Sauger in Colorado
Where sauger swim in Colorado, and what to keep.
- 5 a daylimit
- 3 lb 6.7 ozrecord
Pick for saugerPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of the species, not a Colorado water: Nick Tobler (Cowturtle), CC BY 4.0
Sauger across Colorado: rules and records
On the CPW chart sauger counts as game fish, and 2 chart rows apply to it. Across waters statewide, the limit is daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate.
A 3 lb 6.7 oz catch at Horseshoe Reservoir in 2011 tops the weight table. It shows up on 4 of the lake and stream pages below.
For the sauger herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 The 2026 chart rows for sauger
| Chart row | Zone | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye, Saugeye, Sauger | Statewide | Daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Walleye, Saugeye, Sauger | Arkansas and South Fork of Republican River drainages | Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (Colorado Parks and Wildlife), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026; the chart applies on every water not listed in the special regulations.
The sauger marks to beat in Colorado
Certified weights
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauger | 3 lb 6.7 oz | 21.5 in | Jeff Riddle | Horseshoe Reservoir | Heurfano | 2011 |
Longest released fish
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauger | 18 in | Ross Cordova | Douglas Reservoir | 2025 |
A new length record must beat the current one, or 16 inches where no record exists (the Master Angler qualifying length).
CPW Fishing Awards and Records and the 2026 brochure pages 6 and 7, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Rules beyond the chart for sauger
- b. Crustaceans: The following crustaceans may be possessed east of the Continental Divide: virile crayfish, waternymph crayfish, calico crayfish, ringed crayfish and Southern Plains crayfish. The following crustaceans may be possessed on either side of the Continental Divide: freshwater shrimp …p. 8
2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (Colorado Parks and Wildlife),, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Lakes and streams with sauger in their species lists
Lake pages naming sauger
- Douglass Reservoir522 acres
- Horseshoe Reservoir, Huerfano County165 acres
- St. Vrain State Park Pelican42 acres
- North Shields Sterling Pond14 acres
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
Photo views of fishing water near Sauger
Photo: Peter K, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: USEPA Environmental-Protection-Agency, Public domain
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Photo: Hustvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown, Public domain
What CPW says about Sauger, in Q and A
How many sauger fit in a legal Colorado day?
Daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate (statewide); special regulations can change it on listed waters.
When was the Colorado sauger record set?
3 lb 6.7 oz from Horseshoe Reservoir, by Jeff Riddle in 2011.
What Colorado water is a good bet for sauger?
4 water pages here list it, starting with Douglass Reservoir, Horseshoe Reservoir, Huerfano County and St. Vrain State Park Pelican.
Where do the sauger rules differ from the chart?
No special-regulation entry names it, so the statewide chart applies unless a water closes or limits all fishing.
What kind of fish is sauger for CPW?
Game fish on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide, arkansas and south fork of republican river drainages.
When is sauger season open in Colorado?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; no entry names it.
Does Colorado sell a special stamp for sauger?
Everyone 16 and older needs a CPW fishing license: $44.87 a year for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents, or $18.07 for a resident one-day license.
Is there a catch-and-release record for sauger?
Photograph it on a measuring device with a witness and release it; it must beat the current record, or 16 inches where none exists.
Pick water for sauger
Open any water above for its ramps, species and Colorado limits.