Sauger in Wisconsin
Wisconsin rules and waters for sauger.
- 3 in total; minimum limit
- 6 lbs. 6.7 oz.record
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Wisconsin sauger basics
Wisconsin files Sauger (Stizostedion canadense) with the Perches (Percidae), and the regulations treat it as game fish. Where the guide lists most waters in the ceded territory, the keeper rule is 3 in total; minimum length 15 inches but less than 20 inches may be kept; one may be over 24 inches and the season is May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027.
In 2009, Mississippi River gave up the hook and line record, 6 lbs. 6.7 oz.
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| Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Most waters in the Ceded Territory | 3 in total; minimum length 15 inches but less than 20 inches may be kept; one may be over 24 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Most other inland waters | 3 in total; minimum length 15 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters – in lakes | 5 in total; minimum length 15 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 1, 2027 |
| Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters – in rivers and their flowages | 1; minimum length 15 inches | March 1, 2026 – May 1, 2026 |
| Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters – in rivers and their flowages | 5 in total; minimum length 15 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 1, 2027 |
| St. Croix River upstream of the St. Croix Falls Dam | 6 in total; minimum length None for sauger; 15 inches for walleye | May 2, 2026 – March 1, 2027 |
| St. Croix River downstream from the St. Croix Falls Dam to Prescott | 4 in total; minimum length None for sauger; 15 inches for walleye; only one walleye or sauger over 20 inches may be kept | May 2, 2026 – March 1, 2027 |
| St. Louis River | 2 in total; minimum length None for sauger; 15 inches for walleye | May 9, 2026 – March 1, 2027 |
| Mississippi River (Pools 3-8) | 4 in total; minimum length None for sauger; 15 inches for walleye; only one walleye or sauger over 20 inches may be kept | Open all year |
| Mississippi River (Pool 9) | 6 in total; minimum length None for sauger; 15 inches for walleye; walleye 20-27 inches must be released, only one over 27 inches may be kept | Open all year |
| Pools 9-12 | 6 in total; minimum length None for sauger, 15 inches for walleye; walleye 20-27 inches must be released, only one over 27 inches | Open all year |
| Major Green Bay tributaries and tributaries to Lake Michigan north of Waldo Blvd, Manitowoc | 1; minimum length 15 inches | March 2, 2026 – May 1, 2026 |
| Major Green Bay tributaries and tributaries to Lake Michigan north of Waldo Blvd, Manitowoc | 5 in total; minimum length 15 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| All other tributaries and ditches to Green Bay upstream to first dam/lake | 5 in total; minimum length 15 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Tributaries to Lake Michigan south of Waldo Blvd, Manitowoc | 5 in total; minimum length 15 inches | Open all year |
| Fox River from its mouth upstream to the dam at De Pere | 1 in total; minimum length 28 inches | March 2, 2026 – May 1, 2026 |
| Fox River from its mouth upstream to the dam at De Pere | 3 in total; no minimum length | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Fox River from its mouth upstream to the dam at De Pere | 1 in total; minimum length 28 inches | March 8, 2027 – April 30, 2027 |
| Lake Michigan waters north of Waldo Boulevard, Manitowoc | 1 in total; minimum length 15 inches | March 2, 2026 – May 1, 2026 |
| Lake Michigan waters north of Waldo Boulevard, Manitowoc | 5 in total; minimum length 15 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Lake Michigan waters north of Waldo Boulevard, Manitowoc | 1 in total; minimum length 15 inches | March 8, 2027 – April 30, 2027 |
| Lake Michigan waters south of Waldo Boulevard, Manitowoc | 5 in total; minimum length 15 inches | Open all year |
| Lake Superior | 5 in total; minimum length 15 inches, only 1 over 20 inches | Open all year |
| Lake Superior tributaries and connected sloughs | 5 in total (Bayfield County), 3 in total (Douglas, Ashland and Iron counties); minimum length 15 inches, only 1 over 20 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Winnebago System waters | 3 in total; only 1 may be a sauger or hybrid; no minimum length | Open all year |
2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations (WDNR). Checked October 2026.
The biggest Wisconsin sauger on file
| Category | Weight or length | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 6 lbs. 6.7 oz. | Mississippi River | Pierce | 2009 |
| live release | 22.25 in | Mississippi River | Pierce | 2024 |
WDNR record fish list, revised September 2026; angler names left out.
Lakes and rivers with sauger
Rivers listing sauger
- Mississippi RiverCrawford
WDNR Find a Lake fish lists and fisheries designation layers; largest waters first.
Family members of sauger
- WalleyePerches (Percidae)
- SaugeyePerches (Percidae)
- Yellow perchPerches (Percidae)
- RuffePerches (Percidae)
Shoreline scenes a drive from Sauger
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Wisconsin sauger: common questions
Can Wisconsin anglers keep sauger?
3 in total; minimum length 15 inches but less than 20 inches may be kept; one may be over 24 inches on most waters in the ceded territory; season May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027. Other waters have their own rows.
What is the Wisconsin record sauger?
6 lbs. 6.7 oz. from Mississippi River in 2009 (hook and line).
Where are sauger found in Wisconsin?
1 water here, starting with Mississippi River.
How many sauger did the WDNR stock?
None recorded from 2023 to 2025.
Is sauger a game fish in Wisconsin?
Stizostedion canadense, Perches (Percidae); game fish.
Does Wisconsin close the sauger season?
May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 on most waters in the ceded territory.
Is a trout stamp required for sauger?
Anglers 16 and older need a Wisconsin fishing license: $20 a year for residents and $55 for nonresidents, with a $5 first-time buyer rate for residents.
Do Wisconsin guides fish for sauger?
The guides page lists operators by water instead.
Go after sauger this season
The lake pages above carry abundance, landings and limits.