New findings from a study at Trent University on the feeding habits of walleye may be an important element to future conservation and management plans for the popular sport fish.

Environmental & Life Sciences master’s student Ayden Ricker-Held discovered walleye—often called pickerel in Canada—feed significantly on mayflies while they hatch in on- and off-shore lake waters.

“[Fishing during a mayfly hatch] is a common pattern for trout fishermen. It’s very popular in rivers, but not a lot of research exists about walleye and mayflies in lakes,” says Mr. Ricker-Held. “Most people would fish walleye in waters from 10- to 35-feet deep or more, and existing literature did not show that mayflies were a part of their adult diet.”

However, as an avid angler and fishing guide at the Old Post Lodge on Lake St. Joseph north of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Mr. Ricker-Held knew from experience that walleye migrate to feed on mayflies as they hatch.

From his work at the Old Post Lodge, as well as academic connections at Trent, Mr. Ricker-Held proposed the innovative project to help better understand walleye’s natural on- and offshore feeding habits by examining stomach contents of walleye in the Lake St. Joseph fishery.

In Ontario, fishing lodges are big business and walleye of large commercial value, which means there is strong interest in conserving and managing walleye populations. Knowing that mayflies are a significant food source gives fisheries and conservationists another tool for supporting healthy walleye populations.

“Mayflies are also a very sensitive invertebrate to habitat disturbance or degradation,” says Mr. Ricker-Held. “Managing mayfly populations would not only contribute to healthy levels of walleye, but also mean better management of the ecosystem all together.”

Mr. Ricker-Held’s project was supervised by Dr. David Beresford, a professor in biology and bug expert at Trent, with support from adjunct faculty through Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) office on campus. The Old Post Lodge contributed $7,500 to the research, which was matched by Mitacs to fund the project.

“The integration of the MNRF, academia and business was a huge benefit to me and the project,” says Mr. Ricker-Held. “I had access to a diverse knowledge base, and the most pronounced benefit was finding the funding myself and designing the project from the ground up.”

Mr. Ricker-Held is also a graduate of the Trent and Fleming Ecological Restoration joint degree and diploma program.

Learn more about Trent University’s Environmental & Life Sciences Master’s program.