An Indianapolis man has just etched his name into the state's angling records after reeling in a sizable catch from the placid waters of the East Fork of the Whitewater River. Tyler Baumann, an evidently skilled fisherman, landed a 9-ounce mooneye on June 5, a catch confirmed to be a new state record for the species. His achievement outshines the previous record, a 5.8-ounce fish caught in 2019 along the Ohio River in Clark County, as noted by official sources.
Per details shared by the Department of Natural Resources, Baumann's trophy, a 12-inch mooneye, was hooked from the relative instability of his kayak, using a night crawler under a bobber as bait. In Indiana, the record for such catches is based on weight; not length, an interesting facet of record-keeping that puts Baumann's fish clearly in the lead. His pursuit of the elusive mooneye, a species that swims aplenty in large rivers across Indiana, was a demonstration of both patience, and angling finesse.
Anglers interested in distinguishing mooneye from their close relatives, goldeyes, should take note: it's all in the fins. A defining characteristic is where the dorsal fin starts in relation to the anal fin. As stated by the Department of Natural Resources, "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." It's this small, yet significant detail that separates the common doppelgangers within Indiana's aquatic theatre.
This record catch not only marks a personal victory for Baumann but also serves as a beacon, drawing fellow anglers to the plethora of fishing opportunities Indiana waters have to offer. The Whitewater River, in particular, a stretch known for its picturesque flow through Dearborn County, has now secured its spot in the local fisherman's lore, thanks to Baumann's record-setting endeavor. Indiana's diverse river ecosystems continue to foster not only mooneye but myriad species, promising further tales of conquest for those willing to cast their lines into its depths.
