Pickerel (Pickerel Perch) Stizostedion vitreum

PIKE PERCH  (SOURCE: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/460315/pike-perch)Any of several freshwater food and game fishes of the family Percidae (order Perciformes), found in Europe and North America. Although more elongated and slender than perches, pike perches have the two dorsal fins characteristic of the family. They are, like perches, carnivorous, and as adults they feed largely on other fishes.

The European pike perch, or zander (Stizostedion, or Lucioperca, lucioperca; see

photograph), is found in lakes and rivers of eastern, central, and (where introduced) Western Europe. It is greenish or greyish, usually with darker markings, and generally attains a length of 50–66 cm (20–26 inches) and a weight of 3 kg (6.6 pounds).

The North American pike perches include the USA Walleye (S. vitreum), found in clear, cool lakes and rivers, and the sauger (S. canadense), found in lakes and rather silty rivers. Both are darkly mottled fishes native to eastern North America. The sauger, the smaller of the two, does not usually exceed a length and weight of about 30 cm and 1 kg. The walleye rarely weighs more than 4.5 kg and has a maximum length and weight of about 90 cm and 11 kg.

Pickerel (Pickerel Perch) Stizostedion vitreum

          This fish is called a walleye or walleye pike in the U.S.A. and unfortunately, exercising their usual follow along attitude many Canadian fisherman, fishing lodge, and commercially produced TV programs are following suit, but this fish is a perch, definitely NOT a pike.

The(Sander canadensis)

The sauger Sander canadensis) is a freshwater perciform (perch) of thd family Percidae which resembles very very closely  the Walleye, that fish; described above; which is found in the United States of the Americas and in parts of Eastern Canada, mostly close to the border. Sander canadensis are members of the largest vertebrate order. They are the most migratory percid species in North America. Saugers have two dorsal fins, the first is spiny and the posterior dorsal fin is a soft rayed fin. Their paired fins are in the thoracic position and their caudal fin is squared off at the corners a characteristic which is common in more advanced fishes. Sander canadensis have a fusiform body structure, and as a result are well adapted predatory fishes and are capable of swimming into fast currents with minimal drag on their bodies.

 It is said that they may be distinguished from the U S fish by their distinctly spotted dorsal fin, by the lack of a white splotch on the caudal fin, by the rough skin over their gill, and by their generally brassy colour. Saugers are a widely distributed fish species. It is also said that Saugers-Pickrel perch- are more typical of rivers whereas Walleyes are more common in lakes and reservoirs-however hybridization, especially in Canada, is not uncommon and these hybrids exhibit the traits of both species making it very difficult to differentiate-unless you belong to one of the U S based hunting/fishing organizations; or, you go by a Webster's dictionary.

The average length of this species is 13-20 inches long weighing 1-3 lbs. at three years of age. The typical colouring characteristics are an olive-brown to golden brown to yellow background with paler, golden flecked sides. Younger fish have dark vertical bands across the back and down the sides. Found throughout North America. They thrive in large shallow, turbid lakes. Has firm white to pinkish flesh. Second only to the Lake Whitefish commercially in Canadian inland waters