Heritage Terminology

[Jonny]

When I was a kid fishing with my parents, I didn't even know that another name for pickerel was walleye. Even when I was in my 20's I don't think I heard the term "walleye" used very much.

 

Same goes for partridge (ruffed grouse). Everybody just called them "partridge". Most people in Northern Ontario still do, I think.

 

"Pickerel" is still the term I hear used most commonly for walleye.

 

I like the distinctiveness of both those terms - pickerel and partridge - and they're what I'm used to. I wonder how prevalent they are in other parts of Ontario.

 

Just for the fun of it, I'm going to try to set up the poll feature on this board - hope it works for me...

Edited July 8, 2009 by Jocko

[Twocoda]

put the two of them together and i call it ...YUMMY...

[archie_james_c]

I call them both names during conversations. I've been brought up my whole life calling them pickerel and partridge...but facts are facts and that's just not their name, so I call them both, because I will never leave my roots behind.

 

 

As for calling them YUMMY....AGREED .

Edited July 8, 2009 by archie_james_c

[Fish4Eyes]

The way I see it is; Canadians use pickerel, and Americans use walleye.

[bigugli]

I've gotten used to using the term 'walleye' after living in Southern Ontario the past 20 years, but partridge are partridge.

[Fisherman]

Again, how many walleral pickeleye polls do we need.

[Jonny]

Again, how many walleral pickeleye polls do we need.

 

Sorry, haven't been around here long enough to know you had one. So I appreciate the responses.

 

I guess if a cyclical topic comes up (and clearly marked, like this one) you can just skip it? It's only a temporary waste of space.

 

I've gotten used to using the term 'walleye' after living in Southern Ontario the past 20 years, but partridge are partridge.

 

So I guess "pickerel" might be more prevalent in the north? The picture I posted is typical of the North Bay/Sturgeon Falls area. A number of eateries (restaurants, chip stands) advertise "pickerel" on their signs, but not walleye. So that must be the name people here mainly key in on.

 

Every once in a while you see it mis-spelled as "pickeral".

[backbay]

Called them pickerel for years, only in the last 5 or so have I referred to them as walleye.

Always have seemed to call them partridge, even though I knew I was hunting ruffed grouse!

[Raf]

i think as you cross the french r. bridge heading north, they turn into pickerel.

[tambo]

good one raf...........it would be a good day to get both of them in the same day............walleye wrapped partridge deep fried

[Jonny]

Wow, I was kind of hoping that "walleye" wouldn't out-poll "pickerel".

 

Just made a shopping trip to North Bay today and counted 3 signs, all advertising "pickerel". I guess the term is alive and well around here.

[bigugli]

Just made a shopping trip to North Bay today and counted 3 signs, all advertising "pickerel". I guess the term is alive and well around here.

 

That's because you are in a part of Ontario that has not been sufficiently Americanized and lobotomized

[blaque]

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal labotomy

[Jonny]

That's because you are in a part of Ontario that has not been sufficiently Americanized and lobotomized

 

Funny you should mention that. Nothing against our good friends to the south, but when I first started paying attention to the term, I considered "walleye" to be American, and that us good ol' Canadians called them pickerel. Maybe my impression wasn't so accurate even back then.

 

To me, however, they'll always be pickerel.

 

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal labotomy

 

Whoa! I'll second that!

 

A bottle of Canadian whisky - Five Star, V.O., Wiser's, Alberta Premium, doesn't matter. Anything that gives my Pepsi a kick.

[Dara]

i think as you cross the french r. bridge heading north, they turn into pickerel.

 

 

you mean the Pickerel River? bout 2 miles further up

[Jonny]

From today's North Bay Nugget...

[Garry2Rs]

I can remember when Canadians were forced to except the name Walleye, which is crude slang for a cataract condition, so that American tourists would understand that the "Lodge" wasn't advertising "good fishing" for Chain Pickerel...a small type of Pike.

If we had to change the name, why couldn't we change it to the French Canadian name, Dore? At least that name isn't disrespectful of a fine fish...and it's 100% Canadian!

[Tdel]

Pickerel and Partridge were the terms used here for most of my life. Never knew what a walleye was until I was in my twenties. I think your line is a little too far north.

 

Tom

[smally21]

i cant believe im having this conversation again.....

 

while i know that the term pickerel is prevalent in this area and geography is usually the strongest argument the simple fact is walleye and pickerel are two different fish. however, you know what you mean and i know what you mean when we say pickerel. what i have yet to see is what would happen if you caught a walleye (canadian pickerel) and an actual pickerel, and you had both in the livewell. would you say you caught 2 pickerel, or i pickerel 1 walleye, or how would you tell them apart if they are both pickerel - would you have to be from buffalo to know??? an onlooker would be confused when he saw 2 different fish in the bucket but you called them by the same name. hey its your business you can call them whatever you like.

[dave524]

My dad grew up in Niagara and fished out of Port Colborne, I remember in the 50's he simply referred to them as Yellows, short for Yellow Pickerel, at the time I think the occasional Blue was still being caught.

 

 

Yeah I always called them Partridge , but then turned around and and called their cousins Spruce Grouse , go figure.

[Garry2Rs]

Smally21;

you would have a Pickerel and a Pike...not a Northern Pike, but a Pike all the same!

No one would mistake that smelly slimy toothy critter for a Pickerel!

[smally21]

you made me do it garrrry

 

Pickerel, common name for 3 closely related carnivorous, soft-rayed freshwater fishes in the PIKE family (Esocidae). In parts of Canada, the name is applied, erroneously, to the WALLEYE. The name is derived from an English diminutive of pike.

 

canadian encyclopedia.

 

and no, i dont get invited to alot of parties.

[Billy Bob]

You will all be assimilated so get use to WALLEYE and Ruffled Grouse and stop saying "eh"........ you know....LOL

[Jonny]

There are actually three true pickerels - redfin, grass and chain. But they are to all intents and purposes practically unknown in Canada. If a Canadian calls a fish a pickerel you know exactly what he means. A grass pickerel is usually called a grass pike.

 

I don't see any "disrespect" in the name "pickerel" for walleye. It is what it is.

 

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet."

Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

[dave524]

Lets put the shoe on the other foot, I keep hearing Americans on the Gulf Coast catching Speckled Trout. I am sure that a speck would last a matter of seconds in that warm salt water and they are really catching Spotted Weakfish.