). Percent agreement of otolith age estimates
between readers was greater than 95% for 15 of the 17 age classes
observed in female walleye (Fig. 5) and 13 of the 20 age classes
observed in male walleye. Two age classes of male walleye otolith
age estimates (age-17 and age-20) were small samples and subse-
quently exhibited poor precision. Percent agreement of dorsal spine
age estimates decreased with increasing fish age (females: Fig. 5).
Mean spine age estimates from Reader 1 were in close agree-
ment with age estimates from Reader 2 for male walleye estimated
to be ages-0–9 and female walleye estimated to be ages-0–11.
The less-experienced spine reader (2) though typically assigned a
younger age, relative to age assignments from Reader 1, for male
walleye estimated to be age-10 and older and female walleye esti-
mated to be age-12 and older. No bias was observed in reader
agreement for otolith age estimates.