9/5 smallie trip

[rps]

Sauger, not walleye. Saugers look dirty like they have rolled in mud. They are seldom as large as walleye, like many river versus lake fish. They taste just as good, when you can catch one legal to keep.

[Mitch f]

19 minutes ago, rps said:

Sauger, not walleye. Saugers look dirty like they have rolled in mud. They are seldom as large as walleye, like many river versus lake fish. They taste just as good, when you can catch one legal to keep.

And they have no white bottom on the tail

[Al Agnew]

4 hours ago, Mitch f said:

And they have no white bottom on the tail

Best way to tell them apart is that the spiny dorsal fin on sauger is covered with black spots, while on walleye it is clear except for one black spot at the rear end of it, membrane between the last couple of spines.  The white on the bottom lobe of the tail fin is the second thing you look for, and usually pretty reliable as well.  Sauger USUALLY have those big dark blotches, while walleye often have blotches as well but they aren't as dark or as big, but there are more of them.  And then there are saugeye, which can have a mixture of characteristics.

[Al Agnew]

13 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Lower Meramec

Northern rock bass, then!  

[Al Agnew]

5 hours ago, Mitch f said:

My wife caught this 5.35 pound smallmouth that measures 21.25” long on the Meramec today at Scott’s Ford

 

Well, it's a heck of a nice fish, but it can't be over 19 inches!

[Johnsfolly]

12 hours ago, Mitch f said:

I guess my scale was off

and possibly the species as well 😁.