# Saugeye question...



## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

Everyone knows that right around dusk there will be a bite. It could last 5 mins, could last hours. Using Indian and Buckeye as examples , in well known spots, are the fish already there and the low light triggers the bite or do they move in that area then?Because I've been at Indian in well known spots fishing around 30 anglers and only a few are getting caught then all of a sudden everyone is slaying them for awhile.

I appreciate the feedback. Saugeye frustrate me like no other fish.


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## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

My experience on deeper lakes like alum and hoover is that they move in and out. We have taken the boat out into December and find all sorts of fish marked deep near large flats or points. You can trigger them jigging minnows, vibes, or deadsticking stickbaits. At some point they seem to run in and feed on the flats like crazy for this "power hour" until the water cools even more, and slower presentations are king. We always refer to the fish that are deep as the fish that are hanging out on the couch and the ones shallow as at the dinner table. I believe it would be similar in the shallow lakes.
NOTE: This is my personal experience and not backed by scientific data, to anyone who wants to say I'm wrong, OK.


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## walleyejigger (Sep 29, 2009)

i thik you are right on slip . i have been at in and seen the same thing . i think that when the shad move in the eyes are real close by .


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## puterdude (Jan 27, 2006)

You nailed it slippy.I've seen the same happen time and time again at Buckeye at several spots.Fish showing off shore in deeper locations right up to near dark and you can actually follow them right into the shallows with your dept finder if you are exceptionally quiet as the water is much shallower than alum or hoover. But I have let the wind or current, or if none, just bumping the trolling motor occasionally and followed them from 10 or 12 ft of water right up to 3 ft or less.So I think it's the same principal.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Pigsticker said:


> in well known spots, are the fish already there and the low light triggers the bite or do they move in that area then?Because I've been at Indian in well known spots fishing around 30 anglers and only a few are getting caught then all of a sudden everyone is slaying them for awhile.


I think Saugeye move back and forth between deep and shallow water multiple times in a 24 hour period. A buddy of mine worked first hand on the Hoover tracking study and said they would routinely mark tagged fish off the bank in like 4ft of water during the middle of the day. 

On a related note some of the old-school anglers in Flordia would always claim that Snook (arguably the pickiest sport fish in the world) would move in-and-out of feeding areas multiple times a day looking for food, however you could often only catch them (on artificials) during low-light conditions because it was the only time they could be fooled, not because it was the only time they were feeding.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

if you have ever ice fished with a camera or vexilar you learn that there are times when the fish are there already but just not feeding. they will actually lay thier bellies on the bottom and go into an almost hibernation mode. People with saugeye in their fishtanks report this same behavior too. They say they will even stack up like firewood on the bottom when they are real inactive. The active hunting fish usually do move shallower when feeding time hits. If im ice fishing and Im catching a few in a deep hole half an hour before dark and the bite dies It means the fish have started moving shallower and you better move yourself. Thats why some of the most consistent saugeye spots involve a steep break with a gradual slope or funnel that fish can follow from deep to shallow, or a channel that forces the fish to move by a predictable spot. In those situations you are connecting with fish that are "headed out to eat". Because I believe a traveling saugeye is a catchable saugeye!


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

Great input guys, thanks. To be specific at Moundwood where everyone is lined up on both banks of the channel for 1/3 mile fishing and not getting hardly any. Then all of a sudden guys all the way down the shore will start catching them how can they move all the way back that channel that fast? Seems to me if they were all following shad from the main lake back to the ramp/bridge that the anglers nearest the main lake would be getting first crack at them and the bite would move down the line as the fish moved further in. But it seems when the bite starts it can start on either end or middle or anywhere. Wouldn't the anglers nearest the main lake be picking them off first if they were all migrating back to the bridge to feed?


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## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

If you remember pigsticker at that spot, there is water in both directions and saugeye have a river strong parent and an open water parent.


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## StumpHawg (May 17, 2011)

Pigsticker said:


> Everyone knows that right around dusk there will be a bite. It could last 5 mins, could last hours. Using Indian and Buckeye as examples , in well known spots, are the fish already there and the low light triggers the bite or do they move in that area then?Because I've been at Indian in well known spots fishing around 30 anglers and only a few are getting caught then all of a sudden everyone is slaying them for awhile.
> 
> I appreciate the feedback. Saugeye frustrate me like no other fish.


Yes, ur frustration is felt among all of us true diehard saugeye fishermen. One night you gotta them figured out and the next night ur like what happened to them!!!!!!! I've switched to a live chub on jig when they are off and only have a tug bite which they spit back out!!!!! By far unpredictable, thats what I love about them.


