freshwater
Walleye
Sander vitreus
Elongated, slightly compressed body with a brassy-olive to golden-brown back, fading to white on the belly. It features two distinct dorsal fins (the first spiny, the second soft-rayed) and a prominent dark blotch at the rear base of the spiny dorsal fin. The lower lobe of the caudal fin has a distinct white tip.…
- Habitat
- Inhabits large, clear-to-turbid lakes, deep river system…
- Size & weight
- Typically ranges from 15 to 20 inches in length and weig…
- Diet
- Strictly carnivorous ambush predator.…
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Physical characteristics
Elongated, slightly compressed body with a brassy-olive to golden-brown back, fading to white on the belly. It features two distinct dorsal fins (the first spiny, the second soft-rayed) and a prominent dark blotch at the rear base of the spiny dorsal fin. The lower lobe of the caudal fin has a distinct white tip. Their most notable feature is their large, opaque, silver-glassy eyes, which are specially adapted to low-light conditions due to a reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum.
Habitat & distribution
Inhabits large, clear-to-turbid lakes, deep river systems, and reservoirs across North America. They prefer deeper, cooler waters during the day, moving to shallow rocky reefs, weed beds, or shorelines at dawn and dusk to feed.
Behavior
Typically forms loose schools, especially during the day and in deeper water, dispersing into shallower areas to hunt at night or during low-light conditions. They are largely nocturnal or crepuscular in habit.
Diet
Strictly carnivorous ambush predator. Primarily feeds on smaller fish, but will also consume insects, amphibians, and crayfish when fish are scarce, hunting most actively in dim light using its exceptional night vision.
Reproduction
Spawns in early spring shortly after ice-out. Adults migrate up tributary streams or move to shallow, rocky shoals and gravel bars in lakes. Females broadcast eggs randomly over rocks or gravel where they are fertilized by multiple males, with no parental care provided.
Ecological role
Functions as a top apex predator in many freshwater ecosystems, exerting significant top-down control on populations of smaller forage fish such as yellow perch, shiners, and minnows.
Similar species
Sauger (Sander canadense) and saugeye (a hybrid between walleye and sauger). Walleye can be distinguished from sauger by the lack of distinct spots on their spiny dorsal fin and the presence of a prominent white tip on the lower tail fin.
Identification tips
Look for the large, silvery, reflective eyes, the distinct white tip on the lower lobe of the tail fin, and the dark blotch at the base of the first dorsal fin.
Interesting facts
The reflective layer behind the walleye's eye (tapetum lucidum) allows them to see remarkably well in murky water and complete darkness, which is why their eyes appear to glow in the dark when exposed to a beam of light.