Fish Identification

Type: Nontidal
Region: UNKNOWN
Location: UNKNOWN

I caught this fish on Fathers Day fishing for muskies and i cannot tell if it is a walleye or a sauger. I didnt get a very good pic,didnt want the fish to be out of the water to long. There is really no white on the tail so i seem to think it is a sauger or maybe a saugeye! I hope you can tell what it is and let me know!

DNR RESPONSE via John Mullican

- It is impossible to tell from just the photo as several of the common characteristics used to differentiate between the two species cannot be seen. However, I strongly suspect that the fish you caught was a walleye. In addition to the common white spot on the lower lobe of the caudal fin (tail), walleye usually have a prominent black spot on the rear end of the first (spiney) dorsal fin (cant be seen in photo). Saugers usually have a black spot on the base of the pectoral fins (fin on each side behind head) that is not apparent on the fish in your photo. The fish in your photo does have an unusual color pattern for a live walleye. However, it does not appear to have the dark saddles across the back characteristic of sauger. Keep in mind there is genetic variability among individual fish and not all individuals will display the characteristics mentioned above to the same extent. In addition, sauger typically don�t get as large as the fish you caught, which would make the catch even more unusual.

Sauger are not native to Maryland and have not been introduced. Although it certainly is possible, even likely, for a fish to go unnoticed, we have never collected a sauger during any of our annual electrofishing surveys, which include multiple sites at Hancock. We do, however, commonly collect large walleye. In my judgment, the fish you caught was a walleye and a very nice one at that. Congratulations on your catch and thank you for taking the time to contact us.