Sauger Recovery In New York

Sauger are members of the true perch family, Percidae, and are similar to the closely related walleye in both appearance and habits. They were historically common in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River, and Lake Champlain watersheds of New York, but now only a small remnant population in Lake Champlain may still exist. Sauger are currently considered critically imperiled in New York and a Conservation Management Plan (www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/92788.html) was developed to aid in their recovery. A plan objective is to establish a sauger population in the Allegheny River watershed, and this was initiated in 2014 via a stocking program that will be conducted through 2018. Initial follow-up surveys indicated excellent growth and survival of stocked fish.

Fishing for, and possession of, sauger is now prohibited in New York, so anglers need to know how to differentiate them from walleye where they may co-exist. Sauger can be identified by the unique three to four saddle-shaped dark brown blotches on their sides and the distinct black spots on the first dorsal (back) fin. Sauger also lack the white tip on the lower lobe of the tail fin that is common in walleye.