Overwinter Survival and Lipid Content of Walleye Fingerlings

Abstract

Abstract We investigated the influence of lipid content on survival of age-0 walleyes Stizostedion vitreum during the winter of 1994–1995. We conducted a starvation experiment in three hatchery ponds with four groups of walleye fingerlings with different mean lipid contents (15.3–20.3% of dry weight). Overwinter survival was high and not significantly different among groups (77.6–94.1%). In three of four study lakes, electrofishing catch rates of young walleyes in the fall and spring were not significantly different; so overwinter mortality was not substantial. Young walleyes grew during the winter in these three lakes. Catch rate declined significantly from fall to spring in one lake, but mortality was not size selective. We concluded that lipid content should have little effect on overwinter survival of age-0 walleyes in lakes.