Abstract
The frequency distribution of the fork length of 0+ aged masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou, changed from unimodal to bimodal distribution in autumn of the years from 1982 to 1984 in the Mogusa River of southern Hokkaido, Japan. The bimodal distri-bution consists of two (upper and lower) modal groups. These two groups resulted from a difference in growth rate of 0+ aged individuals in autumn. Fish belonging to the upper modal group are assumed to be potential 1+ smolts. Whether 0+ aged parr transform into smolt or remain as parr in the following spring may be related to the growth rate of fish in the first autumn.
