Yellow pike perch (Sander vitreus), also known as Volner (from English. walleye) – is one of the most valuable predatory freshwater species in North America. Thanks to its golden-green coloration and large reflective eyes, this fish has gained a reputation as an invisible hunter who is almost invisible in muddy waters or at dusk.
🔹 Why is yellow walleye unique?
✔ The largest representative of the genus Sander (Pike perch)
✔ It has special reflective cells in its eyes that help it see in the dark
✔ Valuable industrial and sports fish thanks to its tender white meat
✔ It lives in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs throughout North America
✔ It has resistance to changes in temperature and oxygen levels in the water
Thanks to its predatory skills, the yellow pike perch is an important regulator of the number of small fish, maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.
Scientific classification
🔬 Taxonomy of the yellow pike perch:
✔ The Kingdom: Animals (Animalia)
✔ Type: Chordal (Chordata)
✔ Class: Lucheperi pisces (Actinopterygii)
✔ Row: Perch-like (Perciformes)
✔ Family: Okunevye (Percidae)
✔ Gender: Walleye (Sander)
✔ View: Sander vitreus
📌 Interesting!
The yellow walleye is the closest relative of the common walleye (Sander lucioperca), which is common in Europe. However, the yellow walleye is larger and more adapted to the cold waters of North America.
Description and anatomy
🔹 Appearance:
✔ The body is elongated and streamlined - perfectly adapted for fast swimming
✔ The color is yellowish-green with dark spots and a light belly
✔ The main feature is large, glittering eyesthat glow in the dark due to the presence of a tapetum layer (similar to cat's eyes)
✔ The dorsal fin is divided into two parts:
* Front-with barbed beams
* Rear-soft and long
✔ The mouth is large, with sharp teethadapted to a predatory lifestyle
🔹 Sizes:
✔ Length: on average 50-75 cm, but it can reach 90 cm
✔ Weight: from 2 to 9 kg, the largest individuals up to 11.3 kg
✔ Life span: to 25 years old
📌 Interesting!
The largest yellow walleye recorded in the United States weighed 11.3 kg and he was caught in Tennessee.
Range and habitat
🌍 Where does the yellow pike perch live?
✅ Freshwater bodies of North America
• Canada: Great Plains Lakes, Hudson Bay, Northern Ontario
• USA: Great Basin, Great Lake Region, Mississippi River
• Mexico: rivers and lakes in the northern part of the country
🔹 Living environment:
✔ Deep-water lakes and rivers with stony or sandy bottoms
✔ It avoids fast currents, preferring calm bays and deep pits.
✔ Likes muddy water, as it has an advantage over other fish due to its good night vision
📌 Interesting!
Yellow perch prefers water with a temperature of 16–22°C, but can withstand both colder and warmer conditions.
Life cycle and reproduction
🔹 Spawning:
✔ Occurs in spring when the water temperature reaches 6–10°C
✔ Females lay eggs from 50,000 to 500,000 eggsthat stick to rocks or plants
✔ Caviar develops from 10 to 20 days, after which the fry actively feed on zooplankton
✔ Adult Fish become through 2-4 years old, reaching the size of 30-40 cm
📌 Interesting!
The yellow pike perch does not protect its eggs, unlike many other perch fish.
Nutrition and lifestyle
🔹 What does the yellow pike perch eat?
✅ Young people: zooplankton, small crustaceans
✅ Adults: small fish (roach, goby, young perch), insects, shellfish
🔹 Hunting:
✔ Leads night and twilight lifestyle
✔ Uses ambush tacticshiding among rocks or plants
✔ During an attack, does sudden jerksby swallowing the victim whole
📌 Interesting!
Yellow perch has excellent vision in the darkthis gives it an advantage over other fish at night.
Yellow pike perch and man
🔹 Main threats:
❌ Overfishing and poaching
❌ Contamination of water bodies with pesticides and heavy metals
❌ Loss of spawning grounds due to dam construction and ecosystem changes
⚠ Population status:
💥 Most populations are stable, but in some regions there is an increase in population decline due to overfishing
🔹 Human Value:
✔ One of the most popular fish for sport fishing in the USA and Canada
✔ Highly appreciated in gastronomy - tender, low-bone white meat
✔ It is bred in fish farms for the commercial market
📌 Interesting!
Yellow perch is the official fish of the state of Minnesota, USA.
Conclusion
🐟 Yellow perch is not just a fish, but a real hunter of American rivers and lakes.
🌍 Its conservation is important for the ecosystems of North America, as well as for fishing and gastronomy.
📢 Have you ever caught a yellow perch? What is your favorite cooking method? Share your impressions! 🎣🔥
