| Walleye fish are among the most highly sought | | | | February to April at night until about 4 in |
| fish in the Great Lakes region by fishermen, | | | | the morning. It's a common sound to hear a |
| but they're also very hard to catch. | | | | walleye female attending to several smaller |
| Fishermen understand the habits of the | | | | walleye males. |
| walleye, but for someone just starting out | | | | |
| and deciding they want this fish as a trophy | | | | Pairs of fish do have a sort of courting |
| for themselves need to understand some things | | | | ritual that's performed in deeper water, but |
| about the walleye's feeding, spawning and | | | | then they spawn in groups in the shallower |
| habitats in order to learn how to detect and | | | | water. The spawning of walleye fish is rather |
| catch them. | | | | mismatches in ration sometimes there can be |
| | | | five males to one female. This helps there to |
| In spring, the lengthening days and the | | | | be more variety in genetics so more of the |
| increasing temperatures bring walleye fish to | | | | young would survive. |
| spawn in Lake Erie and the nearby rivers. | | | | |
| This is a very wandering species they have | | | | The eggs are released so that they cling to |
| been known to travel upwards of a hundred | | | | the bottom of the river, but the walleye |
| miles to find a good spot. They don't wander | | | | adults don't care for these eggs in any way |
| in the river aimlessly though walleye often | | | | as the spawning goes on for approximately |
| return to their home streams to spawn if | | | | three weeks, during which time the eggs |
| they're able to. | | | | incubate. The yolk sac of the egg is quickly |
| | | | absorbed and the new-hatched fish go feeding, |
| Usually, males get to their spawning place | | | | mainly on microscopic animals. When they grow |
| first, and they also are the first to make | | | | slightly larger they start eating insects, |
| the return trip. Some walleye populations | | | | and begin eating very small fish when they |
| essentially swim in schools, usually in the | | | | reach two inches in length. Fish are the main |
| eastern parts of Lake Erie. The walleye fish | | | | diet of walleyes. Some of the most common |
| that live in the eastern part of Lake Erie | | | | fish that are eaten by walleye are minnows, |
| require different living conditions than | | | | suckers, bluegill, and yellow perch. |
| those in the west. | | | | |
| | | | By the first year, walleye can reach a length |
| Walleye usually prefer to spawn in gravelly | | | | of six inches, and every year after that can |
| clear-flowing water, and more rocky shoals in | | | | add from four to six inches, but this varies |
| lakes that are buffeted by wind. Walleye | | | | between fish. If a walleye lives to be 10 |
| favor rocky, wind and wave swept shoals in | | | | years old, it can reach nearly three feet, |
| lakes. The urge to spawn begins approximately | | | | because walleye never stop growing. They have |
| when the river water is about 38 to 45-degree | | | | to eat almost constantly. Other foods that |
| water. The spawning occurs in shallow waters | | | | walleye eat are mayflies, frogs, crayfish and |
| from | | | | snails. |
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