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Post by Chase on Apr 4, 2009 21:44:30 GMT -5
We went to Sullivan Lake today with Monty and CatfishSam and tried to catch some Saugeye. We didn't have any luck. We ran into FishermanDan on the lake and he didn't have any luck either. All we caught were a few small crappies and a couple little bass. Here's a pic I snapped of the sun rising over the lake through the fog.
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Post by Greenedog on Apr 5, 2009 10:04:22 GMT -5
It was a fun trip even though the boat wouldn't start and the fish were small. We shot some video, so I might go ahead make a little video of the trip.
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Post by spainy79 on Jul 10, 2009 17:19:21 GMT -5
Here's one I pulled out of Sullivan Lake last month. Question is I've been told its' a walleye and a saugeye. Can't get a straight answer. I thought it was a saugeye until someone questioned it, now I'm just uncertain. It measured 20 inches long and I caught it on a black and blue spinner.
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Post by Brian on Jul 10, 2009 17:24:59 GMT -5
looks like a saugeye to me
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Post by Chase on Jul 10, 2009 23:50:30 GMT -5
Nice one!! Fishermandan did some research on this and found the only way to tell is if it has grey streaks on the dorsal fin, it's a saugeye. But I can't really tell from the pic. I bet it was some good eating!!
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Post by Greenedog on Jul 11, 2009 8:26:33 GMT -5
That's a nice one, spainy! Here's the big ones that fishermandan caught at Sullivan: I was fishing with Dan one time at Sullivan and he caught a few and gave them to me. I brought them right home and fried them up and I think it was the best tasting fish I've ever had. Here's an explanation of the saugeye/walleye debate from a biologist that I found on another forum: Hybrid fish will generally have characteristics that are intermediate or a combination between the two parent species. So, when I have a fish in the hand I will call it a saugeye if I see characteristics of both species. Here is what I look for. They will have some white on the bottom lobe of the caudal fin (i.e. tail). Walleyes have more white on the tail fin that pure-bred sauger; saugeye will have at least some white. On walleyes, the spiny dorsal fin will NOT have spots. On sauger the spiny dorsal fin will have a series of spots in between the spines, and generally saugeye will have some spots on the spiny dorsal fin. Walleye will have one dark blotch at the bottom and back of the spiny dorsal fin, but no series of spots. Sauger do not have the blotch at the bottom and back of the spiny dorsal fin and most saugeye I have seen do not have that blotch either. Generally sauger will have a more distinct blotchy coloration on the back and sides; when viewed from above they may even look like saddle patches. Walleye generally do NOT have blotches or saddle patches on the back. Again saugeye will have an intermediate coloration, but you will generally notice the blotchy coloration or saddle patches. Lastly I check the cheeks. On most walleyes you will find that the cheeks are smooth, have no scales. Sauger and saugeye will tend to have at least some scales on the cheek and it will feel rough.
Now, having said all of that, let me say this. Walleye and sauger can hybridize in nature and the resulting offspring are fertile and can successfully mate with either parent species or other hybrids. In waters where hybrids occur you can end up with a whole range of fish from both parent species to intergrades between the two. For example, you can end up with fish that are 1/4 sauger and 3/4 walleye or 3/4 walleye and 1/4 sauger, or 1/8 sauger and . . . you get the idea. So in waters where hybrids occur, positive identification based on external characteristics may be nearly impossible. Even pointy-headed fisheries biologists may not be able to identify those fish with 100% accuracy based on external characteristics. Genetic analysis, DNA analysis, may be necessary to make a completely accurate identification.
So, if you were having a friendly little debate over the identification of a walleye/sauger/saugeye on a water where the hybrids occur, I am not sure I can settle that argument. I have listed the external characteristics I would look for, but I also would tell you that even a trained pointy-headed fisheries biologist may not get it right, you may need a pointy-headed geneticist to tell for sure.
Daryl Bauer Lakes and Reservoirs Program Manager Nebraska Game & Parks Commission daryl.bauer@ngpc.ne.gov
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Post by spainy79 on Jul 11, 2009 8:59:39 GMT -5
Thanks for that info Troy.
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Post by B-rad on Jul 11, 2009 9:26:31 GMT -5
Nice fish
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