Rod Caster Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 JoeyTier caught this little pirahna like fish in the Ottawa river, near Mattawa. I didn't know we had them up this way. Looks exactly like the goldeye I used to catch in Alberta, minus the gold colored eye. Next time I fish for big pike, I'm using a large silver Williams spoon.
OhioFisherman Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 I believe so, dude that ran one of the bait stores in Pointe Au Baril would also try putting some of them in with our bait years ago. They didn`t look like anything I saw here so I told him no, he said they were moon eyes.
ChrisK Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 We get runs of those in the Thames River here in London. Pretty sure the moon eye and gold eye are the same species just different color morphs... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooneye
Rod Caster Posted July 15, 2011 Author Report Posted July 15, 2011 agreed Chris.... the body and mouth are the exact same. I was quite suprised to see them up here. We fried some up in AB and they tasted like mud, ok in the smoker though.
ChrisK Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 agreed Chris.... the body and mouth are the exact same. I was quite suprised to see them up here. We fried some up in AB and they tasted like mud, ok in the smoker though. Doesn't suprise me being a part of the gizard shad family.....yuk,double yuk !!
Rod Caster Posted July 15, 2011 Author Report Posted July 15, 2011 Doesn't suprise me being a part of the gizard shad family.....yuk,double yuk !! That's odd, considering that seagulls have such a sophistocated palate.
vinnimon Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 Looks like it, fun to catch on an ultra light on the grand.
ChrisK Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 That's odd, considering that seagulls have such a sophistocated palate. Ya but so does my dog......
DRIFTER_016 Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 Doesn't suprise me being a part of the gizard shad family.....yuk,double yuk !! Manitobans are big fans of Goldeye, so much so that they even call their minor league baseball team "The Goldeyes". They make great catfish bait though.
Hooked Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 A dead giveaway is their tongue, has 2 saber like teeth on them. Really wild. I caught one at BOQ one time probably weighed at least a pound. Not much until you see how skinny they are. Good fight too actually, thought I had a small rainbow on at first.
mike rousseau Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 I'd like to tie one of those on for Muskie... It would be a garountee hit
Rod Caster Posted July 15, 2011 Author Report Posted July 15, 2011 I'd like to tie one of those on for Muskie... It would be a garountee hit I was thinking the same for big pike... Mooneye aren't considered a game fish so I imagine its allowed.
mike rousseau Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 Yup... You just gotta find em and then catch em
Joeytier Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 (edited) A dead giveaway is their tongue, has 2 saber like teeth on them. Really wild. I caught one at BOQ one time probably weighed at least a pound. Not much until you see how skinny they are. Good fight too actually, thought I had a small rainbow on at first. Yep, definitely a mooneye. I prefer to call them freshwater pirahna. Edited July 15, 2011 by Joeytier
Bill Shearer Posted July 15, 2011 Report Posted July 15, 2011 (edited) Lots of fun to catch. Tiny bit of worm on a #8 hook, below a float, makes a dozen worms last the morning. Great to catch when all the other possibilities are slow. The grand below the dam at Caledonia is a good start although they can be found almost anywhere Edited July 15, 2011 by floatman55
Steve_R Posted July 16, 2011 Report Posted July 16, 2011 We get runs of those in the Thames River here in London. Pretty sure the moon eye and gold eye are the same species just different color morphs... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooneye Yes Chris l use to catch alot of them in the Thames lots of fun...
pikehunter Posted July 17, 2011 Report Posted July 17, 2011 Caught one trolling the Grand above the Dunnville dam a five or six years ago. Went over the same spot several more times but not another to be found.
Michael_Brown Posted July 19, 2011 Report Posted July 19, 2011 There are lots of Mooneye in the Ottawa river system. We have fished there for a few years and always catch a couple. We now know the Ontario Record for Mooneye is 1.43 lbs caught in the Rainy River system. http://www.ofah.org/fishresources/index.cfm?ID=7 Below is a photo of one we caught and cut up for catfish bait shortly after photo. It was over 2lbs. We did land some nice channel cats using the chunks.
Rod Caster Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Posted July 19, 2011 In rainy river? well then, nothing suprising about the ottawa then. Michael, you fed catfish a record fish? You could have been famous, a legendary Mooneye wrangler. Hehe that's a good size fish! I'm definitly using one for pike bait next time.
nuke Posted July 19, 2011 Report Posted July 19, 2011 Caught some on the Grand on the fly. Not that big though. I do remember their stentch after unhooking them. I was worst than a sheepshead in August!! Mike
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