Mcalpine Sauger

[birdstrike]

Here's a peek.

http://www.fishin.com/forums2/showthread.php?p=308812#post308812

[DavidPT40]

Please do not eat any sauger from the Ohio River. These fish are highly contaminated with various toxins, such as PCBs and mercury. Some fish even have dioxins in them (same chemical that caused all the side effects of Agent Orange).

[jfw]

Where did you get this info .I have been eating them for 30 years ,and I am fine .Did you know when they test a fish they grind intrels and all and test that .....I would not eat any Catfish ,Buffalo CArp ,Drum.But Sauger,Walleye,crappie are fine .If you have ever been to Kings on Broadway and get a fish sandwich you are eating Buffalo from the Ohio River.I know this for a fact becasue I know the commercial fisherman that sells them to Kings

[RoadToad]

KDFWR recommends no more than one meal per week of ANY freshwater fish, no matter where it was caught.

http://fw.ky.gov/fishadvisory.asp

The advisory for sauger from the Ohio is no more restrictive than for any other fish, so go for it. Also, I think it's important to remember that trace amounts of mercury occur naturally in ALL fish. Unless you're a woman of childbearing age, you have nothing to worry about.

[gocards40]

That is funny but not. I have seen guys do that more and more the last few years. The last time I was at Taylorsville bank fishing. I was in the old quarry fishing for Crappie and Bluegil. There was a tournament going on because there were boats coming in and out of it all day long. I was standing on the little point on left as you enter with a boat and I can't tell you how many guys banged there cranks off the rocks I was standing on. I was p'd off. I have learned over the years to bring my Catfish rod with me for defense (All the Pay lake fishing tought me something). I just casted it out almost were the boats enters and left it there. I had a few hang into it and I just said thats ok I will fix it no harm done then laughed inside. I set there and blocked off that little point and cove all day long. I can't tell you how many boats came with a few yards of me and never said a word. No "you catch'n any" or anything. There was a couple of older guys that had been around that thing over and over for hours while the others came in and left. They were nice enough and always talked as they went around. They never once came close enough to me with their casts to offend me. So when everyone but them was left in the Quarry I packed it up and moved to the other side. They made a beeline to that little cove and caught their first Keeper of the day. I also, since I was not interested in Bass that day, pointed out a few fish on the nest for them that I seen walking the bank on the other side. They told me that they knew there would be a fish over there since I had it blocked off all morning and I just laughed and told them I did that on purpose and we all laughed about it. Moral of this story is that I have fished both from bank and boat and enjoy both. I actually own a few boats for different circumstances. Respect the bank fisherman though and it could pay off.

[DaveR]

Boaters have same rights, but alot more "wrongs". I am a boater and I always give boats and bank fisherman plenty of courtesy space.

Here is the consumption guidline for adults over 6 years of age and women that are not of childbearing age (I wouldn't want my wife to eat if we planned to have any more kids - better safe than sorry)

Paddlefish (and their eggs) 6 meals/year
Channel catfish:
over 21" - 6 meals/year
under 21" -1 meal/month
Carp - 1 meal/month
Drum - 1 meal/month
Hybrid striped bass -1 meal/month
Sauger - 1 meal/week
White bass -1 meal/month
Flathead Catfish - 1 meal/week
Black Bass (largemouth, smallmouth and spotted)
-1 meal/week

KDFWR recommends no more than one meal per week of ANY freshwater fish, no matter where it was caught.

http://fw.ky.gov/fishadvisory.asp

The advisory for sauger from the Ohio is no more restrictive than for any other fish, so go for it. Also, I think it's important to remember that trace amounts of mercury occur naturally in ALL fish. Unless you're a woman of childbearing age, you have nothing to worry about.