Colorado Fish Species: Saugeye

While saugeye do occasionally occur naturally, the majority are produced in hatcheries by crossing walleye and sauger.  Their appearance is intermediate between their parents.  To identifying this hybrid look for dark bars or oblong vertical spots between the spines of the first dorsal fin. Saugeye have dark laterally oblong blotches on their sides but they tend to be smaller than those of a sauger. The membranes of the dorsal fin have distinct spots similar to those of a sauger. A black blotch is also usually present on dorsal fin and a white spot is usually present at the tip of the lower caudal fin.
 
Saugeye’s habitat preference is similar to its parents, surviving best in turbid water. Saugeyes offer anglers an opportunity to catch a walleye-sized fish in habitats suited best for saugers.
They tend to congregate near the bottom on sand bars or near ledges and drop-offs.  Like walleye, saugeye eat fish, almost exclusively.