Manitoba Pickerel

Pickerel — walleye, to most of the world — is Manitoba’s provincial fish, pulled from lakes like Lake Winnipeg, Lake Manitoba, and the countless waters of the north. It has been feeding families on the prairies for as long as anyone can remember, and the summer fish fry is a tradition as solid as the ice that covers those lakes in winter.

There is a reason pickerel is so prized: the flesh is sweet, white, and impossibly flaky, with a delicate flavor that needs very little help. A light golden crust, plenty of butter, a squeeze of lemon — that is all it takes to turn Manitoba’s finest fish into a memorable meal.

Prairie recipes →