Walleye diet in a shallow impoundment: Relative importance of pumpkinseed sunfish and yellow perch

Abstract

Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) were introduced into a 4.3 ha pond near Yakima, Washington, April, 1993 to control an overabundant and stunted population of yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Upon examination of the stomach contents from 116 walleye, we found 43 had food in their stomachs. Of these, pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) represented 34% by weight and 48% by number of the total contents, while yellow perch represented only 29% by weight and 11 % by number. After a survey of available forage in the pond, we determined that the walleye were targeting pumpkinseed sunfish over yellow perch both in the fall of 1993 (P < 0.001) and the fall of 1994 (P < 0.025). Our results contrast with that of others suggesting that walleye do not feed heavily on centrarchids. The vulnerability of different centrachids to walleye predation can vary by species but our study suggests that walleye could be introduced to shallow waters to control some species of overabundant centrarchids, particularly pumpkinseed sunfish. © 1998, Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.