Perch
Sauger Fishing in Iowa
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
- 1
- State
- Iowa
- Water
- Freshwater
- Methods
- Spin & Bait
Prime Months in Iowa: Sep to Mar
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F
M
A
M
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S
O
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D
From the agency months on 1 Iowa water: Mississippi River (Guttenberg).
Highlighted months are the best fishing; the other months are slower, not empty.
What to Use for Sauger
Fishing In
Sauger
Prime Now · Sep to Mar
No fly setup listed for sauger; see Spin / Cast.
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 Iowa 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
1 of 1 waters
