Minaki Blue Walleyes?

[Bigiver]

Has anyone caught any Blue Walleyes in any of the lakes at Minaki? Last year my son caught a 30 incher in Big Sand. The fish had no color, it was black, gray and white. It seemed healthy enough but just looked different, even the gills looked gray. I was wondering if this may have been a Blue , but I have no experience with them. I was also wondering if it may have been some sort of albino. We have been going up there for over 20 years and have not seen one like it. Any guesses? Thanks, Bigiver

[Aaron-IN]

Never caught a real "blue" walleye up there but have caught several darker walleye like you described, and they all seemed to be the larger variety. I ran into someone a few years ago that said he had just caught a "blue" walleye, he showed it to me and it was really a sauger, as far as I know I've never seen one that big (30 inches). Do you have a pic you can share?

[octanehi5]

I have caught blue walleye in the goiun res not many but they were blue

[Bigiver]

Aaron,
We do have a few pictures and will try and get my son to put them on here. That chore on the computer I still have not learned. It may be a day or so as I am working overnights and sleeping days and don't seem to see him. We are heading up on Friday, maybe we can catch her again.

[bartidge]

The blues are traditional yellow walleyes that have a distinct color morph...

They are NOT the extinct "blue pike" that was found in Lake Erie up until the 1970s

There is a fisheries biologist in Wisconsin that has been studying the color morphs...

The color morph shows fish that are basically black and silver... the blues are derivative of the black and silver morph... and they have a blue-tinged protein slime coat along their backs...

Some of these silverish fish have the blue slime coat, others do not...

The fisheries biologist studying these fish has named the blue slime 'Sandercyanin' (sander being the walleye genus and cyan meaning blue in Greek.)

Through his work, he has found that the blue slime coat and protein provides natural sunblock properties...

He speculates that this is an evolutional adaptation that we are witnessing first hand and that the fish are evolving this 'sunblock' protection in regional areas where (within last 30 years) recent ozone depletion in the upper atmosphere is allowing for more powerful UV radiation to reach the earth (as well as into the water.)

More Here:

http://bluewalleyes.wikidot.com/what-is-a-blue-pike

[Bigiver]

Wonderful information, I am right when I say you learn more here by accident than you do elsewhere on purpose. I believe what my son caught was indeed a "black and silver morph" and it did not have the blue slime coat. Per the article I noted that the fish we caught had the traditional yellow walleye white tips on the anal and lower caudal fins. The fish was larger than the blue pike. The fish we caught was landed at locations that were yielding substantial traditional yellow walleye catches at the same time. They did not have any noticeable larger eye than the yellow fish we caught. Thank you for the post bartidge.

[bartidge]

Originally Posted by Bigiver

Wonderful information, I am right when I say you learn more here by accident than you do elsewhere on purpose. I believe what my son caught was indeed a "black and silver morph" and it did not have the blue slime coat. Per the article I noted that the fish we caught had the traditional yellow walleye white tips on the anal and lower caudal fins. The fish was larger than the blue pike. The fish we caught was landed at locations that were yielding substantial traditional yellow walleye catches at the same time. They did not have any noticeable larger eye than the yellow fish we caught. Thank you for the post bartidge.

Yup - that's what I would guess. Also, I can confirm the same.

Our group has fished Lac Dumoine in Quebec numerous times and they seem to have prolific numbers of the 'blue morphs' and we've caught good numbers of them.

We spoke with the outfitter about and he said that there are also 'silvers' in the lake that are black and silver (like the blues) but don't have the blue slime on them... tho he said those are fewer and far between... most silvers have the blue slime coat.

We haven't caught any actual 'silvers' that weren't blue on the back...

That said, fisheries biologist Dr. Schaeffer's ongoing studies now indicate that the blue slime color may come and go with the seasons (i.e. fish caught ice fishing or right after ice out may have little to no blue slime and the blue coloration may build on the silver fish as the Spring and Summer progresses - when they may actually need the sunblock protection).

Also, based on our fishing experience, we always caught blue morph walleyes intermingled with regular yellow walleyes like you experienced...

[Steve of Madison]

Just got back from Lac Seul this past friday and a guy in our group caught what I refered to as a Blue Walleye. (Don't know if it was, but sure looked ODD) Very pale blueish in color, very faint darker spots, we just thougth it was because of the deep water.