# Differences between a Walleye, Sauger & Saugeye?



## icebucketjohn

How would I know whether I caught a walleye, or sauger or saugeye?

*What are the differences?*


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## Hetfieldinn

http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=15;t=000077


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## mastercatman

Well, I guess, that answers that doesn't it! I thought I knew but that said it all!


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## icebucketjohn

Thanks Hef. Great Article explaining it.


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## riverKing

if it has spots on the dorsal it is a sauger, period. saugeye has dusky blotches that run the length of each spine on the dorsal fin. walleye have a very distinct white spot on the base of the caudal fin and a dark dorsal with a dark spot at the back end of the spiny dorsal. if you are catching them in the ohio river the hocking river or the lmr, they are most likely sauger. in the lower scioto, the lower gmr and the lower muskingum there are good populations of saugeye in with the sauger, there is also a native population of walleye that may occur in any trib of the ohio along with stocked fish of a different strain, but i wont put you through trying to tell them apart.

try not to go by blotches on the side of the fish, sauger tend to be much darker but i have seen sauger with almost no markings on the scales, and the native walleye consitantly have blotches on the sides. finally you will have issues telling them apart untill someone who knows the differences well can show you with all three in hand.


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## dcross765

Anyone ever seen a white saugeye? Some years back i was fishing long lake by the old red barn resteraunt and some one told me there was saugeye in there, he gave me a white twister tail and left. 10 mins. later wham!!! All the markings of saugeye or sauger but this thing was white. It was caught under the little spillway there.


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## CoolWater

Another reference - good pictures and descriptions (.pdf):

www.kdwp.state.ks.us/content/download/7063/34347/file/


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## warden

walleye-a black spot at base of the dorsal fin. sauger-small bars on the dorsal fin. saugeye-small bars and spots on the dorsul fin.


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## seethe303

dcross765 said:


> Anyone ever seen a white saugeye? Some years back i was fishing long lake by the old red barn resteraunt and some one told me there was saugeye in there, he gave me a white twister tail and left. 10 mins. later wham!!! All the markings of saugeye or sauger but this thing was white. It was caught under the little spillway there.



sounds like an albino?

there are also the 'blue pike' formerly of Erie. they related to walleye and kind of look blue-ish. I don't believe there are any left in Erie, but possibly in some remote Canadian lakes.


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## Hetfieldinn

seethe303 said:


> there are also the 'blue pike' formerly of Erie. they related to walleye and kind of look blue-ish. I don't believe there are any left in Erie, but possibly in some remote Canadian lakes.



Hows about the blue perch?


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## riverKing

the perch is probably just a genetic odity, though a neat one. as for blue pike they are just a small walleye with a bluish tint. they were abundant in erie until we in our great wisdom fished them to extintion. there is some debate about there current status though. certain refrences have them as extinct and while they certainly are erredicated out of erie there are supposedly some remnant populations in parts of canada. in fact two years ago my friend heard there were "blue pike" in the lake he was fishing in canada and he caught two while there. they are blue in coloration but who knows for sure. as for the white saugeye...freak fish? was the water muddy, i have often seen them get pale in muddy water especially if its sunny but white is pushing it.
also if the dorsal is spotted in any way it is a sauger.


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## krustydawg

riverKing said:


> the perch is probably just a genetic odity, though a neat one. as for blue pike they are just a small walleye with a bluish tint. they were abundant in erie until we in our great wisdom fished them to extintion. there is some debate about there current status though. certain refrences have them as extinct and while they certainly are erredicated out of erie there are supposedly some remnant populations in parts of canada. in fact two years ago my friend heard there were "blue pike" in the lake he was fishing in canada and he caught two while there. they are blue in coloration but who knows for sure.


Read up......There is some good information on the Seagrant website concerning Blue Pike and Blue Perch...

http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/discuss/index.php?topic=553.0

http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/discuss/index.php?topic=889.0


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## riverKing

thats for the links, great general info if anyone is curious on "blue pike"..
and you never know maybe that blue perch is a new species


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