Round Goby Galore

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nato

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Joined
Aug 18, 2012
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I mentioned this on another thread....

Was going to do some fishing yesterday at Tommy Thompson Park... but realized there is no shuttle service this year. The week before i already walked to the bridge and i was not ready for that crazy journey again... especially with all my gear.

So i headed to Ashbridges bay looking to catch some panfish for fun....

I saw a family casting their spinners and spoons.. im guessing for pike or what not .. they told me no bites.

I threw in a basic hook and worm and started catching these round goby's ... NON STOP GOBY action!.. every single drop or cast... its the same thing.. i fished the whole boardwalk and the even decided to fish where the rocks are which opens into lake ontario... same thing.. goby galore...im talking every single cast i would feel the nibble and pull one of these fishes back.

I understand they are a invasive species of fish.... but what do we do with it when we catch it.. i threw all mine back.

should i have done otherwise? and if so.. how?

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I believe your suppose to kill them..or not put em back. Ive only caught one before and from what ive read i just threw it away in the trash can..i couldnt kill it lol
 
If there are seagulls around, I throw the goby near them, otherwise I just throw then in the bushes like CJR.
 
You need to make sure they dont get back into the water...
I feed em to the gulls or if they're not around, I throw em in the bushes...
They survive quite a while without water, so don't throw them where they can make a couple jumps and end up back in the water...
 
You are supposed to dispose of them.
I read in the regulations somewhere that you are not to throw them back in alive
J
 
Hi guys
This was a hot topic last year with everyone having a different answer until I contacted the MNR. According to the regs you cannot put back an invasive species into the same water or use it as bait in any other waters. You are instructed to kill it humanely as possible and dispose of the remains in a manner that it's remains cannot enter a body of water. I asked if tossing on shore in the grass...etc. is acceptable, NO, you'll then violate the fisheries act, a law about throwing/wasting edible (LOL) fish near a body of water. The MNR said that I/we should put them in a bag and throw them in the garbage. Check page 13 of the regs and you can also search the other thread we had, "Goby Invasive?" Lots of good information there. You'll also want to use/carry hand sanitizer with you after handling these too as they carry some nasty bugs.

Hope this answers your questions.
 
Hi guys
This was a hot topic last year with everyone having a different answer until I contacted the MNR. According to the regs you cannot put back an invasive species into the same water or use it as bait in any other waters. You are instructed to kill it humanely as possible and dispose of the remains in a manner that it's remains cannot enter a body of water. I asked if tossing on shore in the grass...etc. is acceptable, NO, you'll then violate the fisheries act, a law about throwing/wasting edible (LOL) fish near a body of water. The MNR said that I/we should put them in a bag and throw them in the garbage. Check page 13 of the regs and you can also search the other thread we had, "Goby Invasive?" Lots of good information there. You'll also want to use/carry hand sanitizer with you after handling these too as they carry some nasty bugs.

Hope this answers your questions.

Oh thanks for posting this. I"ll make sure to carry a bag with me, and make sure I do not throw them in the bushes.
 
I run into these little buggers in the Detroit River while using worm harnesses for pickerel. I just toss them into the bottom of the boat and unload a bunch when we get back to the dock!

Weird lookin' little critters, eh? lol
 
Wow. I had no idea. This was my first time catching them.
I had no idea how to dispose of them properly at the time... Especially in a public setting like the beaches. The onlookers mighta thought I was crazy if I killed the fish.

But next time I"ll throw it in a bag and toss it in the garbage bin.
 
Lots of goby everywhere... the big bass like to gobble up goby... :eek:

Imitation goby equals big bass!

Unfortunately I haven't had any success with goby imitations, I have however hooked a goby ona worm and while reeling it in had a LMB smash it... this is what actually gave me the idea to use goby imitation except the bass aren't falling for it...

;)
 
Speaking of goby imitations.....

Yo-zuri makes a lure called the "Aile Goby". It's a very small lure with an exceptionally small treble hook on the belly. Definitely for catching panfish. I have one but haven't used it much because I usually have my baitcaster on a medium rod and it's simply too light to cast effectively on that particular set-up. It's a nice little bait though.

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I've been using the Storm ones that come in a pack of three. They look very similar to the lighter coloured small goby but I cant seem to get a hit on them at all.
 
Nice Blair. Yes I had the same problem. Just didn't wanna kill the fish brutally infront of people. But even if noone was around. I don't know if I would cut its head off.

The easiest way would be to just throw it against the rocks and hope the seagulls take it.
 
Interesting post on gobies. We have been fishing the Thousand Islands area for quite a few years now and at first would be catching quite a lot of them. We have been gradually catching less and we just got back from a weeks vacation there and didn't catch any. The bass, pike and perch have now been feeding heavily on them. They must still be around but I have only seen them in fish that we decide to keep and find them in the stomachs.
 
Speaking of goby imitations.....

Yo-zuri makes a lure called the "Aile Goby". It's a very small lure with an exceptionally small treble hook on the belly. Definitely for catching panfish. I have one but haven't used it much because I usually have my baitcaster on a medium rod and it's simply too light to cast effectively on that particular set-up. It's a nice little bait though.

yo-zuri-Aile-Goby%20color-Options.jpg

lol Fantastic!


I am having a Goby shore lunch today.... bring HP Sauce, plenty of HP Sauce! :D
 
Nice Blair. Yes I had the same problem. Just didn't wanna kill the fish brutally infront of people. But even if noone was around. I don't know if I would cut its head off.

The easiest way would be to just throw it against the rocks and hope the seagulls take it.

Like you an Blair, I probably woudn't kill a fish in public, esspecially in Toronto, with all the hype about banning fishing. My uncle (taught me the basics of fishing) would hit them on the head with the but of this fishing rod.
 

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