# Goldfish?



## fishing_marshall (Jun 12, 2004)

Anybody ever use goldfish from a pet store as bait for smallmouth. They are only a dollar a dozen and i was thinking about giving them a try. Just wondered if anyone has had any experience using them.


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## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

I think it should be illegal. There are enough exotics swimming around in our waters. Just use shiners and creek chubs, that is what they are used to eating, right.. Even crawfish is a good choice and you dont need soft ones for smallies they dont care. They smash the hard ones just as good as the soft ones. Don't let anyone tell you different. Sure they wont pass up a soft craw if they run across one but most of the time they are eating hard craws. I highly discourage the use of goldfish, just my opinion.


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## ARGEE (Apr 5, 2004)

i did see em using them yrs ago on lk erie for smallies...i wouldnt do it though...


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## WLB (Apr 6, 2004)

I've used goldfish for smallies on lake erie when I use to use live bait for them and it was hard to get big shiners, they work fine.
I also use to net my own crawfish, picked the small ones out for the smallies, tore the tails off the big ones and froze them for catfishing. 
Now that I know where they live I can usually get them to bite tubes or blade baits. Good Luck


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## MLAROSA (May 20, 2004)

Live gold fish destroy the nest of other fish if I remember correctly.

I am almost positive I saw a big article about this in a mag recently. Some lake in MD? they are having serious problems with people who use gold fish for catfishing, and the goldfish are changing the eco system by tearing up the other nests.

I would read more into the harm it could cause before I use them. Also, you might want to check state law. I know you are not suppose to introduce new species into the water.


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## fishing_marshall (Jun 12, 2004)

After reading these comments , I don't think i'm gonna try them for bait.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

Could someone please explain to me what the difference between a carp and a goldfish is?


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## ARGEE (Apr 5, 2004)

A Goldfish Is What Looks Nice In Your Home Aquarium...a Carp Is A Fish Thats Ugly No Matter How You Look At It....


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## WLB (Apr 6, 2004)

Man, I hope all those big orange carp I see at ceder point and in some of the marshes didn't come from the goldfish I was useing for bait 20 years ago


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## dsmith_88 (Feb 6, 2005)

I know in west virginia a guy fishing with gold fish for small mouth bass was busted, and paid a huge fine and lost his license. Simply because it is illegal and they do ruin the habitat of our natural fish.......


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2005)

We came back from catfishing one time and had some goldfish leftover, my buddy dipped one in our pond and had a biggie bass on, but it ended up getting off.


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## fishmason (May 2, 2004)

I would like to see the regulations against this because, goldfish are an exact relativeof the carp. when they grow up they take on the exact appearence of mirror carp as far as i know. I just wanna see the rules if it is illegal.


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

I believe the use of goldfish and its effects on a lake are way over blowned. Now be honest guys, how many of you have actually seen schools of goldfish in a lake??? I have never seen them. The reason? They do not survive long as they are cosumed by every fish in the lake, either as small or medium. Some do make it as adults, but very few. I've seen a few here and there, and they stick out like a sore thumb in the spring time in the shallows, but really never see many. Surley not enough to destroy any fishes nest . It just isn't happening........ Not that I uses them for bassin , I don't. But to say they are over adbundant enought to effect a lake just isn't so ??? THE CATKING !!!


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

If you are worried about them when they are alive kill them and use them on a jig...


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## cwcarper (Apr 5, 2004)

Common Goldfish and carp are completely different species, and really aren't similar at all. Goldfish don't get very big, and as stated above don't typically survive too long in the wild. There are a few instances where i've seen large schools of goldfish at the mouths of feeder creeks of larger lakes, but this is likely very rare. From my own experiences of releasing several (probably in the 100's) of goldfish over the years in a small pond, no obvious harm was done to the pond and i rarely ever saw one of the goldfish again. Aquarium goldfish don't exactly have the survival skills needed to avoid the many predators encountered in the natural environment. I doubt that the use of goldfish as bait by fishermen would cause any problems to a larger lake/river/reservoir, although their use is banned in many states. Many baitshops around Ohio carry them, as well as Israeli (mirror) carp (a whole different story)...so i'm not sure on the laws of use in Ohio.

By the way, I've caught a lot of big largemouth bass using goldfish for catfish bait...but i'd much prefer a chub or shiner.


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

I was just thinking what about disease control? 
May not be good idea to use them hmmnmnn


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## catlover (Dec 7, 2004)

Good point clyde.
Colorado had a big issuue releasing stocker sized trout into a native fishery. Whirling disease desimated native rainbows and cutthroats.
Those were from a hatchery with supposed quality controls. Who can say what unsupervised additions to the local environment could produce.
Catz


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

That does bring up a great point Turkey man  One that I didn't even think about. Hence the problem  People not thinking......... CATKING


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## cwcarper (Apr 5, 2004)

I agree...good point. Though, could other baitshop variety baitfish such as minnows, shiners, etc. transfer disease as well??


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## WLB (Apr 6, 2004)

Besides all of the above if you need live bait to catch Bass, then just maybe you should be fishin for something else


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

Great Point !!! :d


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## ncraft150 (Apr 5, 2004)

I never use live bait bass fishing, but I saw Bass Pro Shops feed the fish with giant goldfish once. Those giant bass just blasted them almost before they even hit the water.


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

If you ever go to Florida and can't hookup using lures then better get with the program and use shiners... Saved many a day...


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