# saugeye vs walleye



## bottomfeeder (Apr 29, 2005)

im just wandering, there are so many articels on walleye in fishing mags(in-fisherman ect.). are these articels the same for saugeye? or are walleye and saugeye more different than they look?


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

Good question. You're right, with the saugeye being a relative newcomer to the scene, articles pertaining to their habits have been noticeably absent from bookshelves. Without much hesitation I would have to say YES, if you want to improve your skills at catching saugeye year 'round you should soak up as much knowledge of walleye habits & tactics as possible. The two species share enough in common that only good things can come from learning about the walleye.

Although I will admit, part of the fun of saugeye fishing is finding an odd pattern that works (i.e. shallow muddy water) and saying, "Man you hardly ever see a walleye do that". lol


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## Saildog (Aug 2, 2004)

While the lures/baits that people use tend to be the same, it is generally accepted that saugeye are more cover oriented than walleye. Where walleye might suspend at a certain depth in more open water, the saugeyes might stay at that same depth, but move to shallower water so they are still close to the bottom. Saugeyes, under the right conditions will also move very shallow under lily pads, downed trees, etc. As a result, your presentations of those same walleye lures might need to change.

The subject of their ability to thrive better in less clear water is still debated. It seems that when many fisheries switched from walleye to saugeye, they also started stocking more mature fish. It is thought now that the slightly older, larger fish (instead of fry) might have made more of a difference than the hybridization. West Virginia, for example, has now stopped stocking saugeyes and switched back to walleyes. 

Saugeyes have been stocked in many states over the last couple of decades and there is a lot of information on the difference DNR's websites. Don't just read the Ohio site, but look also at WV, Oklahoma, etc.


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

Great question and responses. I've often caught saugeye in places I would NEVER expect, and certainly wouldn't look twice at if I were walleye fishing. Sure, the typical humps/breaks will hold them, but like mentioned you'll find em in brush, mud, just about anywhere at times. Definitely more structure oriented from my experience (which is limited compared to a lot of guys). 

One thing I have learned, and some may or may not agree. I don't look for the marks on my finders for em, just structure. If they are belly to the bottom (which is almost a given) you'll never see em, and spend your day looking for marks on the finder that don't exist.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

two answers.............yes and no  
i'm far from an expert,but have learned a little.one of the things i've learned is,you never know when,or where you might find saugeyes at times  
all the above are right.a lot of baits/tactics will work for both at times.
as mentioned,the one big difference is that saugeyes relate a lot more to structure and the bottom.they're very hard to pick up on the electronics,except at some times when they're hanging off the side of deep structure.
they will be caught in depths ranging from 2- 20 feet(in warmer weather)at the same time of day,on the same lake,at times,so it pays to check all depths.
i like this..........


> Although I will admit, part of the fun of saugeye fishing is finding an odd pattern that works (i.e. shallow muddy water) and saying, "Man you hardly ever see a walleye do that". lol


 and i guess that's why a lot of us like saugeye fishing.just trying to get a fix on them from one day to the next,can sometimes be humbling


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## Saildog (Aug 2, 2004)

My next tactic that I'm looking at trying is what I'm going call the "Minesweeper Approach." I'll troll a pair of inline planer boards with cranks set to run between 4'-6' deep behind them. These are fairly easy to use and since I'm not trying to keep bottom contact, I can put these in rod holders. 

At the same time, I'm going to rig another line with a large, deep-running Shad Rap that I'll hand-hold. This will let me adjust it to keep the lip constantly bumping the bottom. 

My thought is that the planer boards won't spook fish and will be more effective if the fish have moved more shallow. They also help to vary the lure speed as I troll in S-curves. If the fish are on the bottom in the 12'-15' range, I'll pick them up on the hand-held line. 

What do you think???


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

sounds like a plan  
also sounds like an old raybob trick on shallow indian lake  
but he's usually only running in 2-4 feet.
i've seen them caught,and caught them on flatlines in skinny water lots of times,even with short lines.


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

Oh the Saugeye...sometimes they can drive you nuts!  
They just dont always follow the rules.
The one given is you must always have your lure within one foot of the bottom.
I have ran across a very few suspended Saugeyes,but it is very rare.
Last week I found them on a Southeast Ohio lake in water barely deep enough to cover their backs.
This was at high noon with 90 degree temps and bright sun.
That was the pattern for that day.
The next day without any major weather change,they pulled back out to the more traditional humps and drops.
Jim Corey and I once finished up our limit for a tourney win with 3 nice fish just outside of the buoys on a crowded noisy beach in 8 ft of water at midday.
I have 2 favorite summertime presentations,jigging spoons when I have them located,and bottom bouncers witrh crawler harnesses when I am searching.
A rule of thumb,if there is one is to concentrate on the hard bottom surfaces of the lake.
Sand,gravel, rock or old road beds will hold fish more often than not.
Fall,winter and early spring require much different tactics.


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## Saildog (Aug 2, 2004)

So what weight of bottom bouncer works best? I've never used them before. I'm guessing with a saugeye you need to keep a pretty short leader off the bouncer...24"?


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

In most cases I use a heavy 2 oz. bouncer.
The closer to verticle you can keep the line will result in a lot less snags.
2 oz. will cover water from 4 to 20 ft deep fairly well. 
Snell length varies from day to day,but 24-30 inches usually works.
Pull these with your electric motor,and experiment with speed.


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

Bouncers rock. I use them all summer long, and they can be deadly on the eyes.

I find it a lot better to keep the rod in hand, as opposed to in a holder when bouncing. Sometimes the bite is fast and subtle, and unless you feel it, it will often look like you're just bouncin the bottom.


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## Saildog (Aug 2, 2004)

We might have to give those a shot. They could fit in with the board strategy, too. I figure the cranks under boards will be a little hit-or-miss, since you can't really adjust them once they're out. But they are also easy to use and out of the way. Then use the bouncers on the hand-held rods. 

What would you use as a starting point in boat speed? With cranks I would be higher (2.5-3 mph), but that seems fast for a crawler harness.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

i don't know about others,but i usually run harnesses no more than 1+ mph,though faster may be better at times.
i also rig them carolina style intead of using bouncers.works for me  ,but i haven't done an in-depth side by side comparison.i adjust weight for depth,and usually am running more line out than with a bouncer,to get in the zone.
like lewis,i will cast,jig or drift spoons in the summer also.that's what got me my biggest saugeye to date,last year.8.8 pounds


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

I agree...SLOW on the bouncers. I usually creep at 1.2 or less, then kinda jig them by hand. Lift - drop, lift- drop.


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

I just put mine in the holders with a fiarly soft rod and just let the fish load it up.
I rarely use a full crawler on a 2 hook harness.
I pinch it off about 1/2 inch behind the last hook.
Try some speed, sometimes it works great.
I have ran them as fast as 2.5 mph,although 1.2 to 1.8 is more normal.
I make my own harnesses or I modify the store bought ones with a blade called a Smiley Blade from Mack's lure company.
These things catch Eyes!


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

love those smiley blades


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

I'll have to try that Lew. My bouncin rods are pretty stiff, but I can feel everything with em. You bounce with mono or braid? I use mono to help forgive the rod a bit.


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

Funny you ask...I have braid on one bouncer rod and mono on the other.  
I dont see a reel difference because on the inland lakes,most of my bottom bouncing is done in water 15 ft or less so line stretch is not a real factor.
The braid will allow you to horse it out of snags better,resulting in losing less bouncers.


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