WALLEYE Walleye can be caught by casting and trolling live bait or lures around rocky habitat in northern lakes. They are a popular target for northern anglers in the Great Lakes region and the Midwest...Read More View All Walleye Tips

 

Walleye have a large horizontal mouth with large pointed teeth. The body color is olive to brassy yellow with extensive mottling along the sides and a white or light cream venter. The six to seven saddles on the back are diffuse and ill-defined. The soft dorsal fin and caudal fin rays are pigmented, producing a somewhat mottled yet banded pattern. Spots on the spiny dorsal fin are small with no definite pattern or banding.

The common name, “walleye,” comes from the fact that their eyes, like those of cats, reflect light. This is the result of a light-gathering layer in the eyes called the tapetum lucidum which allows the fish to see well in low-light conditions. The unique eyes also allow them to see well in turbid waters (stained or rough, breaking waters) which gives them an advantage over their prey. This excellent vision also allows the fish to populate the deeper regions in a lake and can often be found in deeper water.

Distribution

The walleye is most widespread in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions of the United States.

Behavior

During spawning individuals move to shoal areas or trailwaters over riprap downstream of dams. Spawning occurs from March through May with eggs broadcast in open water over suitable spawning substrate. Inlet streams to impoundments are known spawning grounds in those habitats.

Diet

Young walleye feed on microcrustaceans and insect larvae, while larger individuals prey on fish, including white suckers, quillbacks, darters, and minnows. Feeding usually occurs at night when individuals migrate from deeper areas to shallow shoals.

Habitat

The walleye is associated with large rivers and stream tributaries and impoundments, frequently preferring clear, quiet backwaters over sand, gravel, mud, rubble, and silt.