Sauger in Ohio
sauger under the 2026-27 booklet.
- 6 a daylimit
- 7.31 lbrecord
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Ohio sauger in short
ODNR writes rules for sauger under 5 water classes in the 2026-27 booklet. Inland lakes and streams carry a 6 (singly or in combination) rule, open year-round.
A 7.31 lb fish from Maumee River, landed by Bryan Wicks in 1981, tops the Outdoor Writers of Ohio list. 819,530 were released in 1981 to 1985, per ODNR stocking records.
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| Water class | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide inland waters | Statewide | 6 (singly or in combination) | Open year-round |
| Lake Erie Sport Fishing District | Lake Erie | 6 (singly or in combination); minimum 15 inches | March 1 – April 30, 2026 |
| Ohio River Western Unit (Ohio/Kentucky) | UNIFIED OHIO AND KENTUCKY REGULATIONS: on or within a quarter mile of the Ohio River on its embayments and tributaries t | 6 (singly or in combination); minimum 14 inches | Open year-round |
| Ohio River Eastern Unit (Ohio/West Virginia) | OHIO REGULATIONS: shore anglers on the Ohio shoreline and all anglers in Ohio embayments and tributaries within the East | 6 (singly or in combination) | Open year-round |
| Site-specific inland waters | Mosquito Creek Lake | 6; minimum 15 inches | Open year-round |
| Site-specific inland waters | Berlin | 6; minimum 15 inches | Open year-round |
| Site-specific inland waters | C.J. Brown | 6; minimum 15 inches | Open year-round |
| Site-specific inland waters | LaDue | 6; minimum 15 inches | Open year-round |
| Site-specific inland waters | Lake Milton, including the Mahoning River connecting Berlin Lake and Lake Milton | 6; minimum 15 inches | Open year-round |
| Site-specific inland waters | West Branch | 6; minimum 15 inches | Open year-round |
Limits as printed in the 2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (ODNR Division of Wildlife Publication 5085, effective March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027) and the ODNR Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch daily limits sheet (May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027); retrieved October 26, 2026.
sauger entries in the Ohio record book
| Division | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rod and reel | 7.31 lb | 24-1/2" | Bryan Wicks | Maumee River | 1981 |
Outdoor Writers of Ohio record fish page, retrieved October 26, 2026; ODNR biologists confirm the species of a new record.
sauger stocking by water, 1981 to 1985
The long view by decade: 1970s 974,100 and 1980s 914,030.
ODNR Division of Wildlife Ohio Fish Stocking Records (public copy of the DataOhio dataset, current as of May 31, 2022; numbers by water, year, species and life stage); the public file stops at May 2022, so later years are not shown.
Finding sauger around Ohio
Lakes worth a try for sauger
- Charles Mill Lake1,348 acres
- Cowan Lake694 acres
Rivers worth a try for sauger
- Maumee RiverDefiance County
ODNR hot-spot maps, ODNR stocking records, the 2026 trout releases, the steelhead and walleye-run programs and state records; largest waters first.
The Lake Erie side of sauger
The district covering Lake Erie and its tributary mouths lists 1 row for it.
- Lake Eriebasins, bays and launches
- Lake Erie rulesthe full district table
- P.C. Queen Perch HeadboatLake Erie charter
- A Absolute Fishing ChartersLake Erie charter
- A-Hoy Sara-J Fishing ChartersLake Erie charter
- Bass Fish AmericaLake Erie charter
How the water near Sauger looks
Photo: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Eric Marshall, CC BY 3.0
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Dan Keck from Ohio, CC0 1.0
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Sorting out sauger fishing in Ohio
How many sauger go home with an Ohio angler?
6 (singly or in combination) on statewide inland waters, open year-round; other water classes have their own rows.
Does Ohio keep a record for sauger?
7.31 lb from Maumee River, caught by Bryan Wicks in 1981.
Which Ohio lakes hold sauger?
3 water pages here list it, led by Charles Mill Lake, Cowan Lake and Maumee River.
Are sauger stocked in Ohio?
Yes; the public ODNR records show 819,530 stocked from 1981 to 1985, most in Lake Erie. The file ends in May 2022.
Does Lake Erie have its own sauger limit?
Yes: 6 (singly or in combination); minimum 15 inches, march 1 – april 30, 2026.
In which months may sauger be kept in Ohio?
Open year-round on statewide inland waters.
Do out-of-state anglers need a license for Ohio sauger?
Anglers 16 and older need an Ohio fishing license: $25.00 a year for residents, $76.96 for nonresidents and $10.00 for residents 65 and older.
Do Ohio River limits differ for sauger?
Yes: 6 (singly or in combination); minimum 14 inches in the Ohio River Western Unit, open year-round.