I am about 99 percent certain walleye is part of the perch family, not the pike family. Even though they call them walleye pike.
You are One Hundred percent correct; Walleye, Common-European-Balkhash Perch, Sauger, Common Zander-Volga Zander, Zingel ,Schraeztaer, Ruffe, plus a gaggle of smaller fish, are all in the Percidae Family.
Northern-Southern-Aquitanian-Black Spotted Pike, Chain-Red Fin-Grass Pickeral, Muskellunge and Mud Minnows are all in the Esocidae Family.
Both families have very good tasting fish, but, too me, Walleye is over hyped , but I have never had a bad Walleye .
The only not good fish I have ever had was warm season bass.
As far as catch and release goes, few fish are as boring to catch as a Walleye; now a Large Bullhead or Large Sunfish lets you know it does not want to come up.