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

st.slippy said:


> If you remember pigsticker at that spot, there is water in both directions and saugeye have a river strong parent and an open water parent.



I did realize that but had no idea any of them staged in the creek. I'm learning.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

indian lake is a different animail and eyes are caught in 2 ft of water in bright sun in the middle of the day all the time.


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

st.slippy said:


> My experience on deeper lakes like alum and hoover is that they move in and out. We have taken the boat out into December and find all sorts of fish marked deep near large flats or points. You can trigger them jigging minnows, vibes, or deadsticking stickbaits. At some point they seem to run in and feed on the flats like crazy for this "power hour" until the water cools even more, and slower presentations are king. We always refer to the fish that are deep as the fish that are hanging out on the couch and the ones shallow as at the dinner table. I believe it would be similar in the shallow lakes.
> NOTE: This is my personal experience and not backed by scientific data, to anyone who wants to say I'm wrong, OK.


I think you hit the nail on the head slippy. I may change my ice tactics a little bit this season and see if I can find them deeper first then move with them to the flat as dusk gets closer. A week or two ago I was out at Alum at night and wasn't catching, go figure, and shined my light in the water right before I was leaving a spot and saw several eye's just being lazy within 10ft of the shoreline. The bait was there as well but they didn't seem to be actively eating.


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## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

It is not to say there are not exceptions. I think some fish stick to the same little spot. I swear at some of the places I go, the fish are what I call resident fish and I will catch them time after time casting to the same exact spot. I do believe in the shallower lakes fish do hang out during certain times of year and you just get ticks which at eating time turn into bites. But as a general rule I believe they move.


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## ying6 (Apr 21, 2004)

Just going to throw this out there. I have fished in many spots and moved fish... meaning they are laying there on the bottom, and I can take a jig, vibe, or trap and actually feel a fish. Just like seeing them on the screen when in a boat. You know they are down there but they just won't fire.


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## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

There is a lot of good information here. Saugeye fishing is definitely one of the most challenging species to chase but a blast when you get into them. I just wish it wouldn't get dark so early! I can't make it out of work to any lake before the sun is on it's way down, therefore I am missing the good bite. Anyone else have this problem? You work a 9-5 job right now so your going to miss the good bite unless it's a weekend and you have off. Got to figure a way to get outta work quicker because it does seem like they shut down for a few hours after the sun sets, but the bite may or may not turn back on later in the night.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

One question I'm asking myself is how long to give a spot until you move on? How many casts? I'm trying different angles and retrieves and just hoping the fish will move in. Not doing very good at all. Night before last I caught 1 little smallie at sundown. Stayed out till about 8 or so throwing vibes, joshy swims(lost 2 WAHHHHHHHHH), twister tail grubs and a suspending rogue. Not even a nibble. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. Going out again Thursday and Fri night.



dre said:


> There is a lot of good information here. Saugeye fishing is definitely one of the most challenging species to chase but a blast when you get into them. I just wish it wouldn't get dark so early! I can't make it out of work to any lake before the sun is on it's way down, therefore I am missing the good bite. Anyone else have this problem? You work a 9-5 job right now so your going to miss the good bite unless it's a weekend and you have off. Got to figure a way to get outta work quicker because it does seem like they shut down for a few hours after the sun sets, but the bite may or may not turn back on later in the night.



I get off at 4:30. I have to hustle. Here in a couple weeks, I'll be in the same predicament. Can you take your tackle with you and head straight to the water from work?


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## Capital outdoorsman (Mar 27, 2006)

MassillonBuckeye said:


> One question I'm asking myself is how long to give a spot until you move on? How many casts? I'm trying different angles and retrieves and just hoping the fish will move in.
> 
> 
> This is the question that I think about all the time. In one of my favorite spots at IL I know for a fact that if I wait them out that they will eventually be there. It is always "when" and not "if". However when I go to Hoover or Alum and work the shoreline I always wonder if I should move or will they show up. I have just started fishing buckeye and have had mixed results. I usually find that if I stay for a couple of hours at a spot I will eventually pick up a couple.
> ...


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## jiggerman (Nov 2, 2009)

All i can say is after 18 years of chasing saugeye the thrill to find them is still exciting and fulfilling. The jerk of a saugeye is the best part, just like when the smallies fire up, it never gets old.Keep at it and lets see the fall giant on the screen soon Troy.Good fishing to all.


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

MassillonBuckeye said:


> One question I'm asking myself is how long to give a spot until you move on? How many casts? I'm trying different angles and retrieves and just hoping the fish will move in.


