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<br />notIceably (Figure 5; Appendix A, Table A-I). The greatest percentage of northern pike <br />captured in each year were in the 550 to 750 mm size group (66% overall). Using the 600-650 <br />size classes as a reference point, the distribution of northern pike sizes shifts toward more fish <br />~6oo mm in length from 1986-88 to 1989. In 1990 the peak of the distribution becomes more <br />pronounced at the median of 600-650 rom with increases in that size group and decreases in both <br />smaller and larger fish. In 1991 this distribution pattern is maintained, but is also accompanied <br />by relative increases in fish in the 700-750 mm and 250-400 rom size classes. It is possible that <br />the relatively large number of northern pike in the 350-500 mm size group observed in 1989 <br />resulted in the more pronounced peak in northern pike numbers in the 550-650 mm size group <br />in 1990, and the subsequent increase in northern pike numbers in the 650-750 mm size group <br />in 1991. The length frequency distributions shown in Figure 5 were summarized into 4 size <br />groups to facilitate analysis of these changes through chi-square analysis (Table 2). Using <br />expected frequencies derived from a mean distribution from all the empirical data, statistical <br />results showed the changes in length frequency distribution over the four time periods were <br />highly significant. Examination of the relative contribution of the summed year and size group <br />cells to the chi-square statistic showed that changes in the smallest and largest northern pike size <br />groups and changes in the frequency distributions of northern pike collected in 1986-88 and 1989 <br />contributed most to the chi-square statistic. This is generally consistent within the 16 individual <br />cells as well. <br /> <br />Length frequency distributions of northern pike between river reaches demonstrated a <br />strong, unimodal distribution in the Craig reach and a slight lateral shift in northern pike sizes <br />toward larger fish among the downstream river reaches (Figure 6; Appendix A, Table A-2). <br />The distributions indicate most of the smaller northern pike were collected from the Craig reach. <br />Using the 400 nun and 350 nun size groups as reference points, 37 of 49 (76%) and 26 of 27 <br />(96 %) of northern pike in these size groups came from the Craig reach. Looking at the larger <br />size groups of northern pike ~751 rom in length, 30 of 65 (46%) were collected in the Craig <br />reach, and 16 of 65 (25%) were collected in both the Maybell and Lily Park reaches. Larger <br />northern pike appeared very rarely in the Juniper reach. Using the same approach for chi-square <br />analysis of length frequency distributions of northern pike by river reach, the differences noted <br />between the four reaches were also significant (Table 3). Relative contribution to the chi-square <br />statistic was greatest for changes observed in the smallest and largest size groups of northern <br />pike, especially in the Juniper and Lily Park reaches. The same trend was noted for the size <br />groups in the Maybell reach, but their relative contribution was small. <br /> <br />Length-weif!ht relationship <br /> <br />Log-log length-weight regressions were calculated for northern pike samples by year and <br />by river reach (Table 4). All regressions resulted in R-square values of 0.930 or greater. Using <br />the X coefficient as the index of proportionate growth and a value of 3.00 for this coefficient <br />as demonstrating weight gain in equal proportion to increase in length, northern pike samples <br />by year showed annual changes. In 1986-88, northern pike showed lesser weight gain with <br /> <br />17 <br />