SIZE OF LARVAL NORTHERN PIKE EMIGRATING FROM SPAWNING WETLANDS

We collected larval northern pike (Esox lucius) in spawning wetlands a nd adjacent deepwater habitat during the springs of 1993 and 1994. Lar val northern pike began to emigrate from spawning wetlands at sizes as small as 14.0 mm TL; however, they remained in close proximity to spa wning wetlands until reaching sizes of 50 mm TL or greater. The initia l emigration began before larvae became cannibalistic, and larger larv ae emigrated before smaller ones indicating that intraspecific aggress ion probably does not play a role in this stage of emigration. Samples later in the spring indicated that some larvae either delayed emigrat ion or returned to deeper parts of spawning wetlands. Transitional hab itats may be important for survival of young of the year northern pike .