Sander vitreus
BC's walleye are concentrated in the Columbia system; fish them slow, near bottom, in low light for one of the best eating fish around.
Walleye spawn in early spring, typically April, once water temperatures climb into roughly the 5 to 10 C range, and the bite is usually poor while fish are staged and spawning on gravel (some waters may also have spawn-period fishing restrictions, so check local regulations before fishing them then). The bite turns on hard in the weeks right after spawn (late April into May) as fish scatter to feed, then stays strong through summer and into fall as walleye hold on deeper structure. Because the Columbia mainstem in the Kootenay region stays open water and ice-free through winter in places, walleye can also be caught in the colder months, though action is slower than the spring and fall peaks.
Walleye have large, light-sensitive eyes and feed most aggressively at dawn, dusk, and after dark, retreating to deeper or shaded water when the sun is high. Overcast, choppy days can produce good fishing all day, but on bright calm days, plan around first and last light or fish after dark for the best results.
The standard approach is a slow bottom bounce or troll: a drop-weight or bottom-bouncer rig with a leader to a worm harness or hoochie tipped with crawler, worked just off bottom at walking speed through current seams and drop-offs. Vertical jigging over structure with a jig and plastic or live minnow works well from a boat holding over deeper holes, especially at night. From shore, casting jigs or crankbaits into current breaks near dusk and retrieving slowly along bottom can also connect. Keep presentations slow and low; walleye rarely chase fast-moving bait.
In BC, walleye are established mainly in the Columbia River system, including stretches of the Columbia mainstem and connected reservoirs and lakes in the Kootenay and Arrow Lakes region. Look for them around current seams below dams and at river confluences, along deep drop-offs and river channel edges, and over sand or gravel bottom rather than heavy weed. They relate strongly to structure and current breaks, and shift toward shallower margins at night to feed.
6 waters whose published rule specifically mentions walleye. This isn't exhaustive, plenty of other waters hold this species too under the region's default limits without a water-specific line.