Movements and densities of three species of darters were studied in a pool-riffle system during the spring spawning period. A total of 677Etheostoma flabellare, 212E. spectabile, and 200E. niqrumwere marked and released during the study. Fifty-one (19%) of 268 marked, recapturedE. flabellaremoved from their area of initial capture; values forE. spectabileandE. niqrumwere 27 (35%) of 78 and 8(24%) of 33, respectively. Most (70%) movements byE. spectabilewere in an upstream direction; movements byE. flabellareandE. niqrumwere equally distributed up- and downstream. Density estimates forE. flabellareandE. spectabilein riffles were 4.05 and 1.35/m2, respectively, and forE. niqrumin pools, 2.06/m2.E. spectabilemay make upstream spring spawning migrations, whileE. flabellareandE. niqrumremain comparatively sedentary. Competitive interactions between migratory and non-migratory darters may act to regulate darter densities in spawning areas.