The poor maligned Pickeral

[TJQ]

Ya.. lol.. I spell it pickeral.

There always a debate about whether a certain fish should be called a dore or a walleye or a pickeral...  When i grew up here in the northern Ontario, the only people who called this fish a walleye were our plentiful US visitors. Which was fine, as we understood the proper term to be walleye. Over the years I've made an effort to continue to call this fish a Pickeral, like my father and his father before as well as the Indigenous people here.

Anyway.. a bit off track.  I've always been a fan of Artic and Antarctic exploration history... those dudes were tough!

Anyway after all the news about Frankins Last expedition in the last couple years, I started reading about his first overland expedition up the Coppermine river.. basically they came in through Hudsons Bay and down the Saskatchewan river.

Where doe all this go.. well I was reading Franklins account and he has a section (this is in 1819) 200 years ago.  Hes staying at a Hudsons Bay Post and gives a brief account of the fishing thats done by the residents...  I just thought its an interesting insite into how far back the term for pickeral goes.  (I would correct his spelling - but that would be rude i think lol)

Quote

The most esteemed fish is the Coregonus albus, the attihhawmeg of the Crees, and the white-fish of the Americans. Its usual weight is between three and four pounds, but it has been known to reach sixteen or eighteen pounds. Three fish of the ordinary size is the daily allowance to each man at the fort, and is considered as equivalent to two geese, or eight pounds of solid moose-meat. The fishery for the attihhawmeg lasts the whole year, but is most productive in the spawning season, from the middle of September to the middle of October. The ottonneebees, (Coregonus Artedi,) closely resembles the last. Three species of carp, (Catastomus Hudsonius, C. Forsterianus, and C. Lesueurii,) are also found abundantly in all the lakes, their Cree names are namaypeeth, meethquawmaypeeth, and wapawhawkeeshew. The occow, or river perch, termed also horn-fish, piccarel, or doré, is common, but is not so much esteemed as the attihhawmeg. It attains the length of twenty inches in these lakes. The methy is another common fish; it is the gadus lota, or burbot, of Europe. Its length is about two feet, its gullet is capacious, and it preys upon fish large enough to distend its body to nearly twice its proper size. It is never eaten, not even by the dogs unless through necessity, but its liver and roe are considered as delicacies.

 

The pike is also plentiful, and being readily caught in the winter-time with the hook, is so much prized on that account by the natives, as to receive from them the name of eithinyoo-cannooshœoo, or Indian fish. The common trout, or nammœcous, grows here to an enormous size, being caught in particular lakes, weighing upwards of sixty pounds; thirty pounds is no uncommon size at Beaver Lake, from whence Cumberland House is supplied. The Hioden clodalis, oweepeetcheesees, or gold-eye is a beautiful small fish, which resembles the trout, in its habits.

 

One of the largest fish is the mathemegh, catfish, or barbue. It belongs to the genus silurus. It is rare but is highly prized as food.

 

The sturgeon (Accipenser ruthenus) is also taken in the Saskatchawan, and lakes communicating with it, and furnishes an excellent, but rather rich, article of food.

 

[Fisherman]

Nice info,  makes you wonder where the name walleye came from.

[Acountdeleted]

My co-workers hate me because I say anything other then Sander Vitreus is just a nickname.

Some pretty cool info there.

[aplumma]

Pickerel vs Walleye: Setting the Record Straight

by Elle Andra-Warner

So, what’s all this about the “Canadian pickerel” really being a “walleye?” Are we talking about the same fish having two names? For generations, when Americans have said “It is a walleye,” we Canadians have—sometimes defiantly—responded, “We call it pickerel in Canada; Americans call it walleye.” Have we been wrong all these years? Well, the answer is yes.

A few years ago after I wrote about pickerel fishing on Lake Winnipeg with commercial fishermen, a retired fish biologist contacted me to say that I had actually been fishing for walleye not pickerel. He said that the walleye and pickerel are two unrelated fish, do not even look similar and belong to two different fish families. “But don’t take my word for it” he said, “Check it out yourself.” I did. He was right. Who knew that all these years, we Canadians have been erroneously calling a walleye by the wrong name of pickerel

A walleye (Sander vitreus) is the largest member of the perch family; can weigh over 20 pounds; varies in colour; tastes delicious, and is found in most of Canada and northern U.S. The pickerel is a member of the pike family (Esocidae); found only in eastern North America and is the common name for three closely-related freshwater fish: chain pickerel (Esox niger) which looks like a northern pike with a long snout; and the smaller redfin pickerel and grass pickerel (both Esox americanus).

