I know everyone thinks that the river is horrible but if there was something wrong with eating the fish the hospitals would be full cause people haul them home by the bucket full. We have always took sauger home to eat. I don't let my kids eat them and the sauger is all we keep. I usually keep 2 or 3 when I catch them cause that's all it takes to feed the two of us. Other speices I wouldn't keep but the sauger always look good and clean and tate excellent as well. The advisories are there so we don't eat to much. The mercury content in the water gets in the fish as well and to much will make you sick. So don't over do it and you will be fine.