My family owns a condo in Ludington, and I commonly see schools of mooneye swimming around. They are probably 12-18 inches long. I was just wondering if anyone has some tips for fishing for these guys. I've tried worms, lures, spoons, and some corn, but they don't seem to bite anything.
Catching Mooneye
Started by
Guest_sumthinsfishy_*
, Feb 07 2008 07:23 PM
16 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_Newt_*
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Posted 07 February 2008 - 07:33 PM
My family owns a condo in Ludington, and I commonly see schools of mooneye swimming around. They are probably 12-18 inches long. I was just wondering if anyone has some tips for fishing for these guys. I've tried worms, lures, spoons, and some corn, but they don't seem to bite anything.
I've heard they'll go for dry flies.
#7
Guest_Brooklamprey_*
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Posted 07 February 2008 - 10:43 PM
They are also Bony tongues and that was our cut off point for Primitive fish consideration so I'll move this.. (Don't give me crap on clupiformes..I know)
I would like to know though if your sure these are Mooneye and not Gizzard shad or alewife...
I would like to know though if your sure these are Mooneye and not Gizzard shad or alewife...
#8
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Posted 07 February 2008 - 11:37 PM
I would like to know though if your sure these are Mooneye and not Gizzard shad or alewife...
Yeah... The fact that you've been unable to get them to bite leads me also to believe that they're Clupidae and not Hiodontidae until demonstrated otherwise. Gizzard shad can get REALLY big and are very impressive at those sizes zipping about, appearing to bite at your bait, which is actually just them getting their plankton in the vincinity of your bait. They're fairly redily snagged tho, so you might do some "salmon fishin'" and see if you can't satisfy your curiosity with a big trebble hook ladden bait. Might also get a big salmon or steelhead surprise, as they'll folllow schools of shad like this.
In any case, they all look the same in the water. In a lake situation like that to catch them in a net, you'd need some drivers and a big bag seine to converge and catch anything successfully. Good luck getting 5 people in the water at Luddington (We ain't in Grand Traverse Bay anymore, Toto
That makes my teeth hurt just thinkin' about it lol. Todd
#10
Guest_netmaker_*
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Posted 08 February 2008 - 12:02 AM
I also wonder if you're looking at Clupidae.
Mooneye have taken small spoons, crankbaits, spinners and live/dead minnows and worms for me in the past.
If you just want to catch some for eating or specimens;
A 2" str. mesh Spanish Style cast net ( often referred to as a Pocket net or Mullet net) , 6' radius...3/4 lb/ lead per dia. foot
WAM!
Problem solved!
You all are correct, I believe I have seen them in the Atchafalaya river mixed in with BIG gizzards when they were drag seining for trap bait BITD. They do sort of look like a big menhaden with that smooth keel , just not as deep of a keel. Like I say, i am NOT a biologist by any means.
#11
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Posted 08 February 2008 - 12:38 AM
If you just want to catch some for eating or specimens;
A 2" str. mesh Spanish Style cast net ( often referred to as a Pocket net or Mullet net) , 6' radius...3/4 lb/ lead per dia. foot
WAM!
Problem solved!
You all are correct, I believe I have seen them in the Atchafalaya river mixed in with BIG gizzards when they were drag seining for trap bait BITD. They do sort of look like a big menhaden with that smooth keel , just not as deep of a keel. Like I say, i am NOT a biologist by any means.
Those could also be some kind of Alosa (andromous shad).
#12
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Posted 08 February 2008 - 04:52 PM
While by no means am I saying you are wrong for certain..in all the years I've hung out in Ludington(grew up about an hour from there), I've never seen a moon eye, dead or alive. Ive seen TONS of gizzard shad though, in P.M. lake and Lk Michigan. Also, see them all the time up near the bridge at the `state park. If they are moon eye, I'd love to see one!
Couple comparison pics. Gizzard shad:
http://www.tnfish.or...asNegus_jpg.htm
Mooneye:
http://www.dec.ny.go...ges/mooneye.gif
Couple comparison pics. Gizzard shad:
http://www.tnfish.or...asNegus_jpg.htm
Mooneye:
http://www.dec.ny.go...ges/mooneye.gif
#13
Guest_sumthinsfishy_*
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Posted 08 February 2008 - 07:52 PM
Now that I look at those two pictures, I think they are gizzard shads. I thought that mooneye's were more greyish in color, while the shads were a little bit brown.
I have noticed something strange about them though, they seem to be sifting through the sand a lot, like the suckers. I only really see them in shallow water, like up to 3' deep, and they never stop swimming.
I have noticed something strange about them though, they seem to be sifting through the sand a lot, like the suckers. I only really see them in shallow water, like up to 3' deep, and they never stop swimming.
#14
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Posted 08 February 2008 - 08:18 PM
Now that I look at those two pictures, I think they are gizzard shads. I thought that mooneye's were more greyish in color, while the shads were a little bit brown.
I have noticed something strange about them though, they seem to be sifting through the sand a lot, like the suckers. I only really see them in shallow water, like up to 3' deep, and they never stop swimming.
Yeah, that sounds like shad. They're filter-feeders, for the most part, but they may also be picking at algae or detritus on the bottom. They don't eat large prey items, so lures are not going to be useful; you can try cast-netting or snagging them though; a friend of mine has caught several using a bow and arrow (can't really catch-and-release them that way, of course). If you can catch one or at least get pretty close, look for a dark spot behind the head and a long filament trailing from the posterior base of the dorsal fin- that will clinch the ID as gizzard shad.
#15
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Posted 09 February 2008 - 09:06 AM
Yeah, that sounds like shad. They're filter-feeders, for the most part, but they may also be picking at algae or detritus on the bottom. They don't eat large prey items, so lures are not going to be useful; you can try cast-netting or snagging them though; a friend of mine has caught several using a bow and arrow (can't really catch-and-release them that way, of course). If you can catch one or at least get pretty close, look for a dark spot behind the head and a long filament trailing from the posterior base of the dorsal fin- that will clinch the ID as gizzard shad.
I'm pretty sure cast nets are illegal to use in the great lakes. And I don't think I could shoot a fish with a bow and arrow unless it was a carp or goby.
#16
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Posted 09 February 2008 - 11:38 AM
I'm pretty sure cast nets are illegal to use in the great lakes. And I don't think I could shoot a fish with a bow and arrow unless it was a carp or goby.
It is legal to use a Cast net less than 8 foot for minnows, alewife, smelt, and shad in the Great Lakes,
L. St. Clair, and the Detroit R., St. Clair R., and St. Marys R. It is illegal in Inland waters..
There is nothing wrong with using a spear or Bow to obtain a fish if that species is abundant and can be legally harvested in that manner.. Shad in Michigan are not legal to spear as far as I can tell..
#17
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Posted 09 February 2008 - 01:31 PM
I should have mentioned this earlier but doubted the ID of these fish as Mooneye, so it skipped my mind to mention it.
Mooneye are a threatened species in Michigan and can not be caught (intentionally) or possessed without proper permits.
Mooneye are a threatened species in Michigan and can not be caught (intentionally) or possessed without proper permits.
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