THE FISH
Some anglers have trouble distinguishing the walleye from the sauger, another member of the perch family, but all they have to do is count the black spots on the dorsal fin. The walleye has only one at the posterior base of the fin whereas the sauger has many such spots forming rows on the fin's membrane.
A walleye, weighing over 23 pounds, was taken on the Moon River, Parry Sound District, in 1950, but the average fish will weigh somewhere between two and eight pounds, with five-pound specimens being common. The abundance and meaty structure of the species made it an important commercial fishery in the past, but today the practice is now confined to specially designated areas.
Size, Shape and Colour
This fish, with its unique long, torpedo-shaped body, is really the largest member of the common perch family. It contrasts, for instance, with the largemouth bass, with its short stalky body and broad tail designed or short bursts of speed and a high degree of manoeuvrability within veeds and obstructions. The biocinetic make-up of the northern pike tnd muskie, with their long, deep shape, helps them to maintain speed and energy needed in running down prey in open water. The walleye's design is somewhere in between. It exhibits limited manoeuvrability in cover and limited ability to attain great speeds.
The body of the walleye is elongated, the head conical, the tail forked, and the mouth large. It has large canine teeth for tearing. The scales have patches of spine-like prickles, called ctenoid scales, which give the fish a rough feel. The eye is very large and prominent.
Pigmentation varies considerably, ranging from dark silver to dark olive zrown. Mottled patterns may be dark or pale against the various backyrounds. The back is usually darker while the belly is a milk- or yellowish white. The lower lobe of its forked tail has a very distinct creamy or white margin.
