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| Within the past couple seasons, I've learned that we have these critters in a couple lake/river systems near my home in WI. I'm not sure about the density yet, just know that we've seen a couple dead ones, and have talked to others that have caught them. Where did these critters originate(how did they get here)? What is their spawning pattern, and what types of structure/depth do they like???
Thanks in advance,
Jason |
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| Jason,
hey there I fish mooneye based lakes too..The mooneye is a medium-sized fish, usually reaching 11-15 inches in length and 1-2 pounds in weight. It has a flattened slab-sided body that is silvery in color. It has several distinguishing characteristics including: large, prominent eyes; a short snout; smooth, rather than saw-edged, scales on the belly; and a small flap (called a pelvic axillary process) located just above the pelvic fin. In addition, the mooneye has teeth on the tongue and on the middle of the roof of the mouth.
Life History
A spring spawner, the mooneye migrates into medium to large-sized rivers from March through May to deposit its eggs. Adults deposit the eggs over rocks in swift water areas.
The eggs are covered in a gelatinous material similar to frog's eggs. Female mooneye release approximately 10,000-20,000 eggs.
By the end of the first year, a mooneye grows to be four inches in length. In Lake Champlain, the mooneye reaches 12 inches in length by age eight.
The mooneye eats a wide variety of organisms including insects, crustaceans, small fish, and mollusks.
Distribution and Habitat
The mooneye is found in waters from south-central Canada (Hudson Bay Basin) south though the Great Lakes Basin (except Lake Superior), the St. Lawrence River, and the Lake Champlain drainage basin. While the mooneye is thought to be extirpated from New York portions of Lakes Ontario, there remains a modest population in of this fish in Lake Champlain. There are also remnant populations in Black Lake, the Oswegatchie River, Lake Erie, the mouth of Cattaraugus Creek and the St. Lawrence River. The Alleghany River contained this fish before 1900. The mooneye prefers clear water habitat of large streams, rivers, and lakes.
Population Status
Mooneye populations are decreasing both in numbers and in locations where they are found. While the exact causes of population declines are not known, it is due in part to increased siltation occurring in clear water areas where mooneye normally occur
Hope that helps....
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| Have you talked to the biologist about this and are you sure they have been correctly identified? I don't remember any mention of these in WI in the past and was surprised to hear people claiming them to be in the Eau Claire River last year. It's news to me if they are in WI.
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| Have seen and caught them for 20 plus years in the St. Croix River in the Interstate park area. Caught my first one before I was married. That would be before 1975. Was to Missouri fishing on Truman lake in the early 80s and saw them there as well.
Let Em Go...Let Em Grow.....Mike.....Don't know if this means Mooneyes though. |
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| firstsixfeet,yes there are mooneyes in the Eau Claire River. I grew up fishing the stretch above Hwy 53 and remember catching them as many as 20 years ago. I agree that the numbers are down from years ago but there are still a bunch of them in the system.I think they migrate from the lower Chippewa River into the Eau Claire River along with walleys,suckers,carp,and muskies. I don't know if the muskies target them as a food source,but have seen them chasing red horse suckers.That is the extent of my knowledge,hope it helps.Paul |
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| Jason,
I grew up on the Mississippi River near Dubuque. We would catch mooneyes below the dam in the spring and sometimes (rarely)late in the fall.
They were caught or sometimes snagged on jigs with grubs or small spinners.
They were a very rare catch and don't think you could target them.
Neat fish though, I loved caughting 8-15 species of fish a day.
Steve |
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| They look kind of like shad with teeth. They hit lures and live bait. I used to catch them on the mississippi as a kid. |
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| Dang. That means I still have a burbot and a mooneye left to catch. Oh well, gives ya something to live for...[:)] |
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| I have seen them caught during the white bass run (April/May) on the Wolf River in Wisconsin. |
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| thanks for the replies guys, sounds like they are in most of our rivers then. Anyone ever see any in the lower chip?? |
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| Jamie and Anon,Thanx cause I just learned some very intresting things,very intresting in fact! Jeff |
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| ocool, just thought they might be in the lower chip, as it flows right into the Mississip. Thanks for the tip. |
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| Are they good to eat? |
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| I have caught them on both the mississippi and the st croix. yes they have teeth, they have some on their tongues if I remember right. |
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