When fishing for delicious fish in North America, it’s likely you’re going after a few different types of fish. Two of the most sought after fish for food in North America are walleye and haddock. If you’re an angler that’s out to catch a good meal, you’ll need to know about both of these fish!
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Walleye Appearance
Walleye are a medium-sized game fish in North America. They’ve got a particularly scary look to them, and along with that look comes a good fight worthy of it.
When looking at the fish from snout to tail, here are some of the typical features you’ll find. Starting at the front, you’ll find a large mouth. Inside that mouth you’ll find 30 to 40 needle sharp teeth. The mouth of the walleye shows that it’s a fearsome predator in the waters it lives in. Behind the mouth you’ll find the feature that the fish was named after; its eyes. The walleye’s eyes are a milky color, due to the reflective layer on the back of them. Looking at the rest of the body of the walleye you’ll find two dorsal fins. The dorsal fin towards the front of the fish is a spiny fin, while the back is a soft-rayed fin. The tail of the walleye is soft, with a slight V-shape to it.
The coloration of the walleye is generally the same no matter where you’re fishing for it. They have a gold or olive colored base, with five or more dark brown or black bands running the length of the fish. The bottom of the fish is almost always white or silver in color.
Walleye grow to 22 to 24 inches in length on average, but have been known to be longer. Generally speaking, they’ll weigh anywhere from 3 to 5 pounds, but can become much heavier. Larger walleye will end up weighing 7 to 10 pounds depending on their length and age.
Walleye Behavior
While the mouth of the walleye shows how voracious of a predator they can be, their behavior is actually a bit different than their appearance may indicate. Walleye tend to stay on the bottom of the water column during the day, and while they are a predatory fish they tend to be pretty shy. You’ll find them acting cautiously near large structures in the bodies of water they live in, like downed trees or large boulders.
Walleye are an entirely nocturnal fish, hence their reflective eyes. They’re only found feeding during dusk and up until dawn They’ll occasionally feed throughout the day, but only if the sky is overcast. These fish have incredibly sensitive vision, and tend to enjoy turbid waters with a visibility of 3 to 6 feet.
Walleye Range
Walleye can be found all over the continent of North America in freshwaters. They don’t tolerate any saltwater whatsoever, not even brackish water. They can be found as far south as Georgia or Alabama, and as far north as the Arctic Circle in Canada. In the United States their range is nearly all freshwater from the eastern seaboard to the west, but doesn’t quite reach the western seaboard. However, in Canada, walleye can be found from coast to coast in most bodies of freshwater. Look for walleye in lakes and rivers, the deeper the better. They will spend their time in shallow water, however, if their food is there.
Haddock Appearance
Haddock are a saltwater fish similar in appearance to Atlantic cod. They have three dorsal fins and two anal fins, very different in appearance from the walleye. They have large eyes and a small mouth, indicating that they are a groundfish, similar to cod as well.
Most haddock are a dark blue color with silver, but can range to a purple hue, as well. They have a black line that runs the length of their body about halfway down their body. The underside of the haddock is a lighter silver or white, like the majority of saltwater fish. In some cases, haddock have a dark black spot over their pectoral fin. This is sometimes referred to as the “devil’s thumbprint.”
Haddock reach lengths of 14 to 23 inches, and normally only weigh 2 to 7 pounds. In this respect, they’re very similar to walleye. That being said, they’re very small in comparison to other saltwater fish, which explains why they have taken so long to become a popular fish to seek in the Atlantic.
Haddock Behavior
Haddock are considered a deep sea fish, as they tend to spend their time at the bottom of the ocean. For the majority of the year haddock will stay in depths of 200 feet or more. However, haddock spawn in the spring each year and can be found in water that’s only 100 feet deep, making them far easier to fish for.
During the majority of the year, haddock are bottom feeders, and anglers use heavy weights and stout tackle to reel them in. They’ll feed on them insatiably, and catching haddock feels easier than catching most fish. In the spring, haddock will feed in the middle column of the water more readily, and will take other bait like jigs and lures.
Haddock Range
Haddock are found in the northwest Atlantic ocean, ranging from New Jersey in the United States up to the Strait of Belle Isle in Canada. They’ll stay in the bottom column of the water that they’re living in, and will normally only stay in waters that are at least 130 feet deep unless spawning Juvenile haddock can be found in shallower waters, though they’re not normally large enough to make a good meal out of.
Which Fish is More Sustainable?
When it comes down to sustainability, haddock and walleye are both great options. In years past, overfishing has become a large problem, especially in the world’s oceans. Haddock, which are related to cod, have not been aggressively overfished like their relatives. They’ve been a lesser sought after fish than the Atlantic cod until more recent years. In many of the areas that Atlantic cod live in, haddock can be found as well, but cod has always been a more attractive catch. Cod fishing closures have been more common as of late, forcing anglers to switch to fishing for haddock. Because they haven’t been overfished, haddock populations are stronger.
As for walleye, populations are strong. Freshwater overfishing is less of a problem than saltwater overfishing, and as such populations are much stronger. However, walleye populations are a bit harder to sustain than other freshwater fish species. They don’t have strong fish farming populations in place, partially because farming these fish into adulthood is incredibly difficult to do. At best, walleye juveniles can be grown and then stocked in bodies of water.
So which fish is more sustainable? Historically speaking, freshwater fish are going to be more sustainable, so the clear answer here is walleye. Haddock may face a similar fate to that of their relatives, the Atlantic cod. If that’s the case, we may be losing access to another delicious fish. For the most part, though, the most sustainable fish is the fish you catch yourself. Fish sustainability and population loss has a lot to do with commercial fishing, not sport fishing. That being said, walleye is more likely to stay sustainable for a much longer period of time than haddock.
Read more about Walleye in Pond