# feeder goldfish for crappie and walleye



## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

My air pump I use in my garage to keep my minnows alive between trips died so I went to the pet store to get a rebuild kit. They have feeder goldfish for 10cents each and are pretty good size.
Went to the baitshop in Portage Lakes to get my minnows for Sunday's fishing and they are $1.50 a dozen for crappie fatheads.
So I got 2 dozen small fatheads and went back to the petshop for a couple dozen feeders. They are bigger (and cheaper) and fish probabaly haven't seen them before.

Anyone ever use feeder goldfish for bait? I'm not talking about big ones for flatheads but feeders for crappie and walleye. I have used ruby reds a few times and they worked well but they are much more expensive than regular fatheads.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Several years ago I was fishing for walleye on Erie with a member that insisted on using feeder goldfish. I was drifting and casting weight forward spinners and he was fishing with the feeders. One of his rigs was a typical barrel sinker, swivel, 30" leader and the feeder hooked through the nose. 
His second rod was rigged drop shot fashion.
The walleye were taking my spinner close to the bottom on a slow pull and pause retrieve. The walleye ignored his goldfish. Same thing happened at Mosquito. He said he didn't have that good of luck on crappies either.
I never personally tried goldfish other than the large ones for flatheads.


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## SlabSlayR (Jan 23, 2012)

We used the larger feeder goldfish up in Michigan for catching pike on tip ups while ice fishing. It worked pretty good and was alot cheaper than chubs.


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## BrianSipe17 (Aug 5, 2006)

Wouldn't it be illegal to use a non-native species for bait?


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

I know some guys that do really well on them for crappie. I will also be trying them the next time I go out. No one around me has minnows this time of year but I drive past pet-land to get to work.

* Goldfish are considered established (like carp) and a legal baitfish. Exception to the rule basically.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Used 'em once when we couldn't get bait.
Steelhead loved them in muddy water!


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

I have caught crappie and bass from ponds on them...


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## trapperjon (Mar 11, 2008)

BrianSipe17 said:


> Wouldn't it be illegal to use a non-native species for bait?


I thought they were illegal, or atleast used to be,


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## trapperjon (Mar 11, 2008)

I was looking at a ODNR invasive species sight and they had EVERY species of carp listed as an exotic fish, i'm not saying goldfish are illegal, just saying im supprised that the common carp is listed as exotic species, couldn't find anything on goldfish other than illegal in CVNP,


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

Believe "exotic" is used in place of `non- native`...


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

You are making this way to complicated. Hundreds of bait shops in Ohio sell goldfish as bait. Goldfish are the number one sold catfish bait in Ohio. If it were illegal I'm sure they would tell someone or maybe put a sign up, LOL.


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

rustyfish said:


> I know some guys that do really well on them for crappie. I will also be trying them the next time I go out. No one around me has minnows this time of year but I drive past pet-land to get to work.
> 
> * Goldfish are considered established (like carp) and a legal baitfish. Exception to the rule basically.


OK, that answered a question that was floating around in my mind. It seems to me that some time in the past, and I don't remember whether it was Ohio or PA, that goldfish were illegal to use as baitfish. I guess that has changed.


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## 1basshunter (Mar 27, 2011)

I know an old man that was using them as saugeye bait and got his limt with them.


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## damrat (Feb 26, 2011)

Back in the late 80's they were sold as Baltimore minnows to allow them to be sold as bait. somewhere in the 90's they changed the status of them to allow to be sold as bait. I heard this from an old friend that ran a bait shop where I used to deal before he closed . just my 2 cents. Dave


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

BrianSipe17 said:


> Wouldn't it be illegal to use a non-native species for bait?


None of the bait you get from baitshops is native to Ohio. All minnow and larva baits are either grown, raised or netted from other states and the crawlers come from Canada. Nothing comes from Ohio..........Mark


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I used to use feeder goldfish while wading the GMR for smallies and they loved them. In fact, as I recall they out fished regular minnows.


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## jarhead70usmc (Mar 26, 2014)

Just for information only A FEW YEARS AGO I personally checked with the State of Ohio about using GOLDFISH for bait as where I am from they are used quite a lot. When I inquired about it I was told by the folks at the Ohio Fish and Game if caught introdusing a new spices of fish into Ohio waters is chargeable with Jail time and loss if huntying and fishing privileges. I would rather not take that chance Just to let you know


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

Fatheads actually are native to Ohio & some are grown in our state & sold to bait shops here. I too was told by a fisheries biologist a few years back that introducing goldfish to public waters was illegal. However, I don't ever forsee any LEO enforcing it anymore as their use is too widespread as accepted as common practice.


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## Lowell H Turner (Feb 22, 2011)

Because walleye `see` orange better than any other color can see why they would make good bait. They certainly do `stand out` like a mouse turd in a bowl full of sugar, don`t they ?


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## jarhead70usmc (Mar 26, 2014)

T 180 while I understand what you are saying ( Personally I would bet my future hunting and fishing as well as my police record on doing something illegal just to catch a fish


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Lowell H Turner said:


> Because walleye `see` orange better than any other color can see why they would make good bait. They certainly do `stand out` like a mouse turd in a bowl full of sugar, don`t they ?


We keep a cover on our sugar bowl.


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## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

I have caught a fairly small crappie and a 1 pound bowfin on goldfish. They do work, but I need to fish with them more to know for sure they actually work better or worse than minnows.


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## CRAPPIECOMMANDER (Feb 25, 2006)

I've seen them outfish minnows on more than one occasion. But my only experience is for Crappies with them. Water conditions/clarity seems to be the key


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## bigsplash (Nov 7, 2013)

It might be legal in Ohio, But don't try using them in Pa. I have never seen them in a bait shop and pet shops aren't allowed to sell them as bait. I was just at local pet store getting supplies for my bait tank and the owner told me 1st hand about the goldfish.


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## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

Really? I got mines from a pet shop. Even if, all someone has to do is just tell them they are for feeding a fish and there! You have bait.


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