Best sauger lakes in Illinois
6 Illinois waters hold sauger, 3 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The river-running cousin of the walleye. Built for current and muddy water — channel edges, wing dams and the deep holes below every dam.
- Lake Springfield — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
- Illinois River — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Sauger
- Lake Glenn Shoals — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie
- Mississippi River Pool 19 (Keokuk) — 30 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Sauger
- Mississippi River Pool 13 (Clinton) — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Sauger
- Lincoln Trail State Park Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger
When to fish sauger in Illinois
- Spring 4–18 ft — The famous tailwater run — fish stack below dams and on gravel bars in current seams.
- Summer 10–30 ft — Main-channel ledges and deep sand/gravel flats with current.
- Fall 12–35 ft — Fish pod up tight on channel structure — find one and you've found fifty.
- Winter 15–45 ft — The deepest holes below dams hold winter sauger by the hundreds.
Also in Illinois: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best saugeye lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes
Sauger elsewhere: Minnesota · Montana · Indiana · Wisconsin · Kentucky