This is a question I ask myself nearly every time out. Mainly because I don't have the time on the water that some of the better saugeye guys on here do. I probably spend to much time in certain spots. If you know a spot is going to produce at prime time then it makes since to wait them out. On the other hand if you are searching during the not so prime time that is where I tend to make to many casts probably.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

during non prime time you really need to pay attention to the conditions, wind, water clarity, current, BAIT. And when you finally do catch one you need to pay attention to all these factors and store them in your memory banks to repeat. Another major thing is if evening is rolling around and there is no activity on the waters surface, bait and bait getting busted, its usually not a good sign. went out last night and there was good activity on the water so I hung in a good looking spot and got 4 short eyes 2 smallies and a largemouth and the guy with me got 4 keeper eyes. we only had 1 eye before dark but we stuck around because of all the above factors. Oh yeah, all on swaggin minnows


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## Capital outdoorsman (Mar 27, 2006)

Big Joshy said:


> during non prime time you really need to pay attention to the conditions, wind, water clarity, current, BAIT. And when you finally do catch one you need to pay attention to all these factors and store them in your memory banks to repeat. Another major thing is if evening is rolling around and there is no activity on the waters surface, bait and bait getting busted, its usually not a good sign. went out last night and there was good activity on the water so I hung in a good looking spot and got 4 short eyes 2 smallies and a largemouth and the guy with me got 4 keeper eyes. we only had 1 eye before dark but we stuck around because of all the above factors. Oh yeah, all on swaggin minnows


great point about the water activity. Some spots I've found require a good wind, some a lower temp to really get active but I think all require bait fish. Thats a safe assumption.


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## ying6 (Apr 21, 2004)

hey josh, throw another keeper eye in there.


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## snuff (Apr 19, 2007)

this time of year as the water cools at indian channels and any choke points are excellent places to try. i use suspending stick cranks cranked as slow as u can at dark and after. buckeye use jig and grubs or swims fished slow/often paused or minnows on the bottom after dark. all seem to work for me. 

The Snuff


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

oh yeah there was one other guy there and he only managed one keeper eye.  is that better ying?


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Hey snuff you mentioned stick baits as slow as you can,has that been working for you lately? I have found over the last 3 weeks and as late as Monday evening that a hard crank to get bait close to bottom and then a more steady crank with twitches and only a very short pause has been very effective. I agree as well on slow retrieve but i think the weather conditions which are keeping water temps higher allows for a more agressive retrieve to trigger strikes. I know that right now at alum it is almost a non exsistent bite on jerks unless moved rather quickly since that water is still around 50 degrees. Pigsticker Monday at indian at moundwood there were fish just laying in a nuetral mood all thru the channel with very few in area that most fish,but spread out elswhere in channel a slow hopped swim or a very suttle lift of a vib'e caught me fish all afternoon. A boat was cracking them consistently on just a light wire jig and a minnow allowed to work right along bottom. They were catching fish all afternoon. Then as dark started to come on they became more active moving all thru channel from bridge to mouth and then shut off like a switch right as it got totally dark. I feel those fish were already in the channel enjoying the lazy current from the river flow,but also more came in as it became close to dark from both ends of the channel. And also i can say and others will agree at moundwood you can watch the fish come in down thru the channel as fishermen start picking them off till they make it all the way thru. Sometimes they stop and seem to never go all the way like they decide bait was not there and head right back the way they came Crazyfish. This pattern though is one we can learn alot from this happens on all lakes but just not always in a channel On points on flats as mentioned at pinch down areas the key is once you have found or have been told of a place that truly has fish come back to it to feed,then it is a prime place to fish and as Capitol said be patient and wait them outin most cases they will show up. This is really true on Alum,feed stations are just that so then ask yourselve what am i wanting to find a area with quanity of fish maybe not as big of fish but more bites if so then keep on the move trying to locate them,or do you want to go Girl hunting where you might sit at a feed station 2-4 hours for 1-2 or if lucky more bites but from 5# plus fish. I go fish hunting from sept-mid november then i go Girl hunting the rest of the year usually. When i do that i can go 2-3 days sometimes without hardly a bite but then you hit it right and paydirt large Sows on the feed. Cannot stress again the prime oppurtunity you have right now to find feed locations for spring and rest of year at Alum with the water down as far as it will be. Shucks i hate it every spot i fish will be bone dry for everyone to find. Since most of my saugeye fishing is done in water less the 10 feet.   The majority of saugeyes are as mentioned roamers and will stick around where the most bait is for them to have easy meals when they decide it is time to eat. I swear the bait even seem to know when they are not in a feeding mood as i have even witnessed it where minnows are laying and swimming right in front of a eye like they know they are not in danger but then as said like a switch the feed is on and anything near them is in trouble. They are efficient feeders and bites do not need to last long because of that,so when you get bit don't admire at the one you just caught put in down quick and get back at it you will then catch more fish usually. I love the guys who catch one after waiting for hours for the bite and then waste the bite by getting there stringer out untangling it then telling everyone around them how they got it and finally casting again and never get another fish. Been talking with alot of guys around the state and all are saying the same thing water temps are just not right yet in most lakes they are real close so don't give up if not seeing much productivity because it has not happened yet. Or you can stop and just let me and a few other crazy diehards go get them for ya.  October was a very good month for me in numbers of fish 263 saugeyes caught but as for 4 pound plus fish only 31 and 16 of those came on one early morning on alum with a 30+ pound limit. That was the perfect senario i talk about a spot you fish 15 -20 minutes no bites leave if they are there they are all pigs.You might fish that spot 20 times for that one good one but when it happens it is worth it. Here are a few pictures i have had up in gallery of better fish from mid october thru last week. Good Fishing and be safe!!


