Sauger
Perch familySander canadensis
Sauger are the walleye's river-dwelling relative, smaller and more tolerant of turbid current. Two features distinguish them and both are on the fins.
Quick facts
- Appearance
- Brassy-brown with dark saddle-shaped blotches, distinct rows of black spots on the membranes of the spiny dorsal fin, and no white tip on the tail.
- Typical size
- 0.5–3 lb
- Waters
- river, reservoir
- Regulations
- Often has a lower limit than walleye, and in some rivers is protected. The fin spots are the check to make before keeping one.
How to confirm it
- Rows of distinct black spots across the spiny dorsal fin membrane.
- No white tip on the lower tail lobe.
- Dark saddle-shaped blotches across the back.
- Generally smaller than walleye and more strongly associated with rivers.
What it is confused with
One check settles each of these.
White tail tip and no dorsal fin spots means walleye. Dorsal spot rows and no white tail tip means sauger.
Why this matters beyond curiosity
- Look-alike species often carry different limits. Walleye and sauger, black and white crappie, pike and muskie, blue and channel catfish — each pair can have different sizes, seasons and daily limits in the same water.
- Check it before the fish goes in the livewell. Most of the tests on this site take seconds and are far easier on a fish you are still holding.
- If you cannot tell, release it. That is the answer that is never wrong, and it is the one a warden will not argue with.
- Regulations are set by your state or province and change annually. This site identifies fish; it does not tell you the rules. Check the current regulations for the water you are on.