Kentucky River Sauger

[Bonefish]

I am thinking about fishing the Ky River for sauger when river conditions get right this winter. I know they are bottom feeders and best way to catch them is with a jig/minnow combination. But, has anyone fished the Ky for this fish with what luck? Thanks!

[Fishnhunt]

Hey bonefish,been fishing the old ky for years.By far the best spots are going to be right below a dam.Second best spots are at the mouth of a creek.to tell ya the truth the best way to catch them is to stand
on or beside the lock walls at the dams.That's how most of the sauger get caught.Last fall was good numbers but don't expect to catch any big ones.A big sauger there is a pound or so.seems the last hour before dark you can catch them about any place,other times you have to find them.If you find them you catch them.Sometime I scale way down in size,maybe 1/6onc jig,tipped with tiny piece of fish meat.
Hope this helps and let us know how you do.Good luck

[Bonefish]

Thanks for your reply. The biologist stocked some of the pools this past year with good numbers of fry. I do not know how big they were or which pools, but I will find out. I think they are trying to improve the population which is a good thing, but I wish our rivers were not so polluted with chemicals. It's sad not to be able to eat the fish very often. Thanks again!

[Fishnhunt]

Shoot,i wouldn't even woory about that.Smallmouth,sauger and waleye have to have pretty clean water and they seem to be living just fine in the old ky river.And besides your not allowed very many sauger anyway.I did catch some of the smallest sauger I have ever seen this fall.Some 4to5 inchers.

[birdstrike]

Same problem with the ones in the Ohio, don't get very big. There must be a link to the waters they live in and the short life span. I'm not saying not to eat them, they might be just fine. The joint state Ohio River walleye and sauger study of recent found that the fish were seemingly healthy but would not live more than a few years??? The thought was that the build up of toxins in the fish's body would prematurely end it's life. There used to be a link to this study on the KY fish and wildlife website, may still be there.