To many of us Canadians, the walleye is still our pickerel. Restaurants still list pickerel dinners on their menus and most stores (including the famous Fish House) still sell pickerel (not walleye) fillets and the delicious delicacy of pickerel cheeks.

Two states and two provinces have adopted the walleye as their official fish: Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (though both provinces admit most residents still call it “pickerel”) and American states of Minnesota and South Dakota.

 

So can we file this under Tiller Vs Console debates. lol

Art

[Acountdeleted]

4 minutes ago, aplumma said:

Pickerel vs Walleye: Setting the Record Straight

by Elle Andra-Warner

So, what’s all this about the “Canadian pickerel” really being a “walleye?” Are we talking about the same fish having two names? For generations, when Americans have said “It is a walleye,” we Canadians have—sometimes defiantly—responded, “We call it pickerel in Canada; Americans call it walleye.” Have we been wrong all these years? Well, the answer is yes.

A few years ago after I wrote about pickerel fishing on Lake Winnipeg with commercial fishermen, a retired fish biologist contacted me to say that I had actually been fishing for walleye not pickerel. He said that the walleye and pickerel are two unrelated fish, do not even look similar and belong to two different fish families. “But don’t take my word for it” he said, “Check it out yourself.” I did. He was right. Who knew that all these years, we Canadians have been erroneously calling a walleye by the wrong name of pickerel

A walleye (Sander vitreus) is the largest member of the perch family; can weigh over 20 pounds; varies in colour; tastes delicious, and is found in most of Canada and northern U.S. The pickerel is a member of the pike family (Esocidae); found only in eastern North America and is the common name for three closely-related freshwater fish: chain pickerel (Esox niger) which looks like a northern pike with a long snout; and the smaller redfin pickerel and grass pickerel (both Esox americanus).

To many of us Canadians, the walleye is still our pickerel. Restaurants still list pickerel dinners on their menus and most stores (including the famous Fish House) still sell pickerel (not walleye) fillets and the delicious delicacy of pickerel cheeks.

Two states and two provinces have adopted the walleye as their official fish: Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (though both provinces admit most residents still call it “pickerel”) and American states of Minnesota and South Dakota.

 

So can we file this under Tiller Vs Console debates. lol

Art

 

 

Maybe that's why at some of the dive restaurants I go to along lake Erie they always give me Pike when they advertise it as 'Pickeral' on the menu. ?

[lew]

My Dad taught me to fish waaaay back in the early 50's and they were pickerel then and they're still pickerel today and they always will be pickerel.

[porkpie]

I to grew up pickerel fishing.  That’s what my grandpa called them.  I don’t think I knew what a walleye was until I started reading Ontario Fisherman.  I still fish for pickerel and I still hunt partridge from time to time.  That’s not about to change because of some biologist!

[dave524]

The name Walleye was actually the result of some 1933 fisheries think tank coming up with name that wasn't biologically wrong. Dad born 1928 and gramps born 1902 called them Pickeral , actually the Ontario Regulations called them Yellow Pickeral right up to about 1970 if you look at some old regulations online.   https://ontariowalleyefishing.com/ontario-walleye-biology-fishing-resource/

 

edit: I just saw the length and weight data in that link I posted, not even close ........over 10 pounds for a 25 incher LOL ,be lucky to break 6 

Edited February 20, 2019 by dave524

[HTHM]

CONSOLE! 

