| After poll, lawmakers will propose Lake Erie favorite as Ohio’s state fish | |
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Credit: Ohio Senate |
Although known for their home in Lake Erie, walleye are on the move in Columbus.
Northern Ohio’s famous sportfish won NBC4’s online poll to be proposed as the state fish, earning 27.5% of the nearly 1,000 votes cast among nine choices.
Ohio doesn’t have a state fish in the first place partly because past debates between the walleye and smallmouth bass stalled progress in the legislature. 20.6% of voters in NBC4’s poll chose the smallmouth, placing it third, just behind the yellow perch. |
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After poll results were final, NBC4 reached out to every state lawmaker whose district borders Lake Erie. State Sen. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) volunteered to carry an official bill as its primary sponsor.
“I was very surprised that we didn’t have an Ohio fish,” said Fedor, a 21-year veteran of the Ohio legislature. She had joined past debates when walleye were up against smallmouth bass, but no bill went through the whole process.
“We have a lot of official insects, amphibians and so forth, so it’s time to have an official Ohio fish,” she said. “And it’s a great way for people to come together in a positive way and really get that done.” |
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