Giant Goldfish

[SteveFishes]

I was fishing in Irondequoit Bay yesterday, about half way between Devil's Cove and Empire Blvd, on the Webster side. I saw something big and orange floating in the water. I thought it was trash and was going to dispose of it but when I paddled up to it I say that it was a basketball sized goldfish, floating on it's side, still breathing but on it's way out. I wished I had my phone, and was almost tempted to bring it in to take a picture but I decided to let it die in peace...

I am assuming that it was someone's pet, and they released it. I have heard of goldfish getting very big if not in a bowl...

Has anyone else had any encounters with big goldfish in Lake Ontario?

[Mortigan]

See them all the time in the larger tribs. Goldfish are just a domestic carp breed but there's a breeding population.

[SteveFishes]

Have they proven to be a nuisance at all? Are they a concern like other invasives?

[NitroMusky]

Ha interesting. Just saw an article about a goldfish found in cross lake or the seneca river on Syr.com outdoors blog the other day. I was also worried whether there's potential to become a nuisance

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[Deaf Fisherman]

Yeah, they are all over in lake ontario bays and in the rivers too. This year, I saw 6 women's softball size goldfish in bays and small ponds. Plus, 3 koi in two different bay.. Only one koi was in rit campus. That pond was connected with genesse river.

Anyway, population getting bigger now.

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[Mortigan]

The goldfish type don't seem to be an issue. The ones currently in the news are silver carp (the jumpers) and bighead carp (that destroy vegetation).

[fisherman21]

My buddy and I were bow fishing i bay a couple weeks ago and we shot at two goldfish and got one of them. It was pretty big and cool to see. I'll post the pic soon

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[ray koziatek]

man ive tried "bowfishing" and if it ant a good shot its really hard to "blood trail " them, and ive gone through 3 dozen arrows..

[fisherman21]

man ive tried "bowfishing" and if it ant a good shot its really hard to "blood trail " them, and ive gone through 3 dozen arrows..

Hahaha

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[SteveFishes]

Thanks for the replies all. Fisherman21, I'd definitely like to see those pics...

I wonder if they are good eating. I ate a live one on a dare as a kid

[rolmops]

They have been around for a long time now, but their spawn has a very low survival rate. This is because they do not have very good camouflage coloring.

[panfisher]

Yeah we used to catch both orange and blue colored "backyard pond" goldfish (really just another carp) mixed in with the "regular" common carp. Plus there would be the rather stunning looking mirror carp, with a few scattered, irregularly placed and sized scales against an otherwise naked (scaleless) skin; and leather carp, with no scales at all. All of these minnows seemed to be enjoying life together and would hit the same offerings. The orange ones and the blue ones were really neat looking, and they could get to about 10lbs. max (that I saw!).

[Mortigan]

You used to be able to walk the railroad tracks in Charlotte down below River Heights , look down at the river and spot them. Walked through there on the new boardwalk a few weeks ago and didn't see any.

[fisherman21]

this is the one my buddy shot a couple weeks ago out of i bay

[indian]

Been in the great lake system for probably over a hundred years or more. Used to snag them all the time in the upper niagra river bays and coves as a kid in the late 70's. My granddad told me that they would see them around piers in the Detroit river in the 30's and 40's. Nothing new at all, common carp is all.

[10thMTNDAVE]

My dad and Grandpa told me they use to catch them in "North Pond" on the Big Galloo island back in the day.

[bandrus1]

Yeah, they are all over in lake ontario bays and in the rivers too. This year, I saw 6 women's softball size goldfish in bays and small ponds. Plus, 3 koi in two different bay.. Only one koi was in rit campus. That pond was connected with genesse river.

Anyway, population getting bigger now.

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if they become mens size softball size we have a problem