Need tips on river sauger

[Whaler]

I want to try sauger fishing on the river but need tips....tackle, bait, colors, type of water(swift-still), boat postioning or anything to help. Never done sauger so it will be a new exprience.

[hnd]

whats your experience with river fishing for walleye?

[Whaler]

None, however I fish crappie and smallmouth on the river (and cats) and have never had a hook up with a walleye or sauger. My fishing buddy has talked to a couple of guys on the ramp that travel quite a distance to fish them locally and saw a few they kept. About all I know is that they locate in tailwaters early then move off. I need to learn the basics from exprienced anglers. Even if I don't catch any I will at least know I am on the right track and will keep trying.

[Matt Smith]

You'll need a good spinning rod with 6-10 lb test line, jigheads from 1/4 to 1 ounce in weight, and white, orange, and chartreuse 3" curlytail grubs.

[hnd]

None, however I fish crappie and smallmouth on the river (and cats) and have never had a hook up with a walleye or sauger. My fishing buddy has talked to a couple of guys on the ramp that travel quite a distance to fish them locally and saw a few they kept. About all I know is that they locate in tailwaters early then move off. I need to learn the basics from exprienced anglers. Even if I don't catch any I will at least know I am on the right track and will keep trying.

late winter the walleye and sauger will be in there wintering holes. most of the time this is up at the dam or downriver a few miles in any holes that have deeper water.

to fish these, i like to jig fish. usually with a minnow attached. these fish are lethargic but will bite. i like big baits. they won't usually chase a smaller meal....also you have to put it right within a foot of them or they won't even look at it.

anchor on top of the dams or slightly upriver and jig fish it. use enough weight to make sure you can feel bottom. walleye will be on the sides of the holes, sauger in the bottom of the holes.

when the water hits about 38 degrees, the males will start to make their way as far up river as possible generally. once they can't go any farther (dam restricting them) they'll then move off into current breaks (anywear fast water is diverted and creates slack water. usually you can see the seam where the slow moving water and fast moving water meet. about 40-42 degrees, the females will make there way to the spawning ground. these spots may even be 2 miles down stream of the dam. look for hard rocky bottoms in 2-10 ft of water in current breaks. thats where they spawn. i like to target those downriver spawning grounds because the those fish aren't pressured as much. i generally dont' vertical jig during these times...i use cranks or jigs and twister tails tipped with minnows....fish them slow and the fish will bite...slow slow slow slow

after the spawn the fish will move off the spot for a short while and back to the holes and will generally not bite during that time or during the spawn. (however most times walleye will not all spawn at the same time so while the ones that finished spawning are moving offthere still are fish there getting ready to spawn so don't stop fishing)

after this short while both the males and females move back into their spawning grounds and eat eat eat eat eat. i like to rip ratltraps, walleye divers, jigs and twister tails and the walleye hammer them.

after this time the walleye will move downriver making their way to their summer grounds...

in may and june, wingdams are the place to be. i only fish the tops and front of the wingdams as that is like the kitchen of the wingdame....behind them is the bedroom...the fish on the back end are generally inactive, they'll bite but not as much as the ones in front. get within 10-15 feet downriver from these and anchor and allow yourself to drift side to side. i use jigs and minnows and cast to the top of the wingdam and bring it down, walleye will kill it. alot of guys fish 20 wingdams a day looking for those active fish. usually the 1st and 2nd wingdam in a group will hold the most fish. also wingdams that are crumbling and or have trees hung up on them will be real productive...its just trial and error.

i don't fish for walleye in july and august but guys drift current breaks downriver with leeches and earthworms and have alot of success.

in the fall the hole spawning cycle happens again which will take place starting when the water goes sub 50 degrees. fish this with jigs for the most part. but fish it even slower than in the spring. also real early in teh morning (like 3-4am) is some of the best times to get a pig.

once the water gets below 35 degrees, they'll move back into their wintering holes.