Goldeye (Hiodon alosoides)

Status: State Endangered (1979).

Occurrence: The Mississippi River, lower St. Croix River (to St. Croix Falls), lower Wisconsin River and lower Chippewa River form the eastern edge of its range, which covers the great plains. A map outlining Pre-1977 and 1997 to Present Distribution is available.

Aid to ID: Compressed, white or silvery blue, streamline body. Bluntly-rounded snout, large mouth, large eyes with bright yellow iris, set in a small head. Adult length: 8-12 inches (20-30cm).

Habitat: Quiet, turbid (cloudy) waters of large rivers and associated small lakes, ponds and marshes, and the muddy shallows of larger lakes.

Food Habits: Mainly surface feeders in shallow water, they eat grasshoppers, moths, fireflies, crustaceans, mollusks, frogs, shrews, mice, trout perch, shiners, darters and perch. Young-of-year feed mainly on smaller, microscopic crustaceans.

Natural History: Goldeyes overwinter in deeper areas of lakes and rivers. They move toward shallow, firm-bottomed spawning sites from May to the first week in July. Essentially nocturnal, their eyes are adapted to dim light conditions and turbid habitat.

Management Considerations: The major cause of decline is deterioration of water quality in the upper Mississippi River. Not only are they voracious hunters, goldeyes are also preyed upon by northern pike, walleye, birds and mammals. This species is also vulnerable to heavy fishing.

Information compiled from publication ER-091.