Walleye are Manitoba's number one sought after "all season" sport fish. Many ask why such a preoccupation with a fish that isn't usually all that big and not necessarily the biggest tug on the end of a line? Well the answer is not so simple and for a Manitoban angler there are even some slightly different reasons for hunting down this worthy quarry..
Firstly, walleye 'sometime' really like to bite. I've been up north fishing some untouched corner of creation and have caught so many walleye I've forgotten to count. However, as anyone knows who has fished for this species, this is not always the case. Consider what happens to walleye after a storm or cold front. These fish are notorious for developing the severest case of lockjaw. The angler in this context is challenged by memories of a fish that likes to bite but on any particular day make it seem as though they have all but left the lake! The real challenge for the proficient walleye angler is to be successful even when the going gets tough.
Secondly these fish surpass all others as table fare. Their fine, white, flaky flesh can be prepared in so many delicious ways. Some of my finest outdoor memories involve sitting along some shoreline enjoying a superb meal of freshly cooked walleye.
Thirdly (in Manitoba anyway), there is a particular fascination with those monster walleye or "greenbacks" that come down from Manitoba's inland sea (Lake Winnipeg) and who run up into the Red and Winnipeg Rivers each fall. These greenbacks are not only famous for their unique coloration but are also well known for their gargantuan proportions.
Go on in and read a while... the attached articles document this one fisherman's preoccupation with these fish of the finest gold and green.
Here's a prezi that asks the question of how to angle for greenbacks on the Red River