Key points
- Range: native to most of Canada and the northern U.S.; introduced (not native) in BC (source). In the Kootenays it is confined to the lower Columbia River (downstream of Hugh Keenleyside Dam to the US border) and the lower Kootenay River (downstream of Brilliant Dam to its confluence with the Columbia) .
- Feeding habits: Highly piscivorous, feeding actively on minnows, dace, and salmonid fry. They are nocturnal hunters, utilizing specialized reflective eyes to locate prey in low light.
- Tactics: Fished using jig heads tipped with soft plastics or bait, or slow-trolling crankbaits along gravel bars, current seams, and deep runs.
Fishing by region
- Regulations, seasons, and the waters to target vary by region — in the Kootenays, see Beyond Trout in the Kootenays.
Open questions
- Impact of tailwater walleye predation on migrating salmonid smolts and trout populations.
Related
- Columbia River — main tailwater fishery.
- Kootenay River — lower river habitat.
- Baitfish & Fry — primary forage.
Sources
- — river presence.
- Wikipedia — Walleye — Canadian native range.
