Is it a blue walleye?

[splawik]

I got this one two weeks ago. It's a 26 incher caught on Zara Spook at 6:30PM.

The question is - why is it so blue?

 

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_7sOXXs-zYzg/TIBVBKtvsjI/AAAAAAAAAB0/xMjsr_zuVrc/s800/Blue%20Walleye.jpg

 

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7sOXXs-zYzg/TIBVB3ImfEI/AAAAAAAAAB4/Co1ojqx9iwM/s800/Blue%20Walleye1-1.jpg

[mercman]

blue walleye are sposed to be extinct !!! where di you get it. I'm sure the MNR would be interested in this

they suppoesedly went extinct in the 1980's

 

got any pics of the whole fish

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bow slayer]

due to their diet,I catch ones that colour all the time on Restoule but I also catch ones that are more yellow side by side. I don't beleive they are true blues.

[fish_finder]

Who knows dude...

 

Here's the wiki on Blue Walleye...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_walleye

[splawik]

It was on the French River near Horseshoe Bay entrance.

 

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_7sOXXs-zYzg/TIBU9ObgsKI/AAAAAAAAABg/iSVfQgenyfw/s800/Blue%20Walleye1-7-1.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_7sOXXs-zYzg/TIBU6JIroZI/AAAAAAAAABU/MwzGnsOBzms/s800/Blue%20Walleye1-10-1.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_7sOXXs-zYzg/TIBU9xvRAOI/AAAAAAAAABk/EcU_YtAy8YA/s800/Blue%20Walleye1-6-1.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_7sOXXs-zYzg/TIBVCgbwLaI/AAAAAAAAAB8/wYya0xGuzlc/s800/Blue%20Walleye1-2-1.jpg

[splawik]

Who knows dude...

 

Here's the wiki on Blue Walleye...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_walleye

 

 

I went trough that already. Someone mentioned that they're getting caught few times a year on Nippising.

I catch eyes on the weekly basis and I never got one like that.

[mercman]

I went trough that already. Someone mentioned that they're getting caught few times a year on Nippising.

I catch eyes on the weekly basis and I never got one like that.

 

well, whatever it is, its an interesting fish and maybe worthwhile looking into

[jediangler]

I thought blues weren't supposed to get as big as yellows. They are reported to have bigger eyes positioned higher up on the head making them kinda froglike from a side view. Most of your pics don't even show the head so it's hard to tell.

I caught this one many years ago in a lake that we saw about 10% blues to yellows.

Edited September 3, 2010 by jediangler

[uglyfish]

its not a true blue. but any walleye could potentially have blue coloring to it. just has to do with the color pigments in the slime of the fish. still a beauty fish none the less!

[Kinger]

Some 'blue walleye"

 

 

 

 

Edited September 3, 2010 by Kinger

[Kinger]

Very Interesting Article on Blue Walleye on the OOD site.

 

Ontario Out of Doors - A Blue Mystery

[John Bacon]

If I remember correctly; the true blue walleye also didn't have the white spot on it's tail. This is in addition to it being smaller with larger eyes place more on top of it's head.

[dave524]

I've a seen a few true Blue Pickeral out of Erie in the late fifties fishing with dad, they resemble a sauger in characteristics more than a walleye. Small, rarely over 3 pounds, kinda mottled appearance and bigger eyes in relation to the head. Dad took his pickeral trolling pretty serious back then, his standard rig was an old Pflueger Rocket trolling reel with a light wire line , 3 way swivel with a weight off the bottom and usually a Gibb's T spoon or a Junebug spinnner baited with a worm out the back and a early Shakespeare rod, fished out of Port Colborne. Yellows were caught mostly trolling and Blues were usually still fished in deeper water and through the ice.

[Billy Bob]

Here in the Buffalo area of Lake Erie they were always called "Blue Pike" and walleyes even today by some of the OLDER fishermen here are still referred to as "Yellow Pike". Even in the restaurants (Taverns, Bars, Gill Mills) some still have on their menu "Yellow Pike" dinners.

 

But from everything I have followed in the many many years I have, the blue tinted walleyes being caught today are NOT the Blue Pike of yesteryears. Our NYS DEC has done several studies and now with DNA possible all indications are the Blue Pike are long gone...

 

Bob

[Rod Caster]

well, whatever it is, its an interesting fish and maybe worthwhile looking into

 

I agree, try calling the MNR in the Nipissing region to get an opinion. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you.

Very good thread by the way. We caught some "blue" looking walleye in Northern Alberta a few years ago, I tend to think it was just a pigment thing and not a true blue.

My friend has a picture of a "blue" walleye near Loring, ON in winter. It is on the ice and the snow is stained deep blue from the fish...that fish makes me wonder.

Nipissing also has Blue Perch, we caught them this winter in bunches. They would stain our counters when cleaning them...wonder if that's a related issue at all.

[jbailey]

I agree, try calling the MNR in the Nipissing region to get an opinion. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you.

Very good thread by the way. We caught some "blue" looking walleye in Northern Alberta a few years ago, I tend to think it was just a pigment thing and not a true blue.

My friend has a picture of a "blue" walleye near Loring, ON in winter. It is on the ice and the snow is stained deep blue from the fish...that fish makes me wonder.

Nipissing also has Blue Perch, we caught them this winter in bunches. They would stain our counters when cleaning them...wonder if that's a related issue at all.

 

thats interesting, is it the diet that affects the pigmintation?

[cram]

its in the slime

 

not sure anyone knows why. remember reading a theory that it was a type of sunscreen for them.

 

not really uncommon (at least i don't think). We catch them all the time/

Edited September 3, 2010 by cram

[Rod Caster]

A good photo of the "blue ink"

 

http://2.bp.blogspot...06Image0130.JPG

[splawik]

A good photo of the "blue ink"

 

http://2.bp.blogspot...06Image0130.JPG

 

 

I never attempted to take a slime sample as this was bound to be released asap. We snapped few pictures and let her go. Nice info's on the subject from you guys, thanks.

I'll approach the local ranger when I see him and ask.

[Muskieman]

No

 

 

Randy

[nroadrunner]

they have been catching what appears to be blue walleye on a lake near huntsville. I don't know how to post but they have pictures of them on Muskokaoutdoors.com

 

Ian

[Guest Manitoubass]

blue walleye are not extinct.

 

I catch lots every year on a small lake up the cedar narrow road in northwestern ontario.

 

the most beautiful fish you'll ever see, deep blue walleye.

[Muskieman]

I remember watching the old "Fish On" T.V show.. the one that always ended with a high speed "Fly Tie"

 

They had said that the only real way to identify a "Blue Walleye"

is that it DOES NOT have the white spot on the tail...and had also said that they were extinct...which I believe is true.

 

Even "In-Fisherman" spoke of this extinct species in a recent episode.

Habitat and fungus was the culprit for mis-identification.

 

Although, I have caught A LOT of "Blue Tinged Walleye" from Nipissing and other lakes... but have never caught a true Blue.

 

Randy

[Kinger]

Just because a species' conservation status is "Extinct" does not mean that creature no longer exists.

[Kinger]

Spotless enough for you?