Sauger
Sander canadensis
A close cousin of the walleye, the sauger is slimmer and brassy with distinct dark saddle blotches and a spotted dorsal fin. It thrives in larger, more turbid rivers and connected lakes and shares a combined catch limit with walleye everywhere the two overlap.
Turbid river channels and large connected lakes; tolerates murkier water than walleye.
How to Catch Sauger
Whether you're new to targeting Sauger or refining your approach, success starts with matching your tactics to where the fish lives. Sauger (Sander canadensis) is typically found in river water and lake water, so concentrate your effort where those conditions line up. Mature Sauger average around 13 inches, which helps you choose the right line, lure size, and tackle for the fight.
Where to Find Sauger in the USA & Canada
Sauger is recorded across a range of North American waters, including spots in Alabama, Alberta, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Manitoba, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Browse the linked water guides below to see the specific lakes, rivers, and coastal waters where anglers report catching Sauger, then plan a trip around the water closest to you.
Sauger Fishing Regulations & Limits
Fishing rules for Sauger vary by state and province. Before you head out, check the daily bag limits, minimum size limits, and open seasons that apply in your area. When FishFinder has matching records, the regulations link below takes you to the rules hub. Following local limits keeps Sauger populations healthy for future seasons.
Related Water Guides for Sauger
Explore these FishFinder water guides for places where Sauger is recorded:
- Mississippi River — Sauger fishing water
- Yellowstone River — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Winnipeg — Sauger fishing water
- Lake of the Woods — Sauger fishing water
- Milk River — Sauger fishing water
- North Saskatchewan River — Sauger fishing water
- Red Deer River — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Diefenbaker — Sauger fishing water
- Rafferty Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- South Saskatchewan River — Sauger fishing water
- Tobin Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Codette Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Churchill River — Sauger fishing water
- Red River — Sauger fishing water
- Assiniboine River — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Manitoba — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Winnipegosis — Sauger fishing water
- Lake of the Prairies — Sauger fishing water
- Winnipeg River — Sauger fishing water
- Shoal Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Wekusko Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Cross Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Sipiwesk Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Fleuve Saint-Laurent — Sauger fishing water
- Lac des Deux Montagnes — Sauger fishing water
- Rivière des Outaouais — Sauger fishing water
- Lac Saint-François — Sauger fishing water
- Rivière Richelieu — Sauger fishing water
- Lac Saint-Pierre — Sauger fishing water
- Rivière Saint-Maurice — Sauger fishing water
- Lac Memphrémagog — Sauger fishing water
- Réservoir Baskatong — Sauger fishing water
- Lac Kipawa — Sauger fishing water
- Lac Abitibi — Sauger fishing water
- Réservoir Gouin — Sauger fishing water
- Lac Saint-Jean — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Guntersville — Sauger fishing water
- Wheeler Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- Wilson Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- Pickwick Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- Alabama River — Sauger fishing water
- Arkansas River — Sauger fishing water
- Lower Mississippi River — Sauger fishing water
- Mississippi River (Illinois-Iowa Border) — Sauger fishing water
- Illinois River — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Shelbyville — Sauger fishing water
- Carlyle Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Ohio River — Sauger fishing water
- Wabash River — Sauger fishing water
- Mississippi River (Iowa Waters) — Sauger fishing water
- Missouri River — Sauger fishing water
- Big Sioux River — Sauger fishing water
- Clinton Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- Perry Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- Melvern Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- Kansas River — Sauger fishing water
- Arkansas River (Kansas) — Sauger fishing water
- Kentucky Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Barkley — Sauger fishing water
- Dale Hollow Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Cumberland River — Sauger fishing water
- Kentucky River — Sauger fishing water
- Green River — Sauger fishing water
- Youghiogheny River Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Kabetogama — Sauger fishing water
- Lake of the Woods (Minnesota) — Sauger fishing water
- Rainy Lake (Minnesota) — Sauger fishing water
- Rainy River — Sauger fishing water
- Namakan Lake — Sauger fishing water
- St. Croix River (Minnesota) — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Pepin — Sauger fishing water
- St. Louis River Estuary — Sauger fishing water
- Red River of the North — Sauger fishing water
- Big Stone Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Pickwick Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Bull Shoals Lake (Missouri) — Sauger fishing water
- Mississippi River (Pools 20-26) — Sauger fishing water
- Missouri River (Montana) — Sauger fishing water
- Bighorn River — Sauger fishing water
- Bighorn Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Elwell (Tiber Reservoir) — Sauger fishing water
- Fort Peck Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- Tongue River Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- Musselshell River — Sauger fishing water
- Marias River — Sauger fishing water
- Lewis and Clark Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Missouri River (Nebraska Waters) — Sauger fishing water
- Johnson Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Champlain — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Sakakawea — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Oahe — Sauger fishing water
- Missouri River (North Dakota) — Sauger fishing water
- Garrison Dam Tailrace — Sauger fishing water
- Ohio River (Ohio) — Sauger fishing water
- Great Salt Plains Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Arkansas River (Oklahoma) — Sauger fishing water
- Allegheny River — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Sharpe — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Francis Case — Sauger fishing water
- Cheyenne River — Sauger fishing water
- Old Hickory Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Cordell Hull Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- Chickamauga Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Nickajack Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Watts Bar Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Fort Loudoun Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Melton Hill Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- Norris Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Cherokee Reservoir — Sauger fishing water
- Douglas Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Ohio River (West Virginia) — Sauger fishing water
- Kanawha River — Sauger fishing water
- Monongahela River — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Winnebago — Sauger fishing water
- Wolf River (Wisconsin) — Sauger fishing water
- Mississippi River (Wisconsin-Minnesota Boundary) — Sauger fishing water
- St. Croix River (Wisconsin) — Sauger fishing water
- Wisconsin River — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Petenwell — Sauger fishing water
- Castle Rock Lake — Sauger fishing water
- Lake Koshkonong — Sauger fishing water
Sauger Regulations
Review current FishFinder regulation records before targeting Sauger:
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of water is best for catching Sauger?
Sauger (Sander canadensis) is typically found in river water and lake water. Focus your effort where those conditions line up to improve your chances.
How big does Sauger get?
Mature Sauger average around 13 inches, though individual fish can run larger. Matching your line, lure size, and tackle to that range makes for a better fight and landing rate.
Where can I catch Sauger in the USA and Canada?
Sauger is reported across North American waters, including spots in Alabama, Alberta, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Manitoba, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Check the locations listed on this page to find the lakes, rivers, and coastal waters closest to you.
Do I need a fishing license to catch Sauger?
A valid fishing license is required in most US states and Canadian provinces. Daily bag limits, minimum size limits, and open seasons for Sauger vary by region, so review the regulations on this page and with your local wildlife authority before heading out.