the best time of year to catch them.
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How do you catch sauger in the Ohio River?
Are there sauger in Ohio River?
Sauger were historically abundant in Lake Erie, the Ohio River and their larger tributaries. Today the sauger is still very common in the Ohio River and its larger tributaries upstream to the first dam. In Lake Erie and its tributaries they have become a rather rare catch but small numbers are still present.
What is the best bait for sauger?
On clear days, silver and blue blade baits work better. Blade baits mimic the shad and shiners sauger eat. Jigging spoons in the same colors also score sauger. Presentation is critical for catching sauger consistently.
What is the biggest fish in the Ohio River?
Massive 95-pound catfish ‘by far the largest’ trophy fish caught by these Kentucky men. Michael Robinson and Terry Raymer have made an annual tradition of catching massive fish on the Ohio River, but their latest snag is a personal best.
Where can I find sauger?
How to identify a Sauger. They can be distinguished by several factors, most noticeably, the sauger has distinct dark spots on the dorsal fin. The walleye may have dark streaks or blotches on the dorsal fin, but they are less distinct than the spots of the sauger and may not be present.
How do you catch a sauger in winter?
- Saugers may hold in 50 feet of fast water in winter.
- Snip off and save a slice from the head segment of a twist-tail grub.
- Thread a No.
- Finish by tipping the jig with a big, lively minnow or shad and bury the stinger hook in its side.
How do you catch sauger from the bank?
How can you tell a walleye from a sauger?
Difference Between Sauger and Walleye Body Color: Sauger are a brassy color with large dark blotches. Walleye are a solid golden color all across their upper body. Dorsal fin: Sauger have dark spots on their top (dorsal) fin. Walleye don’t have spots, but their last two spines are solid black.
How do you make a jig for sauger?
Where can I fish for walleye in the Ohio River?
The best walleye fishing tends to be found in the upriver portions of the Ohio River. Saugers are well distributed, and can be found throughout West Virginia’s portion of the river.
How do you fish for walleye in Ohio River?
The most productive times to fish for these fish in the Ohio River are during late fall, winter and early spring using a variety of simple techniques. The most popular method of taking walleye and sauger is by fishing 1/8- to 3/8-ounce jigs tipped with white or chartreuse twister tails near the bottom.
What is the best water temperature for saugeye fishing?
As the water warms in late spring, many disperse back downstream into shallow, turbid reservoirs. In muddy reservoirs without much current, riprap areas along the face of the lower dam may attract and concentrate spawning saugeyes when the water temperature reaches the mid-40F to mid-50F range.
What do saugeye bite on?
Saugeyes can be taken with light spinning and bait casting tackle using spinners, spoons, or live bait like minnows or night crawlers.
What temp do sauger spawn?
Sauger spawn in the spring when water temperatures reach the mid-40’s to mid-50’s. They typically spawn in slightly warmer water temperatures than walleye, but spawning may overlap and natural hybrids do sometimes occur.
Has a shark ever been found in the Ohio River?
A commercial fisherman said he found a shark in the Ohio River. The fisherman found the two-foot bull shark already dead on a boat ramp Thursday morning in Olmsted, Ill. It appeared the shark washed up after flood waters receded.
Has a bull shark ever been found in the Ohio River?
Yes, folks. A bull shark was recently found dead in a river in Manchester, Ohio. The shark was found floating near the shore and seemed to be following groups of bass common in the area because of the abundance of small fish.
Where is the deepest point in the Ohio River?
Louisville, Kentucky, The deepest point of the Ohio River is a scour hole just below Cannelton locks and dam (river mile 720.7).
What do sauger fish eat?
Saugers are bottom-dwelling fishes that mainly eat insects, small crustaceans, and small fishes.
Is Saugeye good to eat?
Both walleye and saugeye are great fish for eating. However, despite some people calling walleye the best-tasting freshwater fish in the world, many locals prefer saugeyes over walleyes. This might be partly due to the freshness, but they believe that sauger and saugeye taste a little sweeter than walleye.
Where do River walleye go in winter?
DEEP SPOTS Deeper river pools, ones out of the flow of the river’s main force, become the wintertime sanctuary for ‘eyes. Holes located below current-deflecting structures like gravel/rock bars often hold fish.
How do you catch walleye in December?
When late-winter walleye really start snapping as the weather warms, turn again to jigs and spoons tipped with minnows. Ball-head jigs of 1/4- or 3/8-ounce work well in most situations, and you can hook the minnow by the head. To save on bait, push the hook point through the minnow’s mouth and up through the head.
What do walleye eat in winter?
“During fronts and at other periods throughout winter, walleyes filter into soft-bottom basins to eat bloodworms,” Brosdahl says. “But they also feed on perch, crappies, troutperch, and other species in the vicinity.
Can you catch sauger in the summer?
Saugers bite all year long. Spring, summer and fall offer incredible fishing for both walleyes and saugers as they are active.
How do you catch sauger on Kentucky Lake?
Other popular sauger fishing areas on Kentucky Lake are the Coffee Landing area and the mouth of the Duck River. Generally, sauger are caught by bumping a heavy jig tipped with a minnow along the bottom below the dams or at the mouths of the rivers and creeks.