How To Identify a Walleye When Fishing

Walleyes are a popular species to fish for a very simple reason: they’re also a popular species to eat throughout the Midwestern United States and Canada. If you live in one of those areas, there’s a good chance you’ve had your share of Walleye in your life.

Your enjoyment of Walleyes may even inspire you to try to catch and prepare some of your own. But eating a fish after it’s prepared doesn’t exactly give your much of an idea of how to identify when you’re out on the water. If you’re new to Walleye fishing, here are a few ways to tell you’re dealing with the right species.

Size

The size of a fish is the first indicator of whether or not you’re dealing with the right species. Walleyes can grow to as long as 31 inches and can weigh up to 20 pounds, but they tend to be found in the 12-to-27-inch range. When you catch a Walleye, chances are it will be 20 inches or less and weigh less than 10 pounds. Southern populations of Walleye tend to grow larger than their Northern counterparts.

Appearance

Once you know the fish is around the right size, it’s time to start taking a closer look to see if its appearance matches what a Walleye should look like. The Walleyes that you’ll find in Ontario tend to have a dark green back, a gold or white coloured belly, and yellow flecks. They’ll have a sharp dorsal fin with a dozen or so spines, a black blotch at the base of the find, a white blotch on the tail, a large silvery eye, and a large mouth with noticeable teeth.

Where to Find Them

One of the best ways to find a Walleye is to know where to look. Walleye can be found in Canada, the Great Lakes, the Missouri River basin and the upper Mississippi River basin, as well as some places in the western and northeastern United States. They tend to enjoy the cool, deep waters of rivers and lakes. As nocturnal creates, they spend much of the day under the cover of aquatic plants and logs. If you’re looking to find them in shallow water, you can do so at night and during the spawning season of May and June. They’ll spend much of the summer in deeper water.

If you’re looking to go Walleye fishing, Anderson’s Lodge in Ontario, Canada is a perfect place to do it. We can offer you world-class accommodations with the best staff-to-guest ratio in the area, in addition to a wonderful fishing vacation. Make a reservation today!