Tennessee Sauger
Posted by John Matthew Crowe on Saturday, December 4, 2010
Under: Fishing
It's prime time to catch saugers and walleyes. Yeah, I know, some of you have been bouncing jigs since last November for the best-tasting fish to swim in Tennessee's waters and are starting to think about casting for other species since the weather is warming. Big mistake! It's prime time for to be hitting creek mouths and the tailwaters for these larger members of the perch family.
Whether you say pre-spawn begins in the fall or some time later, walleyes and saugers are now in position waiting for Mother Nature's signal to commence spawning. That signal (or series of signals) for the spawn is a combination of rising water temperature and increasing daylight.
Male saugers and walleyes lead the pre-spawn run upstream to spawning areas. Creek mouths are usually high on their list of stopovers on their trek. The females follow, and anglers looking for a trophy should come very soon thereafter.
While talking about trophy-sized saugers and walleyes, I personally hope you will take a photo and release the females. Tennessee populations of these fish could be stronger than they are. But releasing egg-laden females is up to you.
As for getting yourself into a position to decide whether to release fish or not, let's take a look at how you get them to bite in the first place.
LIVE BAIT
Four-inch shad, creek minnows or small bream fished in deep holes during the day helps you cull the smaller fish from your hook, which should be No. 2/0 to No. 4/0. A walleye rig works well for displaying your bait. A slip-sinker above a 2-foot leader separated by a barrel swivel allows the bait to swim and attract the predator.
When angling for numbers of fish rather than trophies, 2-inch shad, shiners or tuffy minnows on a floating jig attached to the walleye rig increases your prospects of attracting predators. Walleyes and saugers tend to hold off the bottom when they are not active. Lengthening your leader and using the floating jig can put your bait in the strike zone.
Walleyes and saugers move into the shallow gravel or rocky areas at night to complete reproduction. This is not the time to fish. You want to be there the nights before they spawn, when they are making practice runs. Getting a fish to hit your bait when in the throes of passion is not unlike trying to get you to leave your lover under similar circumstances for a sardine sandwich. Fortunately, the "wanna-bes" not actively participating will be in the area and they will take a bite.
Also, fortunately for us, not all walleyes or saugers spawn at the same time. We probably have a month of spawning, which usually peaks in Tennessee in mid-April. That means anglers enjoy a fairly long period during which a good portion of the fish are in the pre-spawn part of their cycle.
Once you're rigged up, you'll want to put your bait in a productive place for saugers and walleyes. The most productive places to fish are below dams for about 12 miles downstream and at the mouths of creeks.
Whether you say pre-spawn begins in the fall or some time later, walleyes and saugers are now in position waiting for Mother Nature's signal to commence spawning. That signal (or series of signals) for the spawn is a combination of rising water temperature and increasing daylight.
Male saugers and walleyes lead the pre-spawn run upstream to spawning areas. Creek mouths are usually high on their list of stopovers on their trek. The females follow, and anglers looking for a trophy should come very soon thereafter.
While talking about trophy-sized saugers and walleyes, I personally hope you will take a photo and release the females. Tennessee populations of these fish could be stronger than they are. But releasing egg-laden females is up to you.
As for getting yourself into a position to decide whether to release fish or not, let's take a look at how you get them to bite in the first place.
LIVE BAIT
Four-inch shad, creek minnows or small bream fished in deep holes during the day helps you cull the smaller fish from your hook, which should be No. 2/0 to No. 4/0. A walleye rig works well for displaying your bait. A slip-sinker above a 2-foot leader separated by a barrel swivel allows the bait to swim and attract the predator.
When angling for numbers of fish rather than trophies, 2-inch shad, shiners or tuffy minnows on a floating jig attached to the walleye rig increases your prospects of attracting predators. Walleyes and saugers tend to hold off the bottom when they are not active. Lengthening your leader and using the floating jig can put your bait in the strike zone.
Walleyes and saugers move into the shallow gravel or rocky areas at night to complete reproduction. This is not the time to fish. You want to be there the nights before they spawn, when they are making practice runs. Getting a fish to hit your bait when in the throes of passion is not unlike trying to get you to leave your lover under similar circumstances for a sardine sandwich. Fortunately, the "wanna-bes" not actively participating will be in the area and they will take a bite.
Also, fortunately for us, not all walleyes or saugers spawn at the same time. We probably have a month of spawning, which usually peaks in Tennessee in mid-April. That means anglers enjoy a fairly long period during which a good portion of the fish are in the pre-spawn part of their cycle.
Once you're rigged up, you'll want to put your bait in a productive place for saugers and walleyes. The most productive places to fish are below dams for about 12 miles downstream and at the mouths of creeks.
In : Fishing