Mc. Lucas, SPAWNING ACTIVITY OF MALE AND FEMALE PIKE, ESOX-LUCIUS L, DETERMINED BY ACOUSTIC TRACKING, Canadian journal of zoology, 70(1), 1992, pp. 191-196
Two male and three female pike, Esox lucius L., were tracked by means
of intraperitoneally implanted acoustic transmitters prior to and thro
ughout the 1988 spawning season in Loch Davan, Scotland. Highly signif
icant variations in activity occurred on a diel and seasonal basis. Fi
sh were relatively inactive at night for the whole of the tracking per
iod. Mean daily distance moved ranged between 0.43 and 0.44 km . d-1 f
or females and between 0.24 and 0.38 km . d-1 for males in the weeks p
receding spawning (March 27 - April 16); increased to a peak of 1.13 k
m . d-1 for females and 1. 72 km . d-1 for males in the week April 24-
30; and subsequently decreased to prespawning levels, 0.29 km . d-1 fo
r females and 0.24 km . d-1 for males, by the week May 8-14. Levels of
visually observed pike spawning activity followed a similar pattern.
Males were more active than females for most of the spawning period; n
o significant differences were found before and after spawning. Highes
t levels of activity coincided with elevated water levels and water te
mperatures of 8-1O-degrees-C.