Читать книгу Fishing For Dummies - Greg Schwipps - Страница 102

Walleyes are the largest members of the perch family, and like largemouth bass, they command a loyal following. Their excellent flavor may explain why walleyes are often the preferred fish where they are available. In Minnesota, you will often hear folks say, “Your can have your bass, and you can have your trout because the walleye is the best eatin' fish there is — bar none!” In addition to being delicious, they are found in schools, hang out around underwater structures, and usually locate themselves near drop-offs. Walleyes require a great deal of water and are rarely found in smaller lakes or ponds. Clear water and a rocky bottom are also high on its list of environmental preferences with water temperatures in the mid 60s (and never higher than the mid 70s) being optimum. It eats any baitfish available, and for that reason walleyes are often caught on minnows, although leeches and nightcrawlers work as well.

The walleye is a very light-sensitive fish, so although you may take one in shallow water, chances are that you will do this only in low-light conditions. Their eyes allow them to see well at night, and their prominent white eyes might be why some people insist on calling them “walleyed pike.” They’re not pike, though, so this is a misnomer.

As shown in the color section, the walleye is a torpedo-shaped fish with big eyes (hence wall-eye), a brownish-greenish color, and a white tip on the lower lobe of the tail. Walleyes could reach 25 pounds, but anything bigger than 6 to 8 pounds is a winner.