Sander vitreus
Blue pike
(Also: Dory; Glass eye; Gray pike; Green pike; Jack salmon; Marble Eye; Okow; Pickerel; Pike-perch; Wall-eyed pickerel; Wall-eyed pike; Wall-eyed pike-perch; Walleye; Walleye pickerel; Walleye pike; Walleyed pike; Yellow pickerel; Yellow pike; Yellow pike perch; Yellow pike-perch; Yellow walleye)

Walleye are native to the Nearctic Region. Walleye are abundant in many lakes and larger rivers over much of North America, from the Northwest Territories across Canada east of the Rocky Mountains to Labrador, southward along the Atlantic Coast to North Carolina, west to Arkansas, and north along the Missouri River. Their original range involved the Mississippi, Great Lakes, and St. Lawrence drainages, but they have been widely introduced into Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf drainages. (Froese and Pauly, eds., 2002; Phillips, et al., 1982)

Walleyes prefer deep lake and river water but will move into shallow flats to feed during early evening and night. (Tomelleri, 1990)

The name walleye refers to the glassy, large pupils of this fish; their white stare is a result of light reflected back through the pupil by crystalline matter in the retina. This allows the walleye to see extraordinarily well in darker waters. Walleyes are long and slim; brownish- green or silver above to creamy white below with dark stripes. The ventral lobe of the tail fin has a prominent white margin. Walleyes have large canine teeth. They have a large, visible, black spot at the base of the last three spines in the first of their two dorsal fins. They can reach 107 cm in length and can grow to 11 kg. Average weight is around 5 kg (Phillip, et al., 1982; Froese and Pauly, 2002)

In southern areas, walleye may live 10 to 12 years but in northern waters they may live to be more than 20 years old

Walleye are strictly carnivorous. Young walleye eat plankton. As they get older, they mostly eat fishes such as yellow perch and freshwater drum. They also eat insects, crayfish, snails, and mudpuppies (a kind of salamander). They even eat small mammals when fish and insects are not available. Feeding occurs at night. (Tomelleri, 1990; Froese and Pauly, 2002; Ontario Fishing Network, date unknown)

Adult walleye are top predators, which means that they do not have any natural predators in their habitat except humans. Humans do catch and eat adult walleye. The eggs and young fish are susceptible to predation by other fish such as white bass, muskellunge, white perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, and catfish. Young walleye avoid predation by staying near cover.

Walleye are top predators. Once they reach adulthood, they primarily eat other animals and are not themselves eaten (except by people). They compete for food with other fish that are predators, including smallmouth bass and white perch.

The walleye is perhaps the most sought after warm-water game fish and it supports a large fishing industry, particularly in the Central U.S. and Great Lakes area. (Phillips, et al., 1982)

Overall, walleye are not threatened or endangered. Populations of walleye are managed by humans as a game fish. One subspecies, Sander vitreus (blue pike) is believed to have gone extinct recently.

The walleye is the state fish of Minnesota and by far the most popular fish in that state. In southern areas, walleye may live 10 to 12 years but in northern waters they may live to be more than 20 years old (Phillips et al. 1982; Ontario Fishing Network, date unknown)