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The Walleye

Walleye is a toothed freshwater predator with a pale tip on the lower tail lobe. Young fish and adults take different sizes of prey.

Range and Identity

Sander vitreus is the retained scientific identity. North American native populations and introductions outside that range should remain distinct. The pale lower tail tip is useful alongside other features, but a single marking should not replace a complete identification where similar fishes occur.

Habitat and Behavior

Walleye occupy freshwater lakes and rivers. Their feeding opportunities vary with water clarity, season and the availability of prey. A fixed rule that they feed only during darkness would be too narrow; the actual light and habitat conditions are useful details to retain with observations.

Food and Life History

Young fish consume small invertebrates, while fishes become prominent in the adult diet. Early spring spawning releases eggs over riffles or rocky shoreline habitat, without a guarded nest. The compiled maximum length uses fork length, unlike total-length measurements often reported for ordinary catches.

Field Note

Keep length convention and locality with a catch record. Published maximum length and weight are separate reference values and should not be described as a newly verified world-record fish.

All Lakes With Walleye

Browse lakes and reservoirs with documented Walleye records, listed alphabetically. Records do not establish current abundance or public access. Check the evidence and managing authority for the water you choose.

Showing 1–24 of 5,904 lakes · Page 1 of 246

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