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Sauger 🔴 Threatened

🔬 Sander canadensis

The walleye's smaller, range-restricted cousin. Nearly identical to walleye but with a spotted (not clear) spiny dorsal fin and no white tip on the lower tail lobe. Prefers larger, turbid rivers and Great Lakes rather than clear inland lakes. Listed as Michigan Threatened -- now rare in the state. Historically present in the Detroit River and Lake Erie but populations have collapsed.

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🏆 Michigan record 7 lbs 6 oz ·James Kapuscinski ·St. Marys River ·Chippewa County ·1998 All records →
Bite this month
Excellent
📅
Best season
Spring, Fall
📏
Keeper size
12" at ~4 yrs
🧊
Ice fishing
Viable target
📋
Regulations
15" min · limit 5

🌊 Where to Catch Sauger in Michigan

Lake County Population
Torch Lake
18,770 acres
 Antrim Good
Cheboygan Lake
640 acres
 Cheboygan Poor
Lake St. Clair
260,000 acres
 Macomb Poor
Muskegon Lake
4,150 acres
 Muskegon Poor

🛡 Sauger Conservation Status

🔴 Threatened Sauger is listed as threatened in Michigan. Listed as Michigan Threatened. Historically found in larger rivers and Lake Erie/Lake Huron but populations have declined severely due to habitat loss, turbidity changes, and competition. Now extremely rare in Michigan -- confirmed records are limited. Any sighting should be reported to the MDNR Fisheries Division. Michigan requires a minimum length of 15" to keep. The daily bag limit is 5.
Sauger

🌿 Sauger Habitat & Behavior

Large, turbid rivers and Great Lakes connecting waters. Prefers faster current and deeper water than walleye. Rarely found in clear inland lakes. DNR records show Sauger present in 4 Michigan water bodies. Highest stocking activity on record is in Antrim County. Bite activity rates Good or better in Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec. Sauger is a viable ice fishing target in Michigan.

🎣 Best Sauger Techniques

Same presentations as walleye -- jigs, live bait rigs, crankbaits drifted in river current. Report any catches to MDNR as sightings are tracked.

🪱 Best Sauger Baits

Minnows, night crawlers, jigs, blade baits, jigging spoons

📋 Sauger Fishing Regulations in Michigan

15"
Minimum size
5
Daily limit
10
Possession limit
Last Saturday in April – March 15
Season

Similar regulations to Walleye. Primarily found in the St. Marys River and a few other Michigan waters.

⚠️ Regulations shown are general statewide guidelines for 2025. Rules vary by water body and change annually. Always verify current regulations in the official Michigan DNR Fishing Guide before you fish.

📈 Michigan DNR Sauger Stocking Records

📋 Sauger Stocking Events by Lake

Date Lake County Quantity Size
Apr 25, 1988 Torch Lake Antrim County Antrim 58,000 0.3"

Showing the 1 most recent stocking events for Sauger, across 1 lake. Lakes with several events can be expanded.

📦 Sauger DNR Stocking History

Total stocked: 58,000
Stocking events: 1
Peak year: 1988 (58,000)
1
Historical stocking events
1
Lakes stocked
Apr
Next likely stocking window
Peak Stocking Months
Apr
Top Stocked Lakes
Torch Lake Antrim Co.

Forecast based on historical DNR stocking patterns. Not a guarantee of future stocking. Verify with the Michigan DNR.

🎯 Estimated Mature Sauger, October

Based on DNR stocking records from 2021–2023 (3–5 years ago), these 0 lakes likely hold mature Sauger at or near 12" keeper size today.

🗓

No DNR stocking records found for Sauger between 2021 and 2023.

This species may not have been stocked in Michigan during that window.

Estimates based on average stocking-size survival rates. Actual populations vary by habitat, fishing pressure, and lake conditions. Data sourced from Michigan DNR.

📅 Best Times to Fish Sauger

❄️ Sauger is a popular ice fishing target in Michigan.

💡 Angler Tips for Sauger

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📋 Quick Sauger Facts

📈 Growth Timeline

🔗 Resources

🐟 All Fish Species 🎣 MDNR Sport Fishing 🔬 MDNR Fish ID Guide 🪪 Buy a Michigan Fishing License 🎣 Log a catch