Michigan State Record Sauger: 6 lb 9 oz
The Michigan state record sauger weighed 6 lb 9 oz and measured 25.5 inches. It was caught in 1976 from Torch Lake in Houghton County, and the Michigan DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 50 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Torch Lake in Houghton 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 Michigan lakes we do grade instead.
Sauger records by state
Michigan ranks 4 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 (this page) | 6 lb 9 oz | 1976 | Torch Lake |
| 5 | Iowa | 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 Michigan
16 of Michigan's 20 standing records are heavier than the 6 lb 9 oz sauger — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 9 Michigan records have stood longer, the sauger mark dating to 1976.
Michigan lakes that hold sauger
3 Michigan lakes in our index are documented to hold sauger, ranked here by water-quality grade.