Walleye

Identification

Walleye have an elongated, torpedo-shaped body with olive-green to golden-brown sides and a white belly. The most distinctive feature is their large, opaque, reflective eyes caused by a layer of pigment called the tapetum lucidum, which gives them superior low-light vision. They have two separated dorsal fins: the first with sharp spines, the second with soft rays. The lower lobe of the tail fin has a white tip, which is a key identifier that distinguishes them from the closely related sauger (which lacks the white tail tip). They have large canine teeth in their jaws. Sauger have more distinct dark blotches on their body and lack the white tail tip.

Habitat & Behavior

Walleye are found primarily in large, cool lakes and rivers across the northern United States and Canada. They prefer large bodies of water with firm bottoms of gravel, rock, or sand. In lakes, they relate to points, reefs, humps, weed edges, and wind-blown shorelines. In rivers, they hold in current breaks, eddies, and below dams. Walleye are most common in the Great Lakes, large Midwestern and Canadian shield lakes, and major northern river systems. They avoid heavy vegetation and soft muddy bottoms.

Walleye are schooling fish that travel in groups of similar-sized individuals, often at specific depths related to the thermocline and light penetration. They are low-light specialists, feeding most actively at dawn, dusk, night, and on overcast days. Their reflective eyes give them a major advantage over prey species in dim conditions. Walleye spawn in early spring, running up rivers and tributaries or moving to windswept rocky shorelines when water temperatures reach 42-50F. They are known for being "mood" fish, going from completely inactive to aggressively feeding as conditions change.

Best Baits & Lures

• Jig and minnow (1/4-3/8 oz)
• Leech on live-bait rig
• Nightcrawler harness (spinner rig)
• Jigging Rap (size 7)
• Shad-pattern crankbait
• Reef Runner Ripshad
• Gulp! Alive minnow
• Blade bait (silver)

Seasonal Patterns

State Records

Tips & Fun Facts

• Walleye have a special light-gathering layer behind the retina called the tapetum lucidum, the same adaptation found in cats and deer, which is why their eyes glow in flashlight beams at night.
• Minnesota considers walleye so important that it is the official state fish, and Lake Mille Lacs and other walleye fisheries generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism revenue annually.
• Walleye can detect color in near-total darkness, giving them a significant feeding advantage over prey species in the dim conditions of dawn, dusk, and deep water.
• The Maumee River walleye run in northwest Ohio draws an estimated 50,000-100,000 anglers each spring, making it one of the largest single-species fishing events in the world.
• Female walleye can produce up to 500,000 eggs per spawning season, but survival rates are extremely low, with only a fraction of one percent reaching adulthood.