Where is the walleye native to?

The walleye is native to most of Canada and to the northern United States.

Is the blue walleye a separate species?

The blue walleye was a color morph once found in parts of Ontario and Quebec and is now presumed extinct; genetic analysis of a preserved sample indicates blue and yellow forms were phenotypes of the same species, not separate species.

Is the walleye the same as a pickerel?

In parts of English-speaking Canada the walleye is commonly called a pickerel, but it is not related to true pickerels (family Esocidae).

How has human activity affected walleye populations?

Walleyes have been artificially propagated and stocked for over a century; plantings and introductions have sometimes reduced the genetic distinctiveness of local populations.

Is the blue walleye extinct?

The blue walleye is described as presumed extinct in the regions where it was historically found.

Are walleyes genetically uniform across their range?

No; walleyes show variation across watersheds, with populations in a watershed being generally similar and genetically distinct from nearby watersheds.

Where to See Walleye While Diving

Q: What is the walleye's relationship to the European zander?

The walleye is a close North American relative of the European zander (pikeperch).

Q: What does the French name doré mean?

The French common name doré means "golden" or "gilded."

The walleye (Sander vitreus, synonym Stizostedion vitreum) is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and the northern United States. It is a close North American relative of the European zander (also called pikeperch). The species is sometimes called yellow walleye to distinguish it from the blue walleye, a color morph once found in southern Ontario and Quebec that is presumed extinct; genetic analysis of a preserved blue-walleye sample suggests blue and yellow forms were phenotypes within the same species. In parts of English-speaking Canada the fish is often called a pickerel, though it is not related to true pickerels (family Esocidae). In British English it is sometimes called a dory; the French common name doré means "golden" or "gilded." Walleyes show variation across watersheds, with populations within a watershed being generally similar and genetically distinct from nearby watersheds. The species has been artificially propagated and stocked for over a century, and introductions or plantings have sometimes reduced local genetic distinctiveness.

The strongest linked planning options currently surface around destinations such as Lake Constance (Bodensee), Algarve, Bahias de Huatulco and countries such as United States of America, Canada, Austria for divers building trips around walleyes.