Catching goldfish?

[AutumnEffect]

I was taking the dog for a walk today by a local creek, and noticed a very large orange and white fish in the creek. I climbed down the bank to get a closer look, and I am almost positive it is a goldfish someone let go. It was about 2 feet long, with very long wavy fins. It stayed near the shallows by the bank, even when I was fairly close to it.

The creek averages 30' across, and flows along nicely even in the middle of summer with no rain. I have seen big carp in this creek, and I know people fish for catfish here too.

If I wanted to catch this goldfish, what would be the best way to do this? Should I try and catch it in a large net when it comes near the bank? If I use a fishing rod, what types of bait is best for catching goldfish? Should I just pretend I am trying to catch a carp and see what happens?

Before I try to catch it, I will see about finding a pond home for it. Although getting it there from the creek would be interesting.

 

[brich999]

Just a hook and worm then net it and toss him in a cooler and go home quick

 

[AutumnEffect]

A worm, huh? That is easy enough. I'll give it a shot and see if I can catch it. If I do, I will definitely take pictures and measurements.

 

[Jrob]

why do you want to catch it, if it's alive and well in a lake??

 

[JML1997]

A worm, huh? That is easy enough. I'll give it a shot and see if I can catch it. If I do, I will definitely take pictures and measurements.

Good luck! Do you got a pond?

 

[fisher12889]

why do you want to catch it, if it's alive and well in a lake??

It doesn't belong in the wild

 

[Jrob]

It doesn't belong in the wild

goldfish are just carp....they came from the wild..were just bread to have a golden tint to them..
soooo in my opinion...it is in a better habitat than an aquarium..
but that could be objective i guess... seeing as how they were bred to be 'domesticated' in a sense...

 

[fisher12889]

goldfish are just carp....they came from the wild..were just bread to have a golden tint to them..
soooo in my opinion...it is in a better habitat than an aquarium..
but that could be objective i guess... seeing as how they were bred to be 'domesticated' in a sense...

The reason it doesn't belong in the wild is because it was in someone's aquarium/pond at some point. Aquarium fish should never be released into the wild.

 

[Jrob]

it could have been in the pond since it was a juvenile...
say i take a gar from the time it is a fry...feed it feeder fish, and let it go once its big enough to fend for itself...it would survive...almost as if you just raised it...and set it free...
i agree that noone should let a fully grown goldfish go in a lake...but there is no way to tell how long the fish has been there....some kid might have had it when it was just a little guy..and the parents got tired of hearing about it, and dropped it off in the lake...then it spent its entire life in that lake...and now your going to remove it from the habitat its grown to know?

 

[AutumnEffect]

It is very clearly bright orange and white, with long wavy fins. There is no way this is just a color mutation of carp and was dumped in the creek by someone who probably won it at a fair. It most likely outgrew their home aquarium, so they figured they'd just dispose of it in the creek. Aquarium fish should never be released into the wild.

If I catch it, it will be put in someone else's pond. Any damage has already been done in terms of transmitting diseases and/or bacteria from the aquarium, but hopefully the removal of this fish will help prevent the goldfish numbers from growing. Unfortunately, fair goldfish are not that unusual in the river and creeks and we certainly don't want them breeding. I'm sure they have already, butif I can minimize it I will.