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View Full Version : Vote: Walleye or Sauger


Shiami
08-23-2010, 03:24 PM
So, I have finally broken my loosing streak! Today I landed this pretty little fish. He was safely released back to his home in the NSR, but I'm a little conflicted about what to call him, species-wise.

I've determined he's either a walleye or a sauger, but I've never laid eyes on either of these fish, and when I was out fishing, I was unaware that the identification keys "Black spots on Dorsal Fin" in-fact refered to the front fin that my specimin was keeping neatly tucked away. Although the white blotch on the tail is a walleye trait. I've been poking around, apparently the third option is a hybrid of the two, since apparently the two species can occasionally cross breed.

I didn't take this guy out of the water, and I never bothered to pull up the fin to look. I was attempting to handle him as little as possible. So I will give you my photo, and take a vote on the species. :) Then I'll know what to say I caught my first of!

For curiosity sake, his total length nose to tail tip, is about 14-16". But I didn't bust out the tape to measure.

http://images.gofishn.com/media_files/66153/Walleye_and_More_015.JPG

Braun
08-23-2010, 03:27 PM
white on tail = walleye

JohninAB
08-23-2010, 03:28 PM
Walleye

Typical
08-23-2010, 03:29 PM
This is definetly a Walleye,

Saugers are blueish in color not green

jacenbeers
08-23-2010, 03:31 PM
Walleye have a patch of white on the bottom of their tail. Sauger do not. This is a walleye.

Shiami
08-23-2010, 03:33 PM
I find this very exciting.

I guess this is the first walleye I've ever laid eyes on, apart from that Saturday morning Bob Izumi fishing show that was on Access when I was a kid.

I'm stoked. It's the first fish I've landed in 10 years! And it just so happens to be a pretty little Walleye.


Thanks for the help everyone. And I'm extra glad I sent him back home. :)

DarkAisling
08-23-2010, 03:36 PM
Congratulations :) Hopefully this is the first of many.

sheephunter
08-23-2010, 03:40 PM
100% walleye...no question.

nicemustang
08-23-2010, 03:43 PM
Second time today with this...people should have to take an exam in order to fish...

Shiami
08-23-2010, 03:50 PM
Dear nicemustang:

I understand your concern that people can't obey the regs if they can't ID the fish. However, I would like to point out the following:

A) I am aware that it is either one of two species, which DO to some extent look alike. My indecision on the water led me to lean on the side of releasing the fish, since I knew walleye were a 0 catch limit.

B) I am by no means an 'experienced' fisher(woman) and have spent most of my life fishing trout in potholes, or pike in sloughs. I can ID you a bull trout, no problem, and can visually ID 100% ALL things I run into on a regular basis. And See C

C) I have never seen EITHER a Walleye or a Sauger in my life. Generally they don't hang out in the little potholes I fished as a kid. The little black and white diagrams in the Regulations doesn't make it particularly clear how to distinguish this fish either, and I was having some doubts.


All I really wanted to know is what species I got to do my happy dance about...


Incidentally, there is an online ID-the-fish exam, and I DID pass. Go figure.

walleyechaser
08-23-2010, 05:07 PM
like everyone else said its for sure a walleye

Tom Pullings
08-23-2010, 07:00 PM
Well done. My first walleye was much smaller than that.

moosehunter3-0
08-23-2010, 07:29 PM
Aside from the no white on the tail sauger have a bunch of little black spots on their dorsal and are smaller. Nice fish - defin an eye.

Rockymtnx
08-23-2010, 07:34 PM
Shiami, congrats on your first Walleye!

Calgaryguy1977
08-23-2010, 07:37 PM
Not sure if a vote is in order.....I think everyone agrees it's a Walleye!

gramps73
08-23-2010, 07:53 PM
Walleye

WayneChristie
08-23-2010, 08:16 PM
I caught his twin in the Bow yesterday, nice walleye.

DuckBrat
08-23-2010, 09:35 PM
This is a Sauger

http://www.rdrwa.ca/uploads/FCKeditor/Red%20Deer%20River%20sauger.jpg

perchfinder
08-23-2010, 09:40 PM
walleye

Cal
08-23-2010, 10:19 PM
Congrats on the walleye! One of the biggest walleye I've caught was out of the NSR. I was canoeing along near Gold Bar and I noticed a lady fighting with a tangle on her reel so I stopped to help. I untangled her line and made ONE CAST just to make sure the tangle was all fixed and I caught a a great big walleye. The poor lady had been there a few hours without a bite, I think she was just gratefull enough about fixing the tangle that she didnt get upset over my good luck.

blackpheasant
08-23-2010, 10:57 PM
Nice first Walleye Shiami...good work