United States
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Among the more than 34,000 species of fish, few have the walleye's following – among anglers and diners, states conferring official status on the fish, and towns battling for recognition as the Walleye Capital of the World. And among those passionate fans, few know the walleye as well as Paul J. Radomski does – a fisheries biologist, lake ecology scientist, and old fisherman. In Walleye: A Beautiful Fish of the Dark he unspools the mysteries of this fascinating fish.
Radomski looks at walleye from every angle, with something to say to the curious naturalist, committed ecologist, and avid fishing enthusiast. People who view walleye as the "lion of the lakes" might be surprised to learn that rivers are their ancestral habitat. Some might wonder about the name "wall-eye," a nod to an evolutionary adaptation to dark water environments. Others might simply ask: why walleye? What are they, where do they exist, how do they survive, and how have people come to depend on them? Radomski discusses the principles and pitfalls of managing this predator of the twilight (and the history and methods of doing so) and shares his informed perspective on when and where stocking is prudent. Finally, he explores three of the best walleye lakes: Winnebago, the largest inland walleye fishery in Wisconsin, and Mille Lacs and Red Lake in Minnesota.
From the simple pleasures of fishing for walleye to the most pressing questions about how this species survives, this book is the best word on this beautiful fish of the dark.
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part I. The Fish of Interest
1. The World of Walleye: Understanding a Favorite Fish
2. Survival School: The Life of a Walleye
3. The Thrill of the Chase: Walleye Fishing
Part II. Walleye Management
4. Fish In, Fish Out: Walleye Stocking
5. The Long Emergency: Protecting Walleye Habitat
6. A Science of Questions: Walleye Harvest Management
7. Crossing the Ricker: Walleye Fisheries Dynamics
Part III. Walleye Fisheries
8. Conservation Goals: Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin
9. A Fishery Predicament: Mille Lacs, Minnesota
10. Getting People Together: Red Lake, Minnesota
Epilogue: Walleye Futures
Glossary
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Paul J. Radomski is a fisheries biologist and lake ecology scientist. He has worked for more than thirty-five years on fisheries and lake management issues and is a lead scientific expert on lakeshore habitat management. He has published extensively on walleye population dynamics, fisheries management, lakeshore habitat, and conservation and is coauthor of Lakeshore Living: Designing Lake Places and Communities in the Footprints of Environmental Writers.
"Paul J. Radomski has written the definitive account of one of our most popular fish species, the walleye. In this wonderful book, he shares his infectious enthusiasm for the fish and its pursuit. And he also knows sound management, informed by the best science, can help shape a better future both for walleyes and for the people who love them."
– Matthew L. Miller, author of Fishing Through the Apocalypse: An Angler's Adventures in the 21st Century
"Never before has a writer so successfully combined the most fascinating aspects of walleye biology, management, and conservation with the cultural, recreational, and political forces that center on this coolwater species. Anyone even remotely interested in the elusive, elegant, and oh-so-edible Sander vitreus will want a copy of this entertaining and highly readable book."
– Tom Dickson, author of The Great Minnesota Fish Book
"Walleye: A Beautiful Fish of the Dark is a masterpiece. Paul J. Radomski not only provides scientific information but also stimulates the senses as he describes his experiences with this iconic fish. As a walleye angler and a fisheries scientist, I have read many books of a similar nature and place this with the best of them."
– Greg G. Sass, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
"If you're an unabashed fan of walleye fishing (in Minnesota that's almost every angler), Paul J. Radomski's Walleye: A Beautiful Fish of the Dark is a tribute to one of America's great gamefish. This is not a how-to-catch-'em manual. Rather, readers will learn about the life and times of walleyes and the intricacies of managing them in our lakes and rivers. Anglers who cherish walleye fishing on Minnesota's Mille Lacs also will appreciate Radomski's honest examination of management decisions made by state and tribal fish biologists that continue to keep Mille Lacs in the walleye doldrums."
– Ron Schara, founder and executive producer, Minnesota Bound
"The seminal contemporary book on our favorite fish."
– Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"If you were to choose someone to write a book about walleyes, it would be someone like Radomski, a fisheries biologist, a walleye angler, and an environmental advocate who cares deeply about lake ecosystems (in fact, all ecosystems) and their protection."
– The Lake Guy
"This is a highly readable account that includes fishing stories and recipes, recommendations for conservation and much more. Radomski understands angler perspectives. He also understands the science. The result is a book that can help shape a better future for both walleye and the people who love them."
– Cool Green Science
"This well-written and deeply researched tome is the benchmark work on walleyes."
– Northern Wilds
