How much does a walleye weigh?
Upload a photo of your catch, or use the tools below, to estimate its weight.
About the walleye
Typical adult length: 12–25 in (about 0.6–5.8 lb)
- Lifespan
- Typically lives 10 to 15 years.
- Habitat
- Found in lakes and rivers, often over deeper structure, points, or drop-offs.
- Diet
- Feeds primarily on smaller fish, especially at night.
- Baits & techniques
- Jigs tipped with live bait, crankbaits, and live-bait rigs worked slowly near structure are effective.
- Best season
- Spring and fall generally produce the most consistent walleye fishing.
- Best time of day
- Low light, dawn, dusk, and overnight, is typically prime walleye time.
- Walleye have large, light-sensitive eyes that give them excellent night vision.
- Their name comes from their pearlescent, outward-facing eyes.
- Walleye are considered one of the best-tasting freshwater fish, which drives much of their popularity.
Walleye length-to-weight chart
10 inches up to record size (41 in), using the standard length-to-weight formula for this species.
| Length (in) | Estimated weight (lb) |
|---|---|
| 10 | 0.4 |
| 12 | 0.6 |
| 14 | 1.0 |
| 16 | 1.5 |
| 18 | 2.2 |
| 20 | 3.0 |
| 22 | 3.9 |
| 24 | 5.1 |
| 26 | 6.5 |
| 28 | 8.1 |
| 30 | 10.0 |
| 32 | 12.1 |
| 34 | 14.6 |
| 36 | 17.3 |
| 38 | 20.3 |
| 40 | 23.7 |
| 41 | 25.5 |
Estimating weight without a scale
Length-to-weight formulas like the one above assume a typical walleye shape for a given length - fisheries biologists call this the cube law. Real fish vary: a well-fed fish ahead of spawning season can weigh noticeably more than a lean fish of the same length, and body shape varies fish to fish.
Adding girth (the distance around the fish at its widest point) meaningfully improves the estimate, because it captures how deep-bodied this particular fish actually is instead of assuming average proportions for the species - use the calculator above and fill in girth if you can measure it.
Either way, treat the result as a solid estimate, not a certified weight - see our terms for why these numbers shouldn't be used for tournaments, regulations, or sales.