Fishing For Saugeye
A beginners guide to catching saugeye
By Rick Seaman
Nov 9, 2024
Tips For Saugeye Fishing
Beginners
Saugeye fishing basics for beginners and novice anglers, with tips which can be used while fishing from a boat, or while fishing from the bank.
Basic Bass Tackle For Beginners
Rod. Start with a 5' 6" to 6', medium to medium-heavy action rod, ideally with a fast-action tip.
Reel. Both baitcasting and spinning reels both work well for the vast majority of saugeye fishing conditions. Get a good reel with a decent drag system.
Line. Begin with 12# to 14# monofilament or fluorocarbon line. Pay a little extra and get decent quality line.
Saugeye fishing basics video.
Basic Lures For Beginners
Saugeye Jigs. Small jig heads with a variety of plastics, that represent minnows, can be used in most any saugeye fishing situations. Start with a 1/8 oz or 1/4 oz jighead. Sharp hooks are important, check them often.
3 Important Tips For Beginners
Tip 1. Saugeye are a nixed breed between walleye and sauger and tend to function more like walleye. Some of the best fishing for saugeye often starts at dusk and continues throughout the night until dawn. Saugeye prefer to hang around flats adjacent to deeper water, and around connecting creek channels.
Tip 2. Thoroughly fish the area with multiple, accurate casts, or slow troll through the area numerous times. Once you catch a saugeye, it is very likely there are more in the area. Saugeye fishing is best accomplished from a boat, however can be done from the bank for those who like to adventure out along the shore.
Tip 3. Use good knots and re-tie anytime the knot or line has been nicked or frayed. Always use sharp hooks, if they are dull replace or sharpen them
Intermediate Anglers
Bass Tackle For Intermediate Anglers
Rods. For longer casts and solid hook sets, choose a 6' or longer, medium to medium-heavy action rod, preferably with a fast-action tip. Shimano, Bass Pro Shops, G. Loomis, Fenwick, Lew's and Abu Garcia, among others, all make a variety of quality rods in varying price ranges.
Reels. Possibly upgrade to a higher quality reel. Shimano Curado, Abu Garcia Revo, Lew's Mach Crush, Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Series and Daiwa Fuego are five good choices, and there are many others. Accurate casts are crucial to success.
Line. Line choices include primarily monofilament or fluorocarbon line. Braided line with a monofilament or fluorocarbon tip can make for easy casting when using heavier baits. Use an alberto or albright knot to join lines. Monofilament or fluorocarbon in 14# to 17# line is a good choice. In open water, lighter line may produce more bites.
Basic Lures For Intermediate Anglers
In addition to saugeye jigs, expanding your arsenal to include the following baits can improve your chances for success.
Crankbaits. Deep diving crankbaits, with a small profile like the Rapala Shad Rap, can be fished for saugeye, especially in deeper water.
Live Bait. Minnows, nightcrawlers and leeches are all popular for catching saugeye.
5 Important Tips For Intermediate Anglers
Fishing Reports. Read current fishing reports and saugeye tournament results from the lake you wish to fish, also review these reports and results from this time last year. Learn how to gain maximum knowledge from fishing reports.
Lake Maps. Contour maps identify creek channels, flats, and depth variations. This information can help you plan your time on the water, well before you head to the lake.
Focus On Finding The Fish. Saugeye move up and down in the water column in search of the best available water temperatures, availability of food, and a variety of other factors. Begin the day fishing shallow, medium and deep water in search of the best depth for the day. Saugeye also migrate throughout the lake, often following schools of baitfish. Once you locate fish, concentrate on that depth and similar locations.
Keep Lure Selection Simple. Saugeye can be picky from one day to another. Start with white as long as they are biting, then experiment with brighter color options. Depending on water clarity contrast may be an issue dictating dark or flashy colors.
Use Multiple Baits. Once you locate an area holding saugeye, try a variety of jigs and/or live bait, to see which entices more bites. For each bait vary the speed and action of the retrieve to determine the best approach for getting bites
Experienced Anglers
Advice For Serious Saugeye Fishing Enthusiasts
Study the life cycle of saugeye, their annual migrations, daily movements, and food sources available in the lake you plan to fish. Our focus here is to assist beginner and intermediate anglers. For those wishing to take the next step, there are a multitude of options for growing your knowledge of saugeye fishing.
Saugeye Fishing Clubs & Tournaments. You can join and participate, with or without a boat, and learn from some of the better anglers in your area.
Time On The Water. Experience is the best teacher. Spend time locating fish and experimenting with a wide variety of lures and techniques.
Gather Information Online. Read information on your local Fish & Game Department website. Review websites offered by expert saugeye anglers, fishing organizations and local fishing guides. Some highly regarded websites covering saugeye fishing include Field & Stream, In Fisherman, Take Me Fishing, and many others.
Have Fun. Fishing for saugeye can be very rewarding. Be diligent, but enjoy the process. Fishing is a life-long journey, and you can learn something new every day you spend on the lake!
World record: 15 pounds, 10 ounces
Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired bass tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".
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