Animal profile

Walleye

Sander vitreus

ActinopterygiiLarge cool lakes and rivers, often over sand, gravel or rubble in deeper waterLeast Concern

Field profile

The walleye is North America's largest perch, an olive-gold predator named for the reflective eye that glows when lit. It feeds most heavily at dawn, dusk and night. Adults commonly reach 35 to 60 centimetres.

Published field notes

2026-07-25

Walleye

The walleye's eye contains a built-in mirror

Behind the walleye's retina sits a reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum, which bounces light back through the light-sensing cells. It gives the fish its glassy shine and a hunting advantage in low light that its prey does not share.

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