They can be caught all year, since Saugeye don't normally spawn there is really no run so to speak but if you are going to be fishing in a river I would fish in the eddy's and slack water areas below any low head dam or find deeper pools on the outside bend and fish it were the fast water riffle sweeps into the deeper pool. use a jig/minnow or jig/nightcrawler and cast quartering upstream and let your jig sweep out of the fast water down into the deeper water. Use enough weight to bounce along the bottom because that's where they will more than likely be. If you don't want to fool with bait use a twister tail on your jig, I prefer these colors, Chartruese, yellow, pink, white, pearl/chartruese, red/white. Good luck I hope this helps. Also try around the mouth of smaller tributaries sometimes they will stack up in those areas as well.

 

thanks for the feedback

 

http://www.in-fisherman.com/content/saugeye-secrets-ice-versus-open-water
pretty interesting article

 

You probably mean sauger, not saugeye. Saugeye are stocked in a lot of inland lakes, most likely in the Ohio River and tribs you're going to catch a sauger, or a walleye if you're lucky. The sauger population is amazing in the Ohio River, you'll find them below all the dams in SE Ohio and around a lot of creek/river mouths on the Ohio. I also catch a lot of them in the spring on the Hocking when the conditions are fishable, which can be tough on the Hocking in early spring. Sometimes it seems like it muddies up as soon as the rain clouds start rolling in before a drop hits the ground.

I'm pumped up with the walleye numbers seeming to be on the rise in the Ohio. I still don't catch a lot of them, but more and more every year. Keep a small jig or a minnow, or a combination of both, near the bottom below a dam and odds are you'll find sauger. I catch about as many on the locks side of the dams as I do the tailrace side.

 

it does depend where you are fishing. you can find saugeye in tailwaters and river systems below the reservoirs because they get sucked through the damn and spent their time in rivers and even creeks. they are a hybrid, but they do make "mock" spawning runs from everything i have read.

 

they do go throught the motions of spawning. in the last several years i have even seen them deposting sperm and eggs in local lakes. the eggs do not hatch though.

saugeye will run up the rivers this time of year. from now till april should be pretty good depending on your location and saugeye population (stocking).

 

Saugeye are found In all the tail waters where Fish have been stocked up stream in Lakes and such. And they do make spawning runs every spring the same as walleye and sauger!! I have been catching Saugeye all the Month of February that are full of eggs and sperm. Tail waters, Eddies and river bends are good places to start looking for these fish. However, Saugeye are beginning to seek spawning grounds that consist of clean rock or gravel bottom,usually these areas are found at low head dams and regular dams in the tail water. You just have to find these places and learn all you can from the local fisherman about the area. I've found that if you keep your pride and your Ego in your pocket most locals will be happy to share some info with you. And Saugeye Honey holes are a closely guarded by those who have them. I have found that Visiting these places and talking to the Folks that fish them is the best source of info for finding the areas to fish. Good luck in your Quest for The mighty saugeye. see ya on the River!!

 

I have to agree with the previous couple posts. Saugeye do go threw the motions when it comes to the spawning period. The last couple I have caught this month have been packed with eggs. Last two years I have fished the tailwaters of a few central ohio lakes after a big rain and it was like fishing up on the Maumee with the amount of #'s that move up stream from the high water.

 

I have talked to odnr,game warden & afisheries biologist & had conlicting stories. some say saugeye r sterile &cant reproduce, some say they r spawning with walleye making them harder to identify as true saugeye or walleye. i have caught both in the local river systems. saugeye r more prevalent in the lakes& rivers ohio river has huge numbers of sauger still can get saugeye and walleye. rayland on the ohio i have done well & below dam by stratton. GO GET 'EM

 

I still just want to see a fish run. I hear about saugeye's Walleye's and white bass running, but have yet to see it myself



Fish any spillway, any feeder creek on most rivers, and feeder creeks in lakes. There is no one set time. You can catch saugeye most of the year in these same places. You do get a peak time, but it's not a set time. Even then it's usually just a small time frame where you'll pick off a few in a short amount of time. Most of the people that do really well either figure out the prime time to be there or they put in a ton of hours.

 

exactly! back in early 90-s we would catch good numbers @ certain times usually starting about now. 1 day would be awesome, next day could not find a fish. they move just like most any species due 2 fronts,water change,temp. etc. Guess thats why its called fishing not catching. THOUGHT I SAW AFISH RUNNIN DOWN THE STREET! turned out to be my medication! LOL

 

Ihave fished for saugeyes since the first year ever stocked and they will do everything that there parents do and go thru all the spawn motions. And have been told by the guys who produce them that around 10% are not sterile and reproduce. So that being said as already mentioned find your streams and rivers that have them in it from lakes that were stocked and start looking now for the good spawning areas mostly likey dams because they will be showing up. Now is the time to really boost your odds on your personal best or a real trophy. And also not just the rivers be fishing your favorite lakes as well they will do there spawn in them as well. Many by rocky shore areas. Good fishing

 

Thanx FISHSLIM for verifying this information. what I had been told was mixed but have caught fish with more walleye characeristics than the hybrid so some people @ odnr r on top of it. they do spawn with walleye and vise-a versa just got back from short outing caught 1 hammerhandle on swim bait & 1 17"saugeye on purple jig n crawler right @ sunset. gotta love it!