Then, just before it was time to go, Joe felt a tug on his line. He jumped up.
“I got a bite!” Joe yelled.
. . .
The fish pulled back hard. It felt big and strong.
Finally, after one last tug, Joe reeled it in.
from Hooked
written by Tom Greenwald
illustrated by David McPhail
Roaring Brook Press, 2018
Until the end of June 2024, only three US states did not have a representative state fish. On June 26, at the very end of Ohio’s 135th General Assembly, though, sander vitreus, commonly known as the walleye, was adopted by Ohio’s State Representatives as our state fish. Most Representatives were in agreement. The measure passed 94-2.
Even though lots of fish live in the lakes and rivers of Iowa and even more populate Indiana’s waterways, Indiana and Iowa are still fishless, symbolically speaking.
The walleye joins the rest of our state symbols: cardinals, buckeyes, trilobites, “Hang on, Sloopy” and tomato juice. For all Ohio’s symbols tap here.
Walleyes are large, toothy predators. They can grow to 36 inches long and weigh up to 16 pounds, although most weigh in at a modest two to four pounds and are about half that length. They’re found abundantly in Lake Erie and its tributaries and also found in the Ohio River, especially near Pittsburgh. They’re stocked in many Ohio reservoirs, too.
According to Ohio's Division of Wildlife, over 160 species of fish live in Ohio’s many aquatic habitats “from our largest lakes and rivers to the smallest ponds and creeks.” And 95 million of them are walleye. When I looked up current rules and regulations regarding fishing for walleye in Ohio, I found that no minimum size is required, but only 6 walleye may be taken per day/per person.
Other important fish in Ohio include smallmouth bass, found in all of Ohio’s 88 counties.
Bluegill live in almost every one of Ohio’s bodies of water.
Crappies are one of the easiest fish to catch.
The rarest fish found in Ohio’s waters is the diamond darter. Since 2013, it’s been listed as Endangered at the federal level (and illegal to catch).
Of course, people have different tastes in fish, but according to some, the most delicious are yellow perch, largemouth, and smallmouth bass. And walleye.
The State of Ohio produces over 30 million fish each year in its six fish hatcheries located throughout the state. The hatcheries and the stocking efforts make a wide variety of fish available to anglers. The Ohio Division of Wildlife works with universities and the US Fish and Wildlife Service in their research efforts to “stock newly created or rehabilitated water areas.”
While most areas provide fish that are safe to eat, it is important to check the Ohio Sport Fish Consumption Advisory. Their general advice includes up-to-date recommendations for where to find “clean” fish and how much is safe to eat.
Smallmouth bass and walleye have been vying head to head for the State Fish title since at least 2003 when the Ohio House voted to name the smallmouth bass as state fish, but the measure did not pass in the Senate.
It just made sense to choose the walleye. State Representative Sean Brennan said in June 2024 when he made his recommendation choosing the walleye. It “generates hundreds of millions of dollars in [economic] impact … each year.” He also reminded his colleagues that several “big-money” walleye tournaments bring “more anglers to Ohio from across the country and world than any other fish.” Nearly one million Ohioans are fishermen and almost half of them fish for walleye.
Ohio has a “walleye culture” of sorts. Here's a schedule for the Lake Erie Walleye Tournament, held throughout northern Ohio in the spring and fall.
“Go Walleyes” is the cry heard from the stands when Toledo’s professional ice hockey team plays.
Ashtabula and Port Clinton both host annual walleye festivals. And on New Year’s Eve, Wylie Jr., a 600-pound, 20-foot fiberglass walleye replica dives down from the sky to hook in the new year. The fish is LED-lit and suspended from a crane until the time is right. Fireworks finish off the festival.
This year, the Ohio House of Representatives approved the walleye at the end of their last session. The recommendation still needs to favorably pass out of the Senate and acquire Governor DeWine’s signature.
This time around, the folks in the statehouse don’t see any snags. Could they be focusing on more important issues? We can only hope.
I just started reading The Last Apple Tree by Claudia Mills (Holiday House, 2024). Two neighbors who aren’t friends learn the importance of family history, friendship, and ecology as they navigate complicated relationships with both their families.
