Record-breaking mooneye caught on Whitewater River this summer

(DEARBORN CO., Ind.) – A record breaking mooneye fish was caught this summer on the Whitewater River, according to the Indiana DNR. 

Tyler Baumann, of Indianapolis, caught the 9-ounce mooneye in Dearborn County on June 5.

He caught the 12-inch-long state record fish from a kayak using a night crawler under a bobber. State record fish are determined by weight rather than length.  

He beat the previous record of 5.8 ounces which was set in 2019 on the Ohio River in Clark County.  

Mooneye are found in large rivers throughout Indiana. Mooneye and goldeye look similar and are often mistaken for one or the other.

To differentiate between the two, look at where the dorsal fin starts in comparison to the anal fin. For mooneye, the start of the dorsal fin is either before or in line with the start of the anal fin. For goldeye, the start of the dorsal fin is behind the start of the anal fin.