# Alum saugeye



## Drew0889 (Mar 6, 2016)

Looking for some direction. I've fished erie for walleye and indian for saugeye. What are you trolling with or casting for the eyes. I have quite a few flicker shad/minnow, husky jerks and RR800. Are you trolling these around the rip rap or else where in the lake?


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## Earthworms (Dec 15, 2014)

Drag points when it warmer.

Right now they are shallow and easy to catch casting.

In a month switch to dragging meat with bouncers...then in summer months troll at night


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## Drew0889 (Mar 6, 2016)

Any particular areas, or just around the rocky banks?


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## Earthworms (Dec 15, 2014)

Very little points nears rocks...look are map


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

I would try just what you use on Erie. Especially in about a month. I have been targeting the "walleye like" saugeye and have been fairly successful at that. I have also thought if I had the gear to get down to around 30 feet you could catch some monsters especially early summer. There are flats that depth on alum navonics or a lake map are your friend.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

J,like the thinking on the deeper fish,im sure they have been less effected by the countless fronts lately.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Be ready to handle a musky. By that I mean have some heavy duty hook cutters, a good net and good line. Your chances of hooking a musky while trolling for saugeye are pretty good and you want to be prepared to handle one of those slimy buggers!


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## CrappieTacos (Jun 22, 2010)

People keep saying that but I've caught countless saugeye trolling and never a musky. Also never caught one while bass fishing. Guess I'm unlucky


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## CrappieTacos (Jun 22, 2010)

jray said:


> I would try just what you use on Erie. Especially in about a month. I have been targeting the "walleye like" saugeye and have been fairly successful at that. I have also thought if I had the gear to get down to around 30 feet you could catch some monsters especially early summer. There are flats that depth on alum navonics or a lake map are your friend.


I would think an eerie dearie should get you where you want to be. I'd be interested in results. I've found saugeye act more like sauger than walleye, preferring a lot shallower water than people think. But it could be an untapped resource down there


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## Brahmabull71 (Jul 30, 2014)

I'm sure someone has explained/shared their opinion on this before on here, but I believe there are TWO types of Saugeye. One that acts like a River Sauger and ones that acts like a Walleye.

"Sauger" type relate to shallows, turbid muddy water close to long mud flats. They eat leeches and worms "earlier" in the year and feed while laying on bottom rather than suspended. They also have more of these tendencies in shallow lakes like Indian/Buckeye. Trolling speeds between 3 - 4 SOG are not uncommon here. They are more voracious when striking it seems.

The "Walleye" version will suspend and feed, like a little cleaner deeper water and relate better to cranks...again, not saying you will not catch "sauger" type on cranks of course. Trolling speeds from 2.3 - 2.9SOG seems to be the sweet spot in warmer months. Casting jigs on points when the water is above 65 degrees with meat is an effective tactic. They are closer to deep water and rocks. I love bottom bouncer fishing deep points and bowls in the warmer months. Hoover and Alum seem to carry more of these "types" of Saugeye. 

Both types you can get at night in the same location. Night time fishing tactics are relatively the same. I am NEVER the one to say you can only catch them a certain way. Try varying tactics as this is what makes them fun!

I'm in no means an expert on the topic, but we do fairly well catching fish on Erie, Scioto/O'shay, Alum, Hoover, Ohio River and Indian. Not a big Buckeye fisherman but I want to learn it better. It's a ton of fun trying to figure this species out! 

Good luck gentlemen!


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

Yep spot on there are days when I run into guys at the dock with a limit fishing in 3 fow while I got mine fishing in 23. I like the tap tap wet noodle feel of an eyeball hitting a crawler harness so most days I cast deep. I will tell you though there are guys on here that rarely ever fish deeper than 10 ft all summer. Never is not ever in the saugeye fishermans vocabulary.


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## CrappieTacos (Jun 22, 2010)

I'm one of the never fish deeper than 10 ft all summer types. Or not much deeper than 10 ft anyway. I'll have to venture out to deeper water this year, never afraid to learn new tactics


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Jray,are those deeper fish still typically relating to bottom and bottom structure. Or will they roam open barren basins like walleye seeking shad?
Last fall there was a pleasent hill post,an the the guy(lol sorry have to go look up ypur screen name td something)
Was getting big saugeyes trolling 800 series reef runners "lake erie style" why everyone else is targeting 10' an less....


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

Very rarely do I catch saugeye that aren't relating to a point hump bowl etc. The exception is hard to soft bottom transitions. I have done some deeper flat fishing and caught fish suspended over 30 fow or so but I think that is more of a thermocline thing. Besides the fact that suspending saugeye give me the heebadeebageebees. I always hear about Erie guys fishing with 3 lines 10-15 down and one dragging mud say 45 ft deep and catching eaters high and monsters on the bottom rod. This makes me think somewhere there is a few giants down there that are acting like walleye 30 plus feet down gorging on those dink alum perch. But I really need jets or dipsys to fish that water. Maybe I'm nuts who knows but I caught a couple fish last year that looked so much like walleye I can't help but have crazy dreams lol.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

No i think you may be on to something,but id think theres a better aproach then diveing devises. 
I would think 2/3 oz bouncers with stick baits, or harnesses(for the "searching") then working them over with a jigging spoon or sonething simaler?
My main reason i personly wouldnt use Divers is cause i think they woukd still snag. And your still limited to harnnesses/spoons/or shallow stick baits. So id go the cheaper route(not telling anyone how to fish,just thinking 
out loud,really). and even going deep your not going to have the long lake erie type trolling passes. Now targeting the thermocline for bigger saugeye,id see the divers comeing into play.
I know musky guys will often target the thermolcline once it develops. I wonder how many big saugeyes they get when doing that.
There use to be a guy on here that would always seem to be targeting the deeper fish on alum,a few years ago. Mainly just bottom bouncing .i remember him mentioning once he foundfresh bluegill fry in the stomachs.
Wish i could remember what time of year that was...
Lol im mainly kayak,an shorebound for now,so ill probaly continue to target the shllower fish.

