# Saugeye had a big mouth!



## Clefisherman (Oct 29, 2017)

Was able to get the HJ dialed in right around dark and picked up 3 nice fish before losing my last of 2 HJ on a snag.

While cleaning the biggest fish (21 1/2in) noticed how big it’s belly was for being that size, was worried about eggs but upon further inspection it was an 8in crappie, Or so me think!


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Big shad my man


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## Clefisherman (Oct 29, 2017)

Inside joke, yes it’s a shad.


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## DLarrick (May 31, 2011)

nice haul, will be some fine eating. Crazy what they can choke down.


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## dig_doug_l (Jul 25, 2005)

Nice fish!


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## odell daniel (Nov 5, 2015)

makes me think we should try bigger baits, I have found big shad like that too.


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## baitguy (Dec 17, 2013)

I read somewhere, maybe on the internet so it has to be true  that a walleye can eat a fish 30% of it's size ... I always thought that was a bit of a stretch because that means a 3# fish could eat a 1# or a 10 pounder could eat a 3# perch or shad ... but have seen some 7-8" fish in bellys when cleaning and tried once putting an 8" perch in the mouth of about a 6# 'eye and it fit ... lol AND I couldn't get it back out until I cleaned them  those eye teeth are angled backwards


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Lol thats funny,ive played around with saugeye carcass as well,seeing how wide there mouth opens,an its suprisingly wide. If you can open it just like there like a hinge if you push it out there mouths open wider or as wide as there heads.
An the teeth angled back are wicked an can reallt trap some baitfish!


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

heres a 21” with a 8-9” shad from last year early december also.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Break out those HJ-14's!!


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Big Joshy said:


> heres a 21” with a 8-9” shad from last year early december also.
> View attachment 251099


Now that' a black crappie


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## chrisrf815 (Jul 6, 2014)

Not trying to discount any of the shad those eyes have swallowed or even the 30% of size rule, but have always wondered if eyes tear up larger bait fish with their teeth to eat them or even school up with their sharp teeth to eat larger prey. Ive come to the conclusion most eyes inhale the whole baitfish like a bass, but have always thrown around the idea that eyes can tear apart much larger prey than they can eat with their teeth. Just curious if anyone has some facts about this? Only instances i have to confirm this is undersize 14" eyes, attacking large baits like rapala f18s or even musky baits. Or does these baits just attract fish no matter size, or are this small fish trying to tear the bait up with their teeth only to be caught by a bait almost their own size?


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

chrisrf815 said:


> Not trying to discount any of the shad those eyes have swallowed or even the 30% of size rule, but have always wondered if eyes tear up larger bait fish with their teeth to eat them or even school up with their sharp teeth to eat larger prey. Ive come to the conclusion most eyes inhale the whole baitfish like a bass, but have always thrown around the idea that eyes can tear apart much larger prey than they can eat with their teeth. Just curious if anyone has some facts about this? Only instances i have to confirm this is undersize 14" eyes, attacking large baits like rapala f18s or even musky baits. Or does these baits just attract fish no matter size, or are this small fish trying to tear the bait up with their teeth only to be caught by a bait almost their own size?


 I've examined the stomach contents of many saugeyes and sauger and I don't recall ever finding anything other than whole bait fish and an occasional crawdad.
Good luck and Good Fishing !


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

chrisrf815 said:


> Not trying to discount any of the shad those eyes have swallowed or even the 30% of size rule, but have always wondered if eyes tear up larger bait fish with their teeth to eat them or even school up with their sharp teeth to eat larger prey. Ive come to the conclusion most eyes inhale the whole baitfish like a bass, but have always thrown around the idea that eyes can tear apart much larger prey than they can eat with their teeth. Just curious if anyone has some facts about this? Only instances i have to confirm this is undersize 14" eyes, attacking large baits like rapala f18s or even musky baits. Or does these baits just attract fish no matter size, or are this small fish trying to tear the bait up with their teeth only to be caught by a bait almost their own size?


Im fairly certain S-eye primarily use their teeth to grasp or injure baitfish. I've never heard of partially eaten fish found in stomach's, although im sure it's possible.

