Zenith Book Signing: Paul Radomski

Are you a walleye fan? Whether you are a fishing enthusiast, a diner, or have an interest in lake ecology, you will enjoy meeting Paul Radomski, who will be at Zenith Bookstore signing copies of his new book Walleye: A Beautiful Fish of the Dark.

In his book, Radomski unspools the mysteries of this fascinating fish and looks at walleye from every angle. People who view walleye as the “lion of the lakes” might be surprised to learn that rivers are their ancestral habitat. Some might wonder about the name “wall-eye,” a nod to an evolutionary adaptation to dark water environments. Others might simply ask: why walleye? What are they, where do they exist, how do they survive, and how have people come to depend on them?

Radomski discusses the principles and pitfalls of managing this predator of the twilight and shares his informed perspective on when and where stocking is prudent. Finally, he explores three of the best walleye lakes: Winnebago, the largest inland walleye fishery in Wisconsin, and Mille Lacs and Red Lake in Minnesota. From the simple pleasures of fishing for walleye to the most pressing questions about how this species survives, this book is the best word on this beautiful fish of the dark.

“If you’re an unabashed fan of walleye fishing, Radomski’s Walleye is a tribute to one of America’s great gamefish. This is not a how-to-catch-’em manual. Rather, readers will learn about the life and times of walleyes and the intricacies of managing them in our lakes and rivers. Anglers who cherish walleye fishing on Minnesota’s Mille Lacs also will appreciate Radomski’s honest examination of management decisions made by state and tribal fish biologists that continue to keep Mille Lacs in the walleye doldrums.”—Ron Schara, founder and executive producer, Minnesota Bound

Paul J. Radomski, a fisheries biologist and lake ecology scientist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, is the state’s lead scientific expert on lakeshore habitat management issues. He has published extensively on walleye population dynamics, fisheries management, lakeshore habitat, and conservation and is co-author of Lakeshore Living: Designing Lake Places and Communities in the Footprints of Environmental Writers