Environmental heterogeneity is a key determinant of genetic and phenotypic diversity. Stable andhomogenous environments tends to result in evolution of specialism and local adaptations, whiletemporally unpredictable environments may maintain a diversity of specialists, promote generaliststrategies, or favour diversified bet hedging strategies. We compared salinity tolerance between twoanadromous subpopulations of pike (Esox Lucius) that utilize freshwater spawning sites with differentsalinity regimes. Eggs from each population were artificially fertilized and incubated in a salinitygradient (0, 3, 5, 7, and 9 psu) using a split-brood design. Effects on embryonic development, hatchingsuccess, survival of larvae, and fry body length were compared between populations and families.The population naturally spawning in the stable freshwater habitat showed signs of specialization forfreshwater spawning. The population exposed to fluctuating selective pressure in a spawning area withoccasional brackish water intrusions tolerated higher salinities and displayed considerable variation inreaction norms. Genetic differences and plasticity of salinity tolerance may enable populations to copewith changes in salinity regimes associated with future climate change. That geographically adjacentsubpopulations can constitute separate units with different genetic characteristics must be consideredin management and conservation efforts to avoid potentially negative effects of genetic admixture onpopulation fitness and persistence.