Iowa State Record Sauger: 6 lb 8 oz
The Iowa state record sauger weighed 6 lb 8 oz. It was caught in 1976 from Missouri River (Sioux City to Little Sioux) by Mrs. W. Buser, and the Iowa DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 50 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Missouri River (Sioux City to Little Sioux). We don't carry a water-quality grade for it: our index covers standing lakes with enough EPA Water Quality Portal samples to score, which leaves out rivers and tributaries, Great Lakes water, and smaller ponds that are rarely sampled. Browse the Iowa lakes we do grade instead.
Sauger records by state
Iowa ranks 5 of 9 among the states in our index for record sauger. North Dakota holds the heaviest at 8 lb 12 oz, set in 1971.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 8 lb 12 oz | 1971 | Lake Sakakawea |
| 2 | South Dakota | 7 lb 7 oz | 1960 | Oahe Tailwaters |
| 3 | Ohio | 7 lb 5 oz | 1981 | Maumee River |
| 4 | Michigan | 6 lb 9 oz | 1976 | Torch Lake |
| 5 | Iowa (this page) | 6 lb 8 oz | 1976 | Missouri River (Sioux City to Little Sioux) |
| 6 | Indiana | 6 lb 1 oz | 1983 | Tippecanoe River |
| 7 | Illinois | 5 lb 12 oz | 1967 | Mississippi River |
| 8 | Missouri | 5 lb 1 oz | 1994 | Osage River |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 4 lb | 2001 | Susquehanna River |
Each figure comes from that state's own fisheries agency. Agencies differ on what they certify — some recognize catch-and-release length records alongside weight — so treat this as a comparison of standing certified weights, not a single national list.
How it ranks inside Iowa
13 of Iowa's 19 standing records are heavier than the 6 lb 8 oz sauger — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 1 Iowa records have stood longer, the sauger mark dating to 1976.