Keeping Big Saugers

You just have to hope common sense is applied. But it does make one wonder when you see 19+inchers stuffed into the livewells by people who are there everyday and i mean EVERYDAY!! If i’m not out I see them at the boat ramp,it sometimes seems to be an ego thing. Not impressed…….

I only keep about 6 Saugers a year, and I’ll only bring home two at a time, and only when the little lady asks for a fish dinner.
I’ll keep only 16 to 17 inch fish.
Just love catching big Saugers, we just need MORE of them.
Jack

Each year the fisheries office from Lake City gives a state of the walleye/sauger presentation to our walleye club. When you review the data going back several years you quickly understand that Pool 4 is a healthy fishery but you also see just how vulnerable that population is to what mother nature throws at it (i.e. low water effect of spawning). At the current time we have great numbers of walleye and sauger, but this most likely will not always be the case. Since our pool is not stocked it is up to US to manage it. IMO, this not only means putting back the bigger fish, but for the regulars it also means not keeping fish every time out.

As far as the out-of-towner or the once-a-year angler that debate is a little more tricky. I still hate to see our bigger, reproductive fish leaving the system, but if taking a couple bigger fish out of the system makes them appreciate the fishery more and want to return in the near future than I will try to repsect it. That train of thought is based on the dollars they bring to the community and local businesses (EVERTS!). We see the benefits of this in the form of nice public ramps both at Lake City and Red Wing and area businesses that are able to survive a tough economy and provide ice free ramps for us to use all winter long. I encourage the release of the fish over 19″, but I will respect their decision to keep those fish if they feel they need to.

BTW, when the DNR is going to present to our club next year I’ll try to post the date on here. You’re all welcome to attend and it will give you a good perspective on the walleye/sauger population of pool 4.

Five in the box I agree with you 100%! Everytime I see a big fish put in the livewell I wonder if they are just misinformed or they just don’t care and its all about themselves.

I also would love to make it to that presentation.

Like they say “When in Rome” point taken

Been Pheasant hunting for a few days….For the record, I’d never slam anyone for keeping a fish, or a limit. The question was asked how big of sauger will you keep. I’m just trying to promote catch and release of large fish during a vulnerable time (Spring and Fall)…… I’d guess most people that fish pool 4 would agree, we have a large population of saugers and a lot of them have reach the 19 inch mark. A large part of that is due to the fact that there are a lot of people that do promote catch and release and that do release those pigs.

Surgeon General advises no eating of large spawning saugers at this time until they have had a chance to spawn sometime in April……

Thanks Whatsa