I came from both fresh water and brackish water in Europe and Asia.

My boys and I jumped an ocean-going vessel around 1985 and hung out in its ballast water until we were dumped into the St. Louis River. By 1991 there were so many of us, we took over the St. Louis River. Since we feel at home in a variety of environments, we quickly moved to Lake Superior and eased into Lake Huron in the 1990s and have recently been found in northern Lake Michigan.

My alias says it all - I love to eat! My main diet consists of small aquatic insects, other bottom-dwelling organisms, and sometimes the eggs of other fish. As you can see I’m not a picky eater and I don’t hesitate to eat other’s food. Since our population grows so quickly and we eat so much food, your precious native walleye, yellow perch, and other small forage fish are going hungry. The only fish that considers me a delicacy is the Northern Pike.  My spiny fins keep the other fish away.

Attempts to control me have failed, so humans are trying to educate as many people as possible to prevent me from calling another of the Great Lakes “home,” like Lake Erie or Lake Ontario. You can do your part by not using ruffe as bait.