Chasing Walleye in Minnesota

by Kevin Smith Author

Minnesota State Fish

There is no fish chased more frequently and with more vigor than the venerable Walleye. Some anglers may also know them as Walleyed Pike, or Pike Perch, but scientifically, Walleye are not in the same genus as Pike. Walleye is the Minnesota State fish and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources manages hundreds of lakes in the state to enhance Walleye recruitment and provide quality angling opportunities. Many fishing lodges in Minnesota cater specifically to Walleye anglers.

Why Walleye?

The Walleye gets its name from an old-timed description of its eyes. The eyes of the Walleye appear to be glazed over, almost as if it is suffering from cataracts. Nature has designed the eyes of the Walleye to be able to see in the dark. They are most active in low light periods of the day at dawn and dusk, and often feed into the night in lakes where the water is gin-clear. When the lake water is stained, or on cloudy days, Walleyes will be more active on shallow waters and more accessible to anglers.

Old Wives’ Tales

August in Minnesota can be a tough time to catch Walleyes. As a primarily cold-water species, Walleye will often inhabit the deeper waters in lakes and rivers. The exceptions to this rule are when the deeper water is devoid of oxygen and prey. Even though they prefer deeper, darker, cooler water, Walleye are also opportunists, and if the shallow water if full of things to eat, the Walleye will not be too far away. In the days before electronics, August was known as the dog days, and some old-timers were convinced that August was the time of year that Walleye lost and regrew their teeth, and that’s why they didn’t readily bite.

The Table

Many anglers enjoy fishing just for the experience. Fishing is a way to get out on the water and connect with nature. In the prime Walleye lakes of the north, where most of the fishing lodges in Minnesota are located, the lakes are teaming with the common loon, Bald Eagles soar over nearly every water body, and many miles of uninhabited shorelines are ripe with different species of conifers that house every sort of animal from the mighty black bear, to the nearly ghost-like Pine Martin. Walleye anglers, unlike many other sport anglers fish for the fillets. There is no finer eating fish in Minnesota.