A Walleyes Gender.

[Walleye Express]

Taken from another board.

This is probably a very rookie question, but someone out there must know how to visually tell the gender of a walleye quickly before releasing it. What are the differences in appearance between male and female?

derek becker

I agree with all said. But there is a way which involves looking/probing into the vent area and then having the training to recognize what your actually looking for/at.

But personally, to many other strange looks, remarks and questions arise from close friend and others while your probing up a fish's butt to make it worth the probing or the knowing. Capt. Dan.

[Phishy]

I'll ask our local fish biologist, but i don't really think there is fool proof way other than cuting open a fish and seeing the reproductive organs. unless there obvious milt or spawn as in the spring and late winter.

In the middle of the summer it can be tough. I've caught and submitted walleye heads that i kept for an aging study which was using the jaw bone of the fish. I had a tough time telling if the fish was male or female in june and july, but it got easier later in the season.

[Walleye Express]

I'll ask our local fish biologist, but i don't really think there is fool proof way other than cuting open a fish and seeing the reproductive organs. unless there obvious milt or spawn as in the spring and late winter.

In the middle of the summer it can be tough. I've caught and submitted walleye heads that i kept for an aging study which was using the jaw bone of the fish. I had a tough time telling if the fish was male or female in june and july, but it got easier later in the season.

Your absolutely right Phishy. Walleyes and Pike are one of the few specie types that show you nothing about their gender in their skin or structual apperaence.

[Phishy]

According to the pro from dover, a.k.a. fish biologist, there is no physical feature to distiguish male from female. He did say .."typically the females will be larger than males, depending on the lake you are fishing anything over 20 inches is probably a female."

ummmmm i don't think the great lakes qualifies for this generalization.

[Adam Bomb]

Your right on in that assumption Phishy. This winter my uncle iced a 31 1/2" 9.9# male out of Saginaw Bay. What a brute. In addition we iced a fair amount of males in the 22-24" range with a few that hit 26"-27". I love those big males, theyre all "shoulders" from head to tail, what a battle!!!