Sauger have such light-sensitive eyes that they not only prefer deep, murky environments, but also actually avoid shallower, clearer water, except perhaps during low-light periods. Their tubular-shaped (cross-section) bodies also are better designed for holding tight to bottom in faster water than are the pear-shaped bodies of their close cousin, the walleye. When you find the two together, as is common in many big-river environments, sauger tend to be located deeper, in swifter current; walleyes shallower, more associated with visible current breaks. Typically, the walleye zone on big rivers extends down to about 18 feet, and the sauger zone up to about 12. Thus some overlap occurs, and both species are caught in the same areas on the same presentations.

Location

In big-river environments during late fall and winter, massive concentrations of sauger collect in the first few miles below large power dams, providing outstanding open-water fisheries throughout winter. Many fish are drawn upriver to the main deep scour hole immediately beneath the dam, where they associate with comfortable current levels somewhere within or along the rim of the hole at depths down to perhaps 50 feet.

Many fish also relate to somewhat shallower spots slightly downriver from the immediate tailrace, typified by current breaks in the main channel. These may occur around visible objects like bridge pilings, riprap shorelines, or natural points extending into the river. Or they may be more subtle, like midriver humps, holes formed along outside channel bends or tributary intersections, or even slight current breaks along the main basin of the channel that are formed by rolling sand bottom, minor dips and rises, or slight holes. The shared characteristic is fairly deep water with some current, not roaring, but not necessarily subtle or absent, either. Not much reduction in flow is needed to attract and hold bottom-hugging sauger.

In modestly large rivers where good populations of sauger relate to downriver wintering holes formed at channel bends, sauger may remain within the vicinities of holes at spawning time, rather than moving all the way upstream to the dam. This is particularly true if holes have nearby spawning flats of mixed rock, gravel, and sand. As water temperature rises near 40°F, sauger shift from the basins up toward the edges of holes, eventually spawning on adjacent 6- to 12-foot gravel flats, once the water reaches 50°F. They not only spawn deeper than walleyes, but also in faster current.

Presentation

Throughout its range, the sauger’s penchant for remaining deep seldom brings it within traditional shallow casting zones, at least during daylight. Most fish are caught on vertical jigging presentations of some sort, with a secondary array of trolling tactics occasionally coming into play.

Exceptions? Admittedly, anglers casting from shore below large power dams catch a fair number of sauger, particularly during low-light conditions when fish move shallower, often toward shore. Those same anglers, however, likely would catch more sauger from a boat, by dangling a vertical offering directly beneath the hull and tapping the bottom. And they’d lose fewer lures. Shorecasting into deep water and bringing a lure back up a craggy, snag-infested riprap slope takes its toll on lost tackle, particularly lures that need to be positioned tight to bottom to catch sauger. Even so, during winter when sauger concentrate below dams, anglers line the riprapped bank, sacrificing a few lures in exchange for the chance to catch fish.

For anglers in boats, sauger fishing can be as simple as lowering a large, heavy jig to bottom and bouncing it along bottom while drifting in the current. Heavy is relative, ranging from 1/4 to 3/8 ounce in shallower modest flows, to 1 ounce or more in powerful, deep, fast flows below major dams on the Ohio or Tennessee Rivers. It seems absurd to use such a large lure for fish that typically average between 3/4 and 11⁄2 pounds, but large lure size doesn’t seem to deter sauger, and it’s weight, not bulk, that’s the essential component.

You must be able to tap dance your bait along bottom, making noise and rustling the basin, to trigger bites within a limited fish zone. If in doubt, go heavier, not lighter, for efficiency. If the boat is moving downcurrent too quickly to maintain control, use an upstream thrust of your outboard or electric to slow its downstream passage, enhancing your ability to tap the bottom .

Lighter lures are easily presented on spinning gear with 8-pound-test line; heavier setups may require moderate casting gear with 10- or 12-pound test to withstand the strain of lift-dropping the heavy weight while kerplunking the bottom. Note any change in feel that might indicate a strike. In deep powerful current, subtle strikes sometimes go undetected.

Southern anglers commonly tip jigheads with plastic tails—curly grubs, tubes, or others—to catch loads of sauger. Northern anglers typically tip the jig with a 2-inch minnow, hooked up through the jaw and out the top of the head, to add scent, taste, profile, and action. No reason you can’t do both, varying the look and appeal until you hit on a winning combination. Be aware, however, that added bulk creates water resistance. You may have to increase jig weight to keep your lure combo on bottom.

Bladebaits like the Silver Buddy or Sonar also are popular in the South, fished with a more pronounced rip and flutter, creating flash and vibration to trigger strikes. Always use a small snap to attach the line to a hole punched into the back of the bladebait. Heavy jigging spoons also are good sauger candidates, if they can be controlled to keep them positioned near bottom.

In northern waters, anglers trolling three-way rigs for walleyes often catch sauger in the main river basin. Setups range from floating jigheads tipped with minnows, to plain hooks tipped with minnows, to minnow-imitating crankbaits trolled upstream against the current. If you choose a three-way, keep both the dropper and leader short to position the lure near bottom. Sauger won’t rise far to take a bait above their heads.

Where current is fairly strong, try pulling heavy 3/4- to 1-ounce thumper jigs or Dubuque Rigs upstream into the current. (A Dubuque Rig substitutes a heavy jig for the bell sinker in a three-way rig, in effect, simultaneously presenting two lures or baits at slightly different depths.) Use your bowmount electric to move slowly upstream at a walking pace, sweeping the rod tip forward a foot, then lowering it back until you feel the jig thump bottom. Repeat. This provides a different appearance to your jig, and thus a different triggering mechanism, when everyone else is drifting downstream. Once you determine the productive depth, try some of each: drifting downstream, pulling back up, particularly when sauger move up into spawning areas shallower than 12 feet.

Tap Dancing Sauger—A Contact Sport

Winter’s here: prime time to tap the potential of big-water sauger with a bottom-banging presentation. Sauger hug bottom, thus your lures must, too. Be it a jig, Dubuque Rig, spoon, bladebait, crankbait, or three-way rig, send it down and tap-tap-tap your way along bottom, rooting and rustling the shy-light zone. Sooner or later, one good commotion leads to another. No well-presented lure goes unbit when concentrations of sauger prowl scour holes below dams and deep midriver structure during winter and early prespawn migrations.