Perch

Sauger Fishing in Alabama

Sauger
Image: Duane Raver, USFWS · Public domain

A smaller cousin of the walleye found in big, often muddy rivers of the Mississippi basin and Great Lakes. Sauger gather below dams in late fall and winter, where anglers work minnows slowly along the bottom.

Waters
2
State
Alabama
Water
Freshwater
Methods
Spin & Bait

Prime Months in Alabama: Dec to Feb

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

From the agency months on 2 Alabama waters: Lake Guntersville, Wheeler Lake.

Highlighted months are the best fishing; the other months are slower, not empty.

What to Use for Sauger

Fishing In

Sauger

Prime: Dec to Feb

Spin / Cast

6 to 6.5 ft medium-light spinning rod, 2500 reel, 8 to 10 lb braid with a fluorocarbon leader, 1/4 to 3/4 oz jig tipped with a minnow.

Rod, Reel and Line

  • RodUgly Stik GX2 Spinning Rod · 6 ft or 6 ft 6 in medium, 2 pieceCheck Price
  • ReelPflueger Trion Spinning Reel · size 30Check Price
  • LinePowerPro Spectra Braided Line · 8 lb or 10 lbCheck Price

Tie On in November

  • Lure for November · 1/8 to 3/8 ozJig and MinnowBright colors, near the bottom.See Options

Picks: general for this fish, each checked against state and federal agency pages, not specific to this water. Ask a local shop what is working.

Gear: rods, reels and lines are starting points, sized from each maker's page. Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Licenses & Regulations

Most anglers need an Alabama fishing license; age cutoffs and exemptions are set by the state. Seasons, limits, and tackle rules vary by water, so check current regulations before you go.

Where to Catch Sauger

2 of 2 waters

Shops to Stock Up

Sauger Fishing by State