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Best sauger lakes in Kentucky

12 Kentucky waters hold sauger, 6 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.

1. Kentucky Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 44 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Lake Barkley — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie, BluegillWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 39 public access sites
3. Ohio River — McAlpine Pool — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 11 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Ohio River — Markland Pool — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 13 public access sites
5. Ohio River — Meldahl Pool — 57 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Ohio River — Greenup Pool — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
7. Ohio River — Newburgh Pool — 62 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
8. Ohio River — J.T. Myers Pool — 49 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
9. Ohio River — Cannelton Pool — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
10. Licking River (Lower) — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Channel CatfishWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
11. Kentucky River (Palisades) — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Channel CatfishWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 16 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Cumberland River Tailwater — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Rainbow TroutWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented

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When to fish sauger in Kentucky

• 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 Kentucky: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best blue catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best longnose gar lakes · best rock bass lakes

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