Its dorsal fin, unlike the walleye's, is marked by rows of dark spots and lacks the dark blotch at the rear base. The sauger also lacks the white lower tail tip. The sauger sees even better than the walleye in darkness or turbid water, and this determines their distribution. Though also excellent table fare, the sauger is less popular than the walleye because of its smaller size. The DNR undertakes no direct sauger management other than the evaluation and protection of habitat and the forage base.
Yellow perch are golden or brassy yellow with six to nine dark vertical bars on their sides.
They do not have the canine teeth of walleye and sauger. Perch are found throughout the state, often in such numbers they are stunted for lack of food. Occasionally infected with unappetizing parasites, they are considered pests except in large hard-water walleye lakes, where they may exceed a pound and are excellent table fare. Perch feed on a variety of small fish and invertebrates. Yellow perch may be single most important prey species in many lakes for largemouth bass, northern pike and particularly walleye.