Indiana State Record Sauger: 6 lb 1 oz
The Indiana state record sauger weighed 6 lb 1 oz. It was caught in 1983 from Tippecanoe River in Carroll County by Mark Bigger, and the Indiana DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 43 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Tippecanoe River in Carroll County. 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 Indiana lakes we do grade instead.
Sauger records by state
Indiana ranks 6 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 | 6 lb 8 oz | 1976 | Missouri River (Sioux City to Little Sioux) |
| 6 | Indiana (this page) | 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 Indiana
16 of Indiana's 21 standing records are heavier than the 6 lb 1 oz sauger — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 6 Indiana records have stood longer, the sauger mark dating to 1983.