Movement Patterns of Walleye (Stizostedion v. vitreum)in Pool 3 of the Upper Mississippi River as Determined by Ultrasonic Telemetry

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Abstract
The movement of six walleyes (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) ranging in size from 470 to 655 mm were tracked in pool 3 of the upper Mississippi River during 1973 and 1974. The study area consisted of a combination of main channel and slough-lake backwater habitats. Continuous tracking of each walleye after release revealed two major movement patterns; a variable meandering movement where the direction changed rapidly and often, and a relatively straight line cruising behavior. The variable meandering movement was most commonly observed in the vicinity of sunrise and sunset and seemed to correspond to a feeding behavior. The cruising behavior seemed to randomly occur throughout the day and night and was generally followed by a rest period ranging in length from two to six hours. Active fish tended to be active during both the diurnal and nocturnal hours. Fish which were less active remained so for the entire diel cycle. Broad use of river habitats occurred although areas with a slight flow were preferred. Normal swimming speeds ranged from 0.5 to 1.5 body lengths/second (BL/s). Smaller fish exhibited short but rapid spurts of speed ranging from 2 to 3 BL/s. Field observations suggest that the latter swimming is part of a walleye elusive-behavior pattern.