Ohio: Saugeye are Biting

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife annually stocks 54 lakes and reservoirs with saugeye, a fast-growing and popular game fish. A hybrid cross between a sauger and a walleye, saugeye offer Ohio anglers the chance to catch excellent table fare and the occasional trophy fish.
Three Division of Wildlife state fish hatcheries produce and stock about 25 million saugeye annually. These fish reach a catchable size in one to three years depending on where they are stocked. The state record saugeye was caught in 2004 at Antrim Lake in Franklin County. It weighed 14.04 pounds and measured 30? inches long. The fish are active year-round and will particularly engage with artificial lures and live bait during the fall and spring months.
“The fall is an excellent time to catch saugeye because they are feeding heavily to bulk up for the coming winter,” said Rich Zweifel, the Division of Wildlife’s Inland Fisheries Program Administrator. “Saugeye are often caught in shallow water, so be sure to consider its clarity when choosing your fishing methods. A good time to fish for saugeye is at sunrise and sunset when they are most active.” Read more