Sauger Report 12/30/17 Gville Dam

Sauger - they don't exist. The unicorn of the fishing world.

My dad always had stories of "wearin' 'em out." We went a few times when I was a kid, but never caught any. But, due to the cold, not wanting to be out in a kayak, and, I guess, some misguided sense if nostalgia, I showed up at the dam at daylight to wear 'em out. Fished 6 1/2 hours. Nothing. I had three bites - all drum. Fished off the bank with jigs tipped with minnows.

Good luck if you try them. I'd heard a few were being caught, and saw Richard Gene get a few, but I've still only caught a couple while bass fishing.

South side of the river? Back in the 80s we did good on em but there was a stocking program upstream in TN that helped a lot. The best days were real cold and overcast. I use to put my boat in and catch them against the lock wall that runs up to the flood gates. We always used a plain lead head jig, usually a chartreuse curly tail with a minnow hooked thru both lips and bumped it along the bottom. Lost lots of jig heads over the years down there.

I tried below nickajack dam Saturday for over 5 hours only one bite probably could have changed up and caught some stripe but that’s not what I wanted! Several more boats fishing didn’t see any sauger caught . Was plenty cold up their and was over cast .perfect conditions I thought but no luck . Fished the wall you was talking about Wiley g at Guntersville about 3 weeks ago with 2 keepers within the 1st hour then the sun came out and it was over! But I will be back for revenge! Lol

I was talking to one of the old timers who fished the G- dam for over 40 years .The coal ash spill up river destroyed the spawn for many species of fish. Restocking and a 4 year no fish on a species such a sauger may be required.

Yall have me wanting to catch a sauger and believe it or not....I have never caught a small mouth! I have never fished for them nor even seen one in person!

You from Louisiana aren't you preach? Lot of smallies in Tenn river. Used to be a lot of sauger too. Don't feel bad, a lot of people have never caught a speckled trout or a red fish.

Nope! Born and raised here around Jacksonville area. I may need to swap a trip out with someone and catch a smallmouth and a sauger though!