Interesting thoughts on younger Saugeye attacking larger baitfish, only to end up taking bite size chunks out of them. Never thought of it that way, just assumed it was Hybrid Vigor at it's finest (you don't seem to hear about juvenile Sauger or Walleye attacking such large baits nearly as much).


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## chrisrf815 (Jul 6, 2014)

Yea, im on the same page as you guys, i havd only found whole bait fish or even multiple whole bait fish, in their stomachs, just been trying to pin point the use of walleyes, saugers, and saugeyes teeth. Must be to injure and trap prey, not to tear it apart.


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

very nice fish - Congrats - It really is amazing how big of a shad those eyes go after.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

I think its more of a curiosity/reaction strike thing. On the ohio river i get really small saugers eating full size rouges an hj14s, the erie guys are seeing plenty of dinks taking there bigger reefrunners/bandits/smithwicks etc. Ive even caught my share of bass with eyes bigger then there tummys. Then you get those silly 8" summer timecrappie eating full sized cranks zoomed bye there heads. 

I think my most shocking little fish big bait fish was a 6/7" perch eating a full size rouge in december. There not known for being aggresive at all.
I think a lot of times the fish isnt seeing just how big that hunk of plastic is,as it darts bye them,an they just "attack" things out of instinct.
An same as everyone else i mainly find fullsize shad in tbe stomachs of saugeye sauger and walleye.


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## Barry Pringle (Oct 5, 2016)

Clefisherman said:


> Was able to get the HJ dialed in right around dark and picked up 3 nice fish before losing my last of 2 HJ on a snag.
> 
> While cleaning the biggest fish (21 1/2in) noticed how big it’s belly was for being that size, was worried about eggs but upon further inspection it was an 8in crappie, Or so me think!


That is definitely a shad.


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## Lil Crappie (Jun 17, 2013)

One of my best saugeye days last year, I had three 4inch shad regurgitated in my live well. Tails and fins gone. Fish from 16 to 20 inches.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Lil Crappie said:


> One of my best saugeye days last year, I had three 4inch shad regurgitated in my live well. Tails and fins gone. Fish from 16 to 20 inches.


What time of year? Imo there mercantilism is either much faster in the summer or tjere constantly eating in fall/winter. 
I usually find most baitfish in stomachs in the colder weather. I imagine the fins an tails on those spit up baitfish had deteriated faster then the body rather then bitten off. 
Its weird to i see more baitfish spit uo in the livewell or bucket way more in warm months them cold months. Im sure there is something scientific vehind it.


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## Lil Crappie (Jun 17, 2013)

Saugeyefisher said:


> What time of year? Imo there mercantilism is either much faster in the summer or tjere constantly eating in fall/winter.
> I usually find most baitfish in stomachs in the colder weather. I imagine the fins an tails on those spit up baitfish had deteriated faster then the body rather then bitten off.
> Its weird to i see more baitfish spit uo in the livewell or bucket way more in warm months them cold months. Im sure there is something scientific vehind it.


It was late June. Warm day . Probably stressed from the heat? Started putting a little ice in the well after that.


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## mutt (Jul 25, 2013)

Saugeyefisher said:


> What time of year? Imo there mercantilism is either much faster in the summer or tjere constantly eating in fall/winter.
> I usually find most baitfish in stomachs in the colder weather. I imagine the fins an tails on those spit up baitfish had deteriated faster then the body rather then bitten off.
> Its weird to i see more baitfish spit uo in the livewell or bucket way more in warm months them cold months. Im sure there is something scientific vehind


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## mutt (Jul 25, 2013)

We were fishing a tournament on devil's lake and my brother caught a 6 pound eye that puked a 14 in walleye, and he caught it on a 2in fathead.


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

On a fishing trip to Canada my buddy caught a Pike of close to 40". Cleaning it he noticed how distended and hard the stomach was so he opened it up. There was an 18" Sucker in there! 

Also have pic somewhere of that same buddy who was casting a very small red and white Dardevle. He felt a "tic" on the line and thought he had clipped a weed. He reeled in to check and caught a tiny Perch that was no bigger than the spoon! 

As far as finding baitfish remains in stomachs in colder weather, that seems logical to me. The fishes metabolism is slow because of the colder water. If they hork down one big meal, that should last them for a while. They can go find a spot where they can just rest, and that baitfish should keep them alive for quite some time.


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