# Saugeye on the Fly



## Buckeye Mike (Jan 4, 2007)

Just curious to see if any one has tried catching saugeye with the fly rod.
I have tried it a couple of times at Indian Lake with no success, but i think it can be done.
Did catch a walleye, one time when i was bluegill fishing, with the long rod, but that was a pure accident.

Just curious, THANKS Mike


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

havnt done it in lakes but in the rivers, fish heavy clousers where you catch sauger/eyes, usually deeper riffles, sometimes super shallow, they eat the streamers. the main thing is its tougher to put a fly on the bottom than a 1/4ounce jig, unless you have a sink tip.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Ive taken many on the GMR ( below the low dams) with clousers, I like chartreuse over white. I think the best ones I have taken with the long rod has been about 23", i might have a pic somewhere, if i can find it ill post it

Salmonid


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## tornwaders (Oct 2, 2007)

I to would like to get one of those camo fish on a fly rod. I have never caught one in my life. I had big plans to chase them in early spring , but if this weather keeps up it might be this fall before I get to handle one.


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## Buckeye Mike (Jan 4, 2007)

THANKS Gentelmen, for the replys. Glad to hear that someone has got them on the fly.
Question: what size eyes do you put on the Clouser to get them down, to the magic depth? and what kind of hair do you use to tie the clouser? THANKS


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## brhoff (Sep 28, 2006)

Caught a couple last spring while hitting some shallow Crappie.

The "magic" depth seems to be ticking the bottom so a sink tip leader was doing the trick for me.

Caught mine on lighter colored wooly buggers.

I think the biggest issue with them is fishing deep and that they bite EXTREMLY lightly...just a quick pause in the line.


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## dropthetailgate (Apr 6, 2012)

I have been fly fishing only a couple years so still consider myself green. I do have 9 species under my belt and one saltwater Blue cut me off too. I have become addicted to spending more time learning saugeye fishing and have a little less than a dozen under my belt. I am interested in hearing more from you guys about your success and how too's. The attached fly has worked well for me on many species including saugeye. I tip it with a meal worm and roll cast it on a 5 weight rod with full intermediate sinking line. It seems to drift nicely with bottom contact in maybe 3 to 6 ft moderate flowing water. I am working on finding a comparative combo in an 8 weight combo for better hook setting because of the saugeyes quick light bites. I have missed a lot of them. I also got my first one on a clouser style streamer a couple weeks ago with an 8 weight. But that was working the streamer upstream into a rock eddy and it hit pretty hard. These clouser styles work well simply because they are more snag proof.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

I have a couple good spots on the river that are good for saugeye and smallies. The saugeyes don't fight nearly as hard as smallies, but they sure are good looking fish...


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Been a while, but still one of the most memorable fish I have ever caught on the fly. 26".


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

I catch sauger inadvertently every year on the Hocking, fishing for smallies and crappies. Get the streamer deep enough and you'll find them.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

If you're willing to brave the cold and the night, right now they can be caught surprisingly shallow in lakes and below spillways. I started catching them on spin- tackle but soon switched to fly-fishing once I found out how shallow and close to shore they are at times.
I'm still in the learning stage but a shad imitation fished a few feet below the surface has (at times) produced some surprising results. I'm still carrying my spinning-rod for a backup on nights when fly-fishing doesn't produce. 
There's a sticky in the Central Ohio forum that contains a boat load of(30 pages) of information about saugeye habits
Good luck and Good Fishing !.


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## gahannafly (Aug 11, 2012)

I was thinking the same thing-I have been hitting alum from shore catching saugeye on spinning gear but there is always down time to try out a fly rod. I have only caught them on fly gear in the river, not on open water yet-I had success there with a clouser and a smaller trailer fly-devilbug.


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## dropthetailgate (Apr 6, 2012)

I got two dinks this past weekend below the spillway on fly rod. Seen a pretty big one caught on a crawler and bobber too. They were very sluggish and light bites and one took about 5 minutes to revive. My first early winter saugeye experience. I am not sure what to think so far but from what I have experienced they sure do not seem very aggressive like you would come to believe from reading about them. At this time of year I mean.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

I've been plagued with small fish also, I've taken a couple dozen and only two were even respectable, most have been 12" to 14", last winter my fish were probably averaging 18". I've also found the bite extremely light but the fish have been extremely frisky
Sadly This weather isn't looking to promising for me to try it this W/E
Good luck and keep Fishing


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## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

I get them in the river and on alum with the long rod. Right now is a great time to target rocky shores along reservoirs with streamers as the fish are sitting shallow. I like supreme hair clousers with chartreuse over white with red flash and fairly heavy eyes being my go to. My biggest was a 23" out of the river, but I get plenty of eater of Alum. Just make sure you casting is decent for night-time fishing haha.


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## ChromeBone (Oct 3, 2011)

I get them in the Scioto, I stand on a sandbar and dead drift down into the current in one of my spots. Get a lot of catfish also...


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## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

ChromeBone said:


> I get them in the Scioto, I stand on a sandbar and dead drift down into the current in one of my spots. Get a lot of catfish also...


I have a spot on the scioto I might try to indicator fish for them (wish I had a spey and some good sinking line to swing) but think that the indicator style bumping bottom might work.


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## dropthetailgate (Apr 6, 2012)

The two I got last weekend came after I switched to floating line and indicator. They bit so light they barely wiggled the indicator. I would not be concerned about using sinking line. Just use enough leader to get to the bottom or close to it is what I did. The water flow there was drawn down slow so that did help. I had to order an intermediate wf8si line to match my favorite 5 wt setup this week. That 5 wt setup has been my favorite setup. I am excited to try the 8 with it now. I got it spooled up so I will give it a try and see how it feels and fishes.


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## ChromeBone (Oct 3, 2011)

I usually will go with dual flies to bump the botton well. Most of the time you will notice when you get a hit from your line. I use a bright Green or yellow "indicator" floating line so I can see it.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

One thing I've discovered about winter Fishing for saugeye is that they often seem to be feeding on suspended bait( at least were I fish) like crappie and I've had better success Fishing above the fish . I'm not saying that you shouldn't bouce the bottom, it is often what the fish want ,but if that's not working try higher in the water column especially at dusk or in the dark. My last trip was on a cloudy day and fish were definitely looking up, I actually saw the flash from a few strikes that were well off the bottom and at night I'm normally Fishing only a few feet deep regardless water depth.
Good luck and Good Fishing !


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Anyone else make a trip this past W/E ?
I fished a few hours Sunday evening and caught several but again they were not very large. The bite was very slow until dusk.















Good luck and keep Fishing !


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