Pickerel / Walleye
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Pickerel

Pickerel and Walleye are the same fish, Pickerel is known as "the Canadian name" Walleye is known as the "American name", but yes they are the same fish.

*Something most fishermen should know is that walleyes eyes are light sensetive. They have a layer of pigment in the retina of the eye called the "Tapetum lucidum". This forces them to seek murky or dim water. So good Walleye fishing during the day is when it is windy or cloudy.

Walleye belong to the Perch family.

Walleye fishing peaks when foods are least abundant. The food supply is lowest in spring, when most of last years food was eaten and this years has not produced yet.

Walleyes can be found as high north as the Yukon, and as south as North Texas.

I'v found that small Pike and Pickerel usally take the same kind of lures. Pickerel like calm water usally 1-9' deep. When I fish pickerel I usally troll around islands at sun down where the water is about 1-9' deep..

Fishing on a sunny day with no wind in clear water is Not good fishing conditions for Walleye. After a day like that the Walleye will usally feed at night at about 5'deep.

Large murky rivers and heavy algie in lakes are prime conditions. In this situation nothing triggers strikes better than crankbaits.

Crankbaits are deadly! Crainkbaits work well for pickerel. When they are suspended and widely scatered is a good time to fish them.

Rocks, rocks or gravel bottoms attract Walleye.Try to avoid muddy bottom.


Walleyes shift location as the seasons change. In spring they remain in warm shallows for several weeks after spawning, usally in water 15' or less. They can stay in the shallows all day because the low angek of the suns rays has little effect on there light-sensitive eyes.


As summer comes the shallows become too warm and the sun rises higher in the sky, making Walleyes move to deeper cooler water, but the go to shallow water in the moring and evening to feed.


In the summer they stay where the water temp is slightly cooler than the surface.


In fall they return to the shallows as the surface cools off and the sun has fallen low on the horizon. They start to scatter now. By the time the surface temp drops to the low 40s they may get deep as 50 feet!


Oxygen content also affects the location of Walleyes. In summer many fertile lakes lack oxygen in the depths, so they are forced to remain in the shallows, often at a depth of 10 feet or less.

Here are some good lures

1) Reef Runner
2) Shad Rap
3) Wally-Trac
4) Hot 'n tot
5)Rapala Original (4 trolling)
6)spinner w/minnow
7)Rattlin' Rap

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