I have assisted with building these critters in Kansas since 1994. We only collect eggs, fertilize and send to hatchery. They may get a call a week or 2 later to collect fry for impoundment stocking, others are kept until fingerling size, but I have not had the opportunity to try and truly feed train any of these because in 99.9% of all stockings in KS, they are used to put the smack-down on crappie. A "tool" to manipulate the situation.
With that being said, I have played with a few in the aquarium. Side by side with walleye and I can say they do recognize and associate "you" with food. The Saugeye fingerlings would position themselves literally vertical below the water's surface. I used FHM, and at the time, never considered trying to use pellets but I can see you may have set me up for a new mission!
The few I had indoors for several months with a couple of walleye grew to 14", the walleye to 9".
As for water quality, we've found the Saugeye handle turbid water more like their daddy was used to, and these fish have mostly done quite well in areas it was bad enough we didn't have high hopes, but turned out very successful.
Bill C had referenced some material in the other thread suggesting the Saugeye are fertile, yet in the tests I'm aware of here, there has not been male spermatozoa found "active". Yes, Females producing eggs can be fertilized by male WAE, but again, we don't stock saugeye where WAE recruit at all, and in captive genetic studies the G1 from walleye + sauger female X walleye male reverts to near pure walleye, but even that is rare.
Nebraska tried a few impoundments with Saugeye and part of the reason they haven't increased the size of that program is the simple fact they can't produce enough walleye fry/fingerlings for supplemental stockings within the state to handle stocking requests. Kansas is very similar, as we share WAE/SAE with them.
Honestly, I feel this fish is a perfect fit for ponds because they tend to do well in tight spaces, they continue to feed in total darkness-which gives one more control when using this as a tool controlling numbers of over-abundant species that other predators fail to efficiently control, and they seem to stay more active in warmer environments.
As for availability of this fish, I do have one contact that is raising every year and does sell to the public in low numbers and I ask that you allow me to contact him and ask his permission to make that a more public knowledge. His fish are checked yearly, he is licensed, but I want to make sure he's ok with that as I respect his wishes to remain low-key.
Mark Harbin, east of Wichita has had some saugeye available in years past, but not every year.
Not sure I have answered your questions, I hope this helps but I'm open to share any data I have on this!