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

At Buckeye this yr, the amount of people i see picking off fish during the day tells me that atleast smaller fish(13-16") are holding in the areas where the bite can be "hot" at dusk. Idk if this means the smaller fish are just more agresive and will eat a live minnow if put right next to them,where the bigger fish ignore it. Or if the bigger fish just arent there during the day? 
And i agree with others on if ya dont start seeing baitfish popping or other surface activity its usually gonna be a slow nite. But at times have gone back to spots later in the nite that didnt have activty, and there lit up by the time i get back. 
And also agree with jiggerman on the thrill of finding the hot saugeye bite. The only thing that gets me more excited is finding the hot walleye bite on erie 6 miles out without a sole around!

And slim, thats funny you mentioned alums crankbait bite being non-existant unless bringing the bait in faster. At buckeye before the bite shutdown on me, I was only getting fish if i realed down fast then super slowly twitched the bait in. And not thinking about the water temp. difference between buckeye and alum, have been concentrating more on the presentations that have worked for me at buckeye, when all along needed to be speeding up and making my presentation more aggresive.
This is a great thread! Lots of great info here!


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## carp (Oct 31, 2011)

Good points and strategies Troy! 

Way to help out fellow fisherman.

Getting a few females the last couple nights!

The water temps are about there.

wish the wind would lay down!!!!!


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

To comment on Slim's post.......I have a friend that dives and he has stated that bait and predator's get along fine in the same area until dinner time. He said the fins go up and everything gets nervous. Then everything moves into high gear as the fish start feeding. Soon everything calms down and it's back to the couch.....

I think the general rule of thumb is that the fish are in the area. They don't move a long distance to feed on a hour by hour basis. They do based on weather or seasonal conditions but not from minute to minute. IMHO....
I to have dragged baits across fish with no reaction. To quote my ex wife "just not in the mood".....


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## snuff (Apr 19, 2007)

Hey slim. U have caught ro many. Wheres the fishfry or lessons in saugeye catching 101.

The Snuff


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

Gottagofishn said:


> To comment on Slim's post.......I have a friend that dives and he has stated that bait and predator's get along fine in the same area until dinner time. He said the fins go up and everything gets nervous. Then everything moves into high gear as the fish start feeding. Soon everything calms down and it's back to the couch.....
> 
> I think the general rule of thumb is that the fish are in the area. They don't move a long distance to feed on a hour by hour basis. They do based on weather or seasonal conditions but not from minute to minute. IMHO....
> I to have dragged baits across fish with no reaction. To quote my ex wife "just not in the mood".....


I believe you are right on the money with that one. A couple of weeks ago I was fishing a cove and there was bait busting around but I wasn't catching, not surprising, anyhow I shined my light in the water and saw tons of bait fish and a couple of lazy eye's just slowly cruising around. I figure if I would have stayed and kept throwing at them they would have woke up at some point but I only had so much time.

The thrill of the hunt is why I keep casting! Now if I could only catch a few more...


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## jiggerman (Nov 2, 2009)

Nice thread gentlemen and lots of information for saugeye fishermen, hopefully they take the time to read the fine print. P.S. Congratulations on all the catches Troy.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Gah. Skunked again! Up on Alum Using bass minnows/swim baits/vib'es. Fast on top, hopped along the bottom and somewhere in between. Grrrr!!!! Definitely about to give up on this spot.


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Hey do not give up now temps are finally getting right fish will be eating!!


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Yup im excited! im heading out tonigh around midnite and fish till sunup. Unfotunitly it getting warm tomarrow but im still gonna head out tomarro night to!!!! I LOVE FALL!!!


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

What's you guys opinions on times? Depends on body of water? Been heading out around sundown. Also see slot of boats coming off about the same time.


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