Identify your North American Native Fish

[Gamefishin]

Hummm.....it's too easy for you two huh...

Sauger

Walleye....notice the bottom tip of tail

For those who don't know the Sauger is a cousin of the walleye but does not nearly get as large as the walleye. Some of you guys that want to keep walleyes as pets might want to consider a sauger since they will not grow too big like a walleye. I'm not exactly sure but I can try to find out. We went fishing in a river last summer and caught many saugers and walleye, they all live togeather. I wonder if they can ever breed since they are so close???

 

[sandtiger]

Yes, they can breed. I don't know how often it happens in the wild but hatcherys breed them and release them. They are called saugeyes.

 

[dapike1979]

Hey Gamefishin!! You Got me good!! Did you ever hear of a bleue colored Walleye?? Next time im in minnesota ill by Ya dinner!! hehe!

 

[Gamefishin]

Nope never heard of a Blue walleye before but I was watching the fishing channel on cable and they were catching some monster walleyes in Lake Erie and it was a different color. Most walleyes I see are dark green with stripe patterns. Well these were a very light green color, maybe almost blue but they were huge. I didn't even know that walleyes can get that fat because most I see are kind of slim.

Dam Lake Erie, isn't that lake all polluted and nasty.....or was that back in the 50-60's

Anyways yeah a few years ago we were catching saugers a lot and would think that they were walleyes. I just learn the difference a few years ago too.

 

[Gamefishin]

Also I just heard not too long ago that there we some restuarant here in the Twin Cities that got busted for selling walleyes that weren't walleyes. There were a few gourmet/fancy/expensive restuarants too that were involve. You guys think they were cooking sauger and sell it as walleyes. I bet they taste the same too especially after it's all deep fried and crispy and golden and ................ Man I getting hungry.

 

[sandtiger]

Ok everyone...here is the fish you need to ID.

 

[sandtiger]

Yes, there is such a thing as a blue walleye aka blue pike. It is a subspecies of walleye that is considered endangered and may even be extinct.

Read all about it here.
http://www.nativefish.org/bluepike/

 

[guppy]

Bluntface shiner, Cyprinella camura?

 

[sandtiger]

Nope

 

[teleost]

common shiner or maybe striped shiner