Field guide · 3 species
The perch family includes three of the most popular fish in the North: the walleye, its river-loving cousin the sauger, and the yellow perch. All three have two separate dorsal fins, the front one spiny, and all three are prized at the table.
Walleye and sauger share glassy, light-gathering eyes and sharp teeth, while perch are smaller, deeper-bodied and boldly barred.
| Fish | Family | Water | Region | Body shape | Max length | Max weight | Diet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Perch family | Freshwater | Northern lakes & rivers | Long & slender | 42 in | 25 lb | Carnivore |
| Sauger | Perch family | Freshwater | Northern lakes & rivers | Long & slender | 30 in | 9 lb | Carnivore |
| Yellow Perch | Perch family | Freshwater | Northern lakes & rivers | Streamlined | 20 in | 4 lb | Carnivore |
The walleye is the signature game fish of the North: a cool-water predator of the perch family, famous for its glassy eyes, its low-light feeding habits and some of the best-tasting fillets in fresh water. It is the official fish of Minnesota, South Dakota, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and in Quebec it goes simply by doré.
Read the full guide →The sauger is the walleye's smaller, river-loving cousin: a slim, brassy member of the perch family built for current and muddy water. It rarely tops a few pounds, but it bites through the coldest months below big-river dams, and its fillets are every bit as good as a walleye's.
Read the full guide →The yellow perch is the classic panfish of the North: a bright, barred schooling fish that bites year-round and fills more ice-fishing buckets than almost anything else. It rarely tops a pound, but perch fillets are some of the sweetest in fresh water, and Great Lakes fish fries have been built on them for generations.
Read the full guide →Think you could name them from a few clues? A new mystery fish drops every day.
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