Sauger are nearly identical to walleye in most respects. The major difference is that the walleye attains a larger size. Sauger are scarce in New York, occurring primarily in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain. They have been reported from tributaries of Lake Erie, Cayuga Lake, eastern Lake Ontario, the Mohawk River, and in northeastern New York.

Sauger are slender fish, seldom reaching a length of 18 inches or weight of 3 pounds. Their spawning habits are similar to those of walleye. Their eating habits are also similar. However, aquatic insects are a larger part of the sauger's diet and owing to their smaller size, the sauger consumes smaller fish than the walleye. As a food, they are the equal of walleyes.

Distribution of sauger in NY state.

An image of the sauger is also available for download.

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