Be curious! (and take a break from the news)
“I got a bite!” Joe yelled.
. . .
The fish pulled back hard. It felt big and strong.
Finally, after one last tug, Joe reeled it in.
from Hooked
written by Tom Greenwald
illustrated by David McPhail
Roaring Brook Press, 2018
Until the end of June 2024, only three US states did not have a representative state fish. On June 26, at the very end of Ohio’s 135th General Assembly, though, sander vitreus, commonly known as the walleye, was adopted by Ohio’s State Representatives as our state fish. Most Representatives were in agreement. The measure passed 94-2.
Even though lots of fish live in the lakes and rivers of Iowa and even more populate Indiana’s waterways, Indiana and Iowa are still fishless, symbolically speaking.
The walleye joins the rest of our state symbols: cardinals, buckeyes, trilobites, “Hang on, Sloopy” and tomato juice. For all Ohio’s symbols tap here.
Walleyes are large, toothy predators. They can grow to 36 inches long and weigh up to 16 pounds, although most weigh in at a modest two to four pounds and are about half that length. They’re found abundantly in Lake Erie and its tributaries and also found in the Ohio River, especially near Pittsburgh. They’re stocked in many Ohio reservoirs, too.
According to Ohio's Division of Wildlife, over 160 species of fish live in Ohio’s many aquatic habitats “from our largest lakes and rivers to the smallest ponds and creeks.” And 95 million of them are walleye. When I looked up current rules and regulations regarding fishing for walleye in Ohio, I found that no minimum size is required, but only 6 walleye may be taken per day/per person.
Other important fish in Ohio include smallmouth bass, found in all of Ohio’s 88 counties.
Bluegill live in almost every one of Ohio’s bodies of water.
Crappies are one of the easiest fish to catch.
The rarest fish found in Ohio’s waters is the diamond darter. Since 2013, it’s been listed as Endangered at the federal level (and illegal to catch).
Of course, people have different tastes in fish, but according to some, the most delicious are yellow perch, largemouth, and smallmouth bass. And walleye.
The State of Ohio produces over 30 million fish each year in its six fish hatcheries located throughout the state. The hatcheries and the stocking efforts make a wide variety of fish available to anglers. The Ohio Division of Wildlife works with universities and the US Fish and Wildlife Service in their research efforts to “stock newly created or rehabilitated water areas.”
While most areas provide fish that are safe to eat, it is important to check the Ohio Sport Fish Consumption Advisory. Their general advice includes up-to-date recommendations for where to find “clean” fish and how much is safe to eat.
Smallmouth bass and walleye have been vying head to head for the State Fish title since at least 2003 when the Ohio House voted to name the smallmouth bass as state fish, but the measure did not pass in the Senate.
It just made sense to choose the walleye. State Representative Sean Brennan said in June 2024 when he made his recommendation choosing the walleye. It “generates hundreds of millions of dollars in [economic] impact … each year.” He also reminded his colleagues that several “big-money” walleye tournaments bring “more anglers to Ohio from across the country and world than any other fish.” Nearly one million Ohioans are fishermen and almost half of them fish for walleye.
Ohio has a “walleye culture” of sorts. Here's a schedule for the Lake Erie Walleye Tournament, held throughout northern Ohio in the spring and fall.
“Go Walleyes” is the cry heard from the stands when Toledo’s professional ice hockey team plays.
Ashtabula and Port Clinton both host annual walleye festivals. And on New Year’s Eve, Wylie Jr., a 600-pound, 20-foot fiberglass walleye replica dives down from the sky to hook in the new year. The fish is LED-lit and suspended from a crane until the time is right. Fireworks finish off the festival.
This year, the Ohio House of Representatives approved the walleye at the end of their last session. The recommendation still needs to favorably pass out of the Senate and acquire Governor DeWine’s signature.
This time around, the folks in the statehouse don’t see any snags. Could they be focusing on more important issues? We can only hope.
I just started reading The Last Apple Tree by Claudia Mills (Holiday House, 2024). Two neighbors who aren’t friends learn the importance of family history, friendship, and ecology as they navigate complicated relationships with both their families.
Be curious! (and take a break from the news)
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