Saugeye ID

[cisco]

Sometime back I asked about saugeyes -- got some great answers. Now that biological and policy matters have been covered, how about identification? Since I fish water that contains all three (walleye, sauger, & saugeye) can anyone give me an ID shortcourse for the hybrid? Thanks much.

[Fuzzy_IL]

They have to do a DNA test to be sure. Saugeye can have features of both parents or look just like one of their paernts.
What I want to know is, can saugeye reproduce?
Fuzzy_IL

[Mr. Magic]

To answer your question about saugeye reproduction, saugeye are fertile hybrids. So they are capable of spawning with both the walleye and the sauger parents. I read something that here in Ohio they are tring tomake a new crossbreed that will not breed with the other two hope this helps.

[Bret N]

I'm no biologist, but here goes. Saugeye will generally have some of the spotting that appears in a sauger, but will also have a white tip on the bottom part of the tailfin like a walleye. Sometimes the spotting will look very much like a sauger. Sometimes the spotting (on dorsal fin and on the body of the fish)will be less pronounced. The white tip will usually not be as large as the white tip on a walleye. They really do vary and are sometimes tricky to ID. Here in MN they are lumped in with the sauger and walleye combined limit, so for a legal limit it really doesn't matter if you ID it properly. Still I like to let the big ones go to grow and spawn. Hope this helps. Bret