Science Name: | Hiodon alosoides |
Other Names: | Toothed herring, northern mooneye, Winnipeg goldeye, shad mooneye. |
The world, all-tackle angling record weighed 1.72 kg and was caught at Pierre, South Dakota in 1987. The Canadian angling record from Battle River Dam, Alberta was caught by R. Weber in 1993 and weighed 1.88 kg.. The average goldeye caught by anglers averages 10-15' in legth and weighs between .5-1 kg.
Found from the Mackenzie River basin southward including northeast British Columbia, eastward draining rivers of Alberta, much of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, except the northeastern parts, in Ontario close to the southeastern Manitoba border. There is an isolated population in northeastern Ontario and northwestern Quebec in rivers draining to southern James Bay. It occurs in the U.S.A. south to Mississippi from the main Canadian Distribution.
Goldeye inhabit turbid waters of lakes, ponds, marshes and quiet, large rivers. They overwinter in the depths of lakes. Their food includes surface and submerged insects, particularly water boatmen, crustaceans zooplankton, mollusks, small fishes, frogs, mice and shrews. Surface insects include beetles which fall in the water during dispersal flights. Feeding is thought to occur mostly at night, aided by the large eyes which only have light-sensitive rods in the retina. This enables the goldeye to expecially detect black and white contrast, such as the silohette of their prey moving through the water even under the lowest light conditions. Northern pike, walleye, sauger, channel catfish, inconnu, cormorants and other birds, and mammals eat goldeye. Goldeye defend an individual space around themselves by charging, chasing, nipping and lateral displays to keep other goldeye at a distance. Their density in the Peace-Athabasca Delta has been estimated at 1 fish per 50 sq m. Goldeye can live up to 17 years and mature between 1 year of age and 6-10. There is a spawning migration to shallow water from overwintering grounds. In rivers there is an upstream migration in spring to spawn, a feeding migration further upriver, and a downstream migration in fall. Goldeye migrate to the Peace-Athabasca Delta for spawning beginning in March and adults return to the Peace River in August. The round trip is 700-800 km. One fish can travel up to 2000 km in 15 days! Spawning takes place in May-July after ice breakup at 10-13 C. Spawning probably takes place at night.
Goldeye are a sport fish taken on light tackle baited with insects or small fish, by using small lures and can be caught by wet and dry fly fishing. One of the best ways to locate feeding goldeye is to rig up a slip-bobber about 4-5 feet up the line. A split-shot should be added in-between the float and the hook. Even though goldeye can be caught on small artificial lures such as jigs, live or dead bait will work best. Attach a small piece of worm (1/4 inch), or a small, live baitfish, or a small piece of a larger minnow (1/4 inch) to the hook. Cast out your rig, and when the float sits upright on the water, gently jig your bait 1-2 feet. At the same time as you gently lift the rod, reel-in some line. This technique works excellent to locate a school of goldeye. This method should be repeated, casting your rig in all directions until you locate fish. Once you catch a couple of goldeye, it probably won't be necessary to move your float much, just cast it out to the general area where you hooked the first fish. This technique will usually produce many fish, until the school moves on, then you will need to either move up the shoreline, or move with the boat and repeat the process until another school of goldeye are located.
Since most goldeye caught by anglers are less than 2 lb. in size, an ultalight spinning outfit will work best. The rod should be 5-6 feet long and a medium to light action. The rod should be matched with a small, light-action spinning reel loaded with 4 lb. test line. This outfit will be ideal to cast a small bait rig, or bait and float rig. The best hook to use is a Carlisle #6 to #8 hook. This style of hook is made of light wire, and the shaft is long enough so that even if a goldeye swallows the hook, it can be removed relatively easy.
Tips for Fishing