An speaking of alum saugeyes,hasnt been much talk on here at all. Id think theyd be going good. I xasted the back of a cove for 20 minutes today an got a couple cookie cutter crappie.


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## CrappieTacos (Jun 22, 2010)

I'm hoping to get out there Friday but this rain certainly won't help my cause. Dad and I usually figure something out though. If I go, I'll post in here


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## Drew0889 (Mar 6, 2016)

Im going to try to go friday, depending on the water conditions and if i can find a sitter. I may even have a seat open.


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## saug-I (Apr 7, 2010)

I will be there Friday and Saturday. Maroon pro V 17 tracker. Wave as I go by looking for a hot spot. Staying at the camp grounds. I'll post any good info. Looking for eyes and crappie.


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## Brahmabull71 (Jul 30, 2014)

Drag swimbaits or 3"+ twisters with a 1/8 oz roadrunner tipped with bass minnow or crawler. Caught 11 in a couple hours last week. Found a point loaded with them and every time we would get at least one coming off the hump into deep water. Speed was 0.4 - 0.6 SOG. Tried casting once we found them but for some reason could not catch them. One of my favorite techniques because sometimes it's a blue gill peck hit and the next rips the pole out of your hands.


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

Caught 11 in 45 minutes from shore today most hammer handles with a couple 16-18. I should be out tomorrow 16 ft tracker tiller. We can't decide to fish crappie eyes or bass so I'll probably just put the trolling motor on high lay out a rod for each and wing em all.


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## Drew0889 (Mar 6, 2016)

I'm going to try fishing alum tomorrow morning. I'm going to try trolling some cranks for some eyes and see how that pans out. Hopefully this cold front moving through doesn't lock everything up. Any advice on color? In erie, they hit anything purple, at indian they hit ssr7's in perch and baby walleye... I'm going to run the spread and see what works, i may even drop some rr800 deep and see if i can't pull anything up.


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## lacdown (Apr 25, 2007)

for saugeye I like Tennessee Shad, Firetiger, Perch, or Clown. in the summer Parrot works well for me.


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## CrappieTacos (Jun 22, 2010)

Color depends on the conditions.i I've caught em in there on just about every color imaginable


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

If that pattern does not get you into them. Last 2 nights off shore been banging many shallow before dark actually late afternoon. Been casting road runner and slims bait or lemon shad 2.75. Pretty much steady reeled with a pause every now an then to keep close to bottom. 
2 limits in around 1 1/2 hours with some very nice 18" to 22". And as I have mentioned before shore minnows skipping out of water all over the place most caught in 2 to 5 foot of water. 

Pulse blades hopped and cranks cast to shore or along shore line will get you eyes and bass as well. Hope you find them they have been very busy this week.


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

I was just about to post about shore minnows. I caught eyes in 4 different coves yesterday and ended up landing 30 total but most were shorts. I haven't found those big ones yet Troy. Silktreuse and ultimate chartreuse 2.75. Not sure if they will eat though this front or not we will see.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

God reports..... dumb fronts! If i dont get the time to drive to erie and fish with friends on sundy im gonna fight the front sunday an paddle around a few covez,,,,,,


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## Drew0889 (Mar 6, 2016)

Made it out this morning. Nothing was caught on the troll, but caught a fat eye casting in a cove... caught in a rattle trap, go figure.


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## CrappieTacos (Jun 22, 2010)

Saugeye don't eat rattle traps. That's clearly a fluke. I didn't make it to alum today. Jumped in a high muddy creek and managed a few male smallies, on a chartreuse rooster tail, which is something I rarely throw


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## Drew0889 (Mar 6, 2016)

CrappieTacos said:


> Saugeye don't eat rattle traps. That's clearly a fluke. I didn't make it to alum today. Jumped in a high muddy creek and managed a few male smallies, on a chartreuse rooster tail, which is something I rarely throw


When i caught the saugeye, i had givenup on catching any. I had my dad in the boat and he wanted to fish for some large mouth and thats when i caught the saugeye.


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## CrappieTacos (Jun 22, 2010)

I was joking. Saugeye love rattle traps, just don't tell anybody


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## Drew0889 (Mar 6, 2016)

CrappieTacos said:


> I was joking. Saugeye love rattle traps, just don't tell anybody


Amigo, this is the first year that I've specifically targeted saugeye. I'm fighting the educational curve... lol


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

jray said:


> I would try just what you use on Erie. Especially in about a month. I have been targeting the "walleye like" saugeye and have been fairly successful at that. I have also thought if I had the gear to get down to around 30 feet you could catch some monsters especially early summer. There are flats that depth on alum navonics or a lake map are your friend.


use 3 way swivel with 3 Oz weight,6' leader to harness,spoon or hard bait,you can get to any dept.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Drew0889 said:


> Amigo, this is the first year that I've specifically targeted saugeye. I'm fighting the educational curve... lol


For now just keep "bass fishing" youlcatch eyes!


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## percidaeben (Jan 15, 2010)

Saugeyefisher said:


> For now just keep "bass fishing" youlcatch eyes!


Right on. Love walking the Alum coves this time year tossing and twitching a #8 black in silver X-Rap. Never know what you might get.


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## Drew0889 (Mar 6, 2016)

It was actually pretty eventful, caught a giant shad and an albino sunfish.


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