# Worst case of Sauger Scolosis I've seen



## ruger1

I can't imagine how these guys survive. However I've caught a 15" Sauger with this and heard of a 17"er being caught.

There have been a number of posts on this before. Apparently this is caused by anything from trauma to the eggs to genetics.


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## J.D.

Wow - never even knew that existed.


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## fowlhunter7

Never seen anything like it. Did it swim pretty much the same as a normal fish would? Or did it swim with a handicap?


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Sick looking


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## ruger1

fowlhunter7 said:


> Never seen anything like it. Did it swim pretty much the same as a normal fish would? Or did it swim with a handicap?


Swam away just fine. Took my bait as aggressively as any other fish we caught that day. We've caught a number of these fish. Especially when trolling cranks.


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## specialpatrolgroup

Would it be better to remove them from teh gene pool than to release them?


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## ruger1

specialpatrolgroup said:


> Would it be better to remove them from teh gene pool than to release them?


I've heard rumors that the DNR has told people to throw them in the trash at the landing. However I've never found any hard data on this. I'm not sure if the research isn't being done or it's not an issue. I've talked with guys who have been catching these fish since 1960's and this fishery is currently one the best walleye fisheries in the country.


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## BigT

Mounter


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## Stobber

I caught this guy on Whitefish Lake in Ontario. I should have taken a side image, as this fish looked allot like the picture the O.P. posted. It had bad scoliosis, and this large tumor in its mouth. All of that being said...this thing hit my shad rap just like all of the other 18" walleyes I caught that day. Not sure how it can even swim with a crooked spine, let alone get anything in its mouth.

They always find a way to feed..instincts I guess


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## goosejerky

Stobber said:


> I caught this guy on Whitefish Lake in Ontario. I should have taken a side image, as this fish looked allot like the picture the O.P. posted. It had bad scoliosis, and this large tumor in its mouth. All of that being said...this thing hit my shad rap just like all of the other 18" walleyes I caught that day. Not sure how it can even swim with a crooked spine, let alone get anything in its mouth.
> 
> They always find a way to feed..instincts I guess


From what I can tell that large tumor in the fish's mouth is the air bladder that will usually come out do to quick pressure change if it was caught in deeper water. They will most likely die from this. that top pic is something I had never heard of that's interesting.


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## duckslayer18

ruger1 said:


> I can't imagine how these guys survive. However I've caught a 15" Sauger with this and heard of a 17"er being caught.
> 
> There have been a number of posts on this before. Apparently this is caused by anything from trauma to the eggs to genetics.


That looks harder than hell to clean!


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## Chuck Smith

Ruger.... Where did you catch that fish? If you don't want to tell on the public forum you can pm me. I am just curious if it was the mighty mississippi or elsewhere. I am wondering if it is isolated to a specific lake or all the lakes in MN or if it was due to some other aspect....ie close to the iron ore mines and could be a result of something from that. Or if it is just genetic defect that is out there.


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## ruger1

Chuck Smith said:


> Ruger.... Where did you catch that fish? If you don't want to tell on the public forum you can pm me. I am just curious if it was the mighty mississippi or elsewhere. I am wondering if it is isolated to a specific lake or all the lakes in MN or if it was due to some other aspect....ie close to the iron ore mines and could be a result of something from that. Or if it is just genetic defect that is out there.


Mighty Miss (pool 4). This is very common. I talk to old timers who tell me they have been seeing this since the 60's. We catch a couple of these a year.


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## ruger1

These fish not only survive but thrive. I have personally seen up to 17"er and heard of guys catching even a 20"er.


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