Title: The Goldeye
Categories: Fish, Info, Brine, Smoked, Canadian
Yield: 4 servings
Goldeye
When smoke-cured it is sold as Winnipeg goldeye and commands a
high price. The goldeye (Hiodon alosoides) and the mooneye make up
the mooneye family of fishes. The two species look much alike and
are found only in fresh waters of North America. Both provide fine
sport for anglers but because of superior flesh qualities, only
the goldeye is sought by commercial fishermen.
The goldeye is a small fish averaging about 450 g in weight and 30.5
cm in length. Its body is deep in proportion to its length and is
covered with large, loose scales. Dark blue to blue-green over the
back, it is silvery on the sides and white over the belly. Beneath
its short, bluntly rounded snout is a small mouth containing many
sharp teeth on jaws and tongue. As its name indicates, its eyes are
gold-coloured. Curiously enough, they reflect light as do the eyes of
a cat. The colour of its eyes and the position of its anal fin, which
begins further forward than the dorsal fin, distinguish it from its
relative the mooneye.
Goldeye are found in both Canadian and American waters. In Canada
their main area of distribution extends from western Ontario to the
Rocky mountains and north to Great Slave Lake. Throughout their
geographical range, they are most often found in warm, silty sections
of large rivers and in shallow lakes connected to them.
Lake Winnipeg was once the largest producer of these fish, but
stocks there were almost wiped out in the twenties as a result of
overfishing. Today the main goldeye fishery is centred in the
North and South Saskatchewan River. Commercial fishermen use
gillnets. Anglers use light tackle with wet or dry flies, small
spinners, or natural bait.
When fresh, the flesh of the goldeye is soft and unpalatable.
However, it was noticed as early as 1890 that smoking it as the
native Indians did greatly improved its flavour. As a smoked
product it rapidly escalated in popularity, with demand exceeding
supply since 1930.
Now, as in the past, goldeye processing is done almost exclusively
in the City of Winnipeg. The fish are gutted, lightly brined, dyed
an orange-red colour, then smoked over oak fires. They are
marketed as whole, processed fish.