[Terry]

first the MNR referred to them as yellow pickeral and knew that chain pickerel were different species , so the "no thats walleye not a chain pickerel" does not hold water

only because they made an agreement with the US the mnr now refer to them as walleye

hell the US  doesn't  even have a firm handle on English  ask them to spell harbour or neighbour next the argument will be do we call it a sofa or couch or chesterfield

everyone knows what each name means so just except it and move on

 

[icedude]

1 hour ago, aplumma said:

Pickerel vs Walleye: Setting the Record Straight

by Elle Andra-Warner

So, what’s all this about the “Canadian pickerel” really being a “walleye?” Are we talking about the same fish having two names? For generations, when Americans have said “It is a walleye,” we Canadians have—sometimes defiantly—responded, “We call it pickerel in Canada; Americans call it walleye.” Have we been wrong all these years? Well, the answer is yes.

A few years ago after I wrote about pickerel fishing on Lake Winnipeg with commercial fishermen, a retired fish biologist contacted me to say that I had actually been fishing for walleye not pickerel. He said that the walleye and pickerel are two unrelated fish, do not even look similar and belong to two different fish families. “But don’t take my word for it” he said, “Check it out yourself.” I did. He was right. Who knew that all these years, we Canadians have been erroneously calling a walleye by the wrong name of pickerel

A walleye (Sander vitreus) is the largest member of the perch family; can weigh over 20 pounds; varies in colour; tastes delicious, and is found in most of Canada and northern U.S. The pickerel is a member of the pike family (Esocidae); found only in eastern North America and is the common name for three closely-related freshwater fish: chain pickerel (Esox niger) which looks like a northern pike with a long snout; and the smaller redfin pickerel and grass pickerel (both Esox americanus).

To many of us Canadians, the walleye is still our pickerel. Restaurants still list pickerel dinners on their menus and most stores (including the famous Fish House) still sell pickerel (not walleye) fillets and the delicious delicacy of pickerel cheeks.

Two states and two provinces have adopted the walleye as their official fish: Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (though both provinces admit most residents still call it “pickerel”) and American states of Minnesota and South Dakota.

 

So can we file this under Tiller Vs Console debates. lol

Art

Looks like it Art--happy to learn this special place on the net--doesn't change much

 

FISH ON

 

Paul

[Tomcat]

When I fished the western basin of Lake Erie out of Colchester harbour with my Dad back in the mid 40s, he said we were fishing for pickerel. So for years, I called them pickerel too. After listening to so many Americans referring to the same fish as walleye, like aplumma, I did some research. And I too learned that the correct name for my favourite eating fish, Sander vitreus , was actually walleye. Consequently, I haven't been pickerel fishing for a long time. Au contraire, I've been and continue to go walleye fishing. Even so, it doesn't bother me much that so many Ontario fishermen refer to this fish as a pickerel. Old habits are difficult to overturn.

[TJQ]

1 hour ago, lew said:

My Dad taught me to fish waaaay back in the early 50's and they were pickerel then and they're still pickerel today and they always will be pickerel.

TRUE DAT!!!

[Beans]

I'm with Lew and TJ...Now my sons and grandson call them pickerel 'cause that's what they were taught...!

 

[Fisherman]

So I suppose apples should be called fruit of the forbidden tree.  If everyone that called them pickerel, does that make them right.

[Terry]

yes, we are a sovereign country we can call it anything we want    some countries call it a trunk  while some call it a boot..who's right

groundhogs or  prairie dogs

we know what they are

 

[misfish]

52 minutes ago, Terry said:

groundhogs or  prairie dogs

https://sciencing.com/difference-between-groundhog-prairie-dog-8092215.html

 

[Fisherman]

If you've ever lived out west, then you'll easily know the difference between the two.  Funny thing is prairie dogs are also cannibals,  shoot one and the others come out and eat them up.  Used to sit there for hours and pick them off, come back a month later and there was another batch.

[aplumma]

toque  OR  beanie

 

Art

[GBW]

12 minutes ago, aplumma said:

toque  OR  beanie

 

Art

Easy!  Toque!!!!!  

As HH say's they are a Pickereye!  

[tomO]

Here in southern Ohio they are called  Tobogans.     That is toque or beanie, not the fish.                                                                                                                                                                       

[OhioFisherman]

1 vote for river perch! eh?

[dave524]

The name Walleye did not even exist before 1933, we called them Yellow Pickeral the Americans for the most part would call them Yellow Pike, both not anatomically correct .

[wkrp]

Much adieu about nothing!

[aplumma]

“sac-a-lait" or Crappie ?

 

Art