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[title size=”2″]Walleye[/title]

The walleye is a native fish of the rivers of the Ozarks, derived from its large populations in the Great Lakes of North America. It is a predatory fish that is the largest of the Percidae family,which consists of about 250 perches and darts. It is a popular sport fish and has many other names such as pickerel, yellow pike, walleyed pike, and white salmon. As a predator, it has many sharp teeth used to catch its prey. Walleye can be identified by a prominent first dorsal fin containing no spots, as well as opaque membranes, and a large dark spot at the rear base of the fin. Walleyes range in color from shades of olive green to grayish-silver with a region of white on the lower part of their back. They are closely related to the sauger, which is found in identical habitats but has a brownish-bronze color and clear membranes, in contrast to the walleye. The walleye is a freshwater fish and specifically prefers areas containing hard-bottom river and lake beds such as reefs, shoals, and bedrock. Walleye have their spawning season during April, and the females deposit their eggs in tributaries or reef areas of lakes. The eggs, of which each female can lay up to almost half a million, hatch in about 10 days. Adolescent walleye eat plankton and insect larvae, while adults feed on small fish. Walleyes average 14 to 22 inches in length but can reach up to 3 feet and weigh an average of 2 to 4 pounds, although some have been found to weigh as much as 16 pounds.

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Sander vitreus

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