Analysis Of Prey Selection In Chain Pickerel

Chain pickerel (Esox niger) in Lake Conway consumed progressively more fish with increase in size. A shift also occurred in size, species composition, and relative abundance of fish prey with chain pickerel size. An index of selection was applied to food habit data. There was an increase in number of species and an increase in size of species that were positively selected as chain pickerel size increased. Size, rather than abundance of forage fish was the dominant influence on prey selection.