Missouri State Record Sauger: 5 lb 1 oz
The Missouri state record sauger weighed 5 lb 1 oz. It was caught in 1994 from Osage River by John "Buck" Hennessy, and the Missouri Department of Conservation still recognizes it as the state mark 32 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Osage River. 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 Missouri lakes we do grade instead.
Sauger records by state
Missouri ranks 8 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 | 6 lb 1 oz | 1983 | Tippecanoe River |
| 7 | Illinois | 5 lb 12 oz | 1967 | Mississippi River |
| 8 | Missouri (this page) | 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 Missouri
16 of Missouri's 20 standing records are heavier than the 5 lb 1 oz sauger — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 8 Missouri records have stood longer, the sauger mark dating to 1994.