The walleye, Minnesota's most sought after fish, is sometimes called a "walleyed pike,"  but it is actually a member of the perch family. If you look at the picture below, you can clearly see that the vertical bands of the walleye bear quite a resemblance to those of its close relative, the yellow perch. The Minnesota state record for walleye is 17 pounds, 8 ounces, and the world record is 25 pounds. However, the average walleye caught and kept in Minnesota weighs only a little more than one pound (Minnesota DNR, 2000).

The picture below shows Mike Engelhart and the 29-inch walleye he caught on the first night of the Midstate Fishing League's 2000 schedule.  The fish was released immediately after being photographed. By the way, Mike's the one smiling!