Odd fish. Any ideas?

[boaterguy]

Hi Guys and Gals

 

Newbie here. Just found the joint, so go easy on me.

 

A few years ago I was shore fishing off a dock out near Orleans. The fish I caught was unlike anything I'd seen, and wonderd if anyone had any ideas what it might have been. It measured about 8 inches long, dark grey in color, the shape could best be described as cigar-like only much fatter, but still uniformed from head to tail. The interesting thing about the shape was, well, the head was very rounded, kinda like a um, guy thing! The hook was taken well, but it tore very easily through the cheek. As I think back, it was almost as if it was all cheek without any bone around it's mouth. Very strange. I threw it back, but can't imagine it lived with such a face rip. I asked this question to other fishermen and the best they could come up with at the time was that maybe it was released from someone's aquarium. I don't think so, because it wasn't really a pretty fish.

[tknohpy]

a goby? I have only seen one and not sure if they get that big

[walleyejigger]

a lamprey?

[jayess]

sounds like a goby

 

http://www.invadingspecies.com/Invaders.cfm?A=Page&PID=8

[camillj]

American eel ?

[pikeie]

Gobys can definatly get that large. Here is what a Round Goby looks like.

 

They are a voracious little fish. They are an invading species and are one of the biggest threats to our lakes and rivers.

[boaterguy]

Gobys can definatly get that large. Here is what a Round Goby looks like.

 

They are a voracious little fish. They are an invading species and are one of the biggest threats to our lakes and rivers.

 

 

Wow. That was fast! They shape is almost there, but the color was different. Dark grey to black all over, No silver. Betcha they can turn that color at different times of the year perhaps. Not that rare, I suppose.

[phiphntek]

goby , sounds like to me. many here in Niagara

[HTHM]

Yep, goby. Welcome to the board.

I remember the first time I caught those darn critters, I did not know that they were an invading species and I would take one off my childrens' line and toss it back in. A kind fellow explained it to me and I started to kill them instead after learning from him.

8 inches is a large example of the species.

[boaterguy]

Yep, goby. Welcome to the board.

I remember the first time I caught those darn critters, I did not know that they were an invading species and I would take one off my childrens' line and toss it back in. A kind fellow explained it to me and I started to kill them instead after learning from him.

8 inches is a large example of the species.

 

 

Interesting that I got a rarer size, cuz I'm not that good of a fisherman. hehehe. I suppose it's not too unusual because another time in Galetta, I must have caught one of the smallest Gar Pikes. Probably just over foot long, (maybe 16 inches) with 1/3 of it being snout. I was sure I was dragging in a stick. I hooked him in the tough upper part of the mouth with what must have been a razor sharp hook because it never penetrated him. I just kept the pressure on constantly and pretty much dragged him in with his head up. Once he was landed and the "stick" started to move around, I was sure it was a snake or an eel til I had a real good look.

[walleye_man]

hey welcome to the board

in galetta were you fishing by the dam?

[boaterguy]

hey welcome to the board

in galetta were you fishing by the dam?

 

Actually, it was a few years ago. From what I remember it was a country road with a small bridge over it. Right beside it was a small (white I think) older house. It was early spring and man was the water mving fast and high.

[wallyboss]

I haven't caught a Goby in the Ottawa yet and I fish out of Orleans almost every weekend. I am thinking maybe a small ling.

[walleye_man]

I haven't caught a Goby in the Ottawa yet and I fish out of Orleans almost every weekend. I am thinking maybe a small ling.

 

yea i didnt think that there were goby around here

must be a ling

and that place you were fishing is always moving pretty fast iv looked at it before but never fished it what elce have you caught there?

[Spiel]

It measured about 8 inches long, dark grey in color, the shape could best be described as cigar-like only much fatter, but still uniformed from head to tail. The interesting thing about the shape was, well, the head was very rounded,

 

 

Given the above description I'm thinking Bowfin.

 

 

[Greencoachdog]

Given the above description I'm thinking Bowfin.

 

 

 

They're more of a "slack water" species... but ya never know!

[splashhopper]

Wow. That was fast! They shape is almost there, but the color was different. Dark grey to black all over, No silver. Betcha they can turn that color at different times of the year perhaps. Not that rare, I suppose.

 

 

fyi... if it was one of those.... you must NOT release it back to the water... KILL IT... check the regs

[Seaweed]

If it was the Ottawa River near Orleans you could have caught a number of species with the grey black coloring.

 

I suspect you caught a Mooneye... there are massive schools of these and the muskie love them.

 

Mooneye

 

It could also have been a small sturgeon... Petrie is a sturgeon nursery... we hook a bunch through the ice every year... they are out of season though and must go back immediately.

 

Sturgeon

 

It could have been a catfish

 

Catfish

 

Or a Carp

 

Carp

 

Ling are also in the area

 

Ling

 

Just a couple of possibilities.

[ciceri]

Gobies can get quite large, I believe they are getting bigger than what they are predicted to be. We have caught many large Gobies on Georgian Bay, they look ridiculous when they are that big.... but the Smallies and Pike love em, haha.