Kings eating gobies?

[Mega Byte]

I've always thought kings would only eat alewives.  Then I stumbled across this article from 2010 where a "northwest Michigan fisheries supervisor" said they eat gobies as well:

Quote

 

Todd Kalish, the northwest Michigan fisheries supervisor, said summer pier fishing has changed in his region too, from Pentwater north. The Manistee pier continues to offer good perch fishing, but most others offer an abundance of smallmouth bass.  

“The farther north you go, from Frankfort to Traverse City the primary pier fishery is smallmouth,” Kalish said. “We find gobis inside of walleye, Chinook salmon, brown trout, steelhead and smallmouth.

 

Any truth to this?  Has anyone ever checked the stomach contents of a Chinook and found anything other than an alewife?

[gmfishon]

I have not saw it personally but have heard it from someone I trust very much. If a king is laying near bottom I can see them chowing on gobies. Big fish eat little fish plain and simple. Nobody told them they are only supposed to eat alewives. Just like nobody told the ones in the ocean only eat herring dont eat those orange shrimp.

[RodMaster]

On 9/2/2016 at 10:08 AM, Mega Byte said:

I've always thought kings would only eat alewives.  Then I stumbled across this article from 2010 where a "northwest Michigan fisheries supervisor" said they eat gobies as well:

Any truth to this?  Has anyone ever checked the stomach contents of a Chinook and found anything other than an alewife?

We check every fish we catch for stomach contents. Yes we have found a gobie or 2 in some. Have also found other prey species in stomachs including whitefish. Some interesting things... cigarette butt, plastic handle from a crank.

Mostly alewives though.

[phishtix]

Tell you this much, given a choice between the two, gobies and alewives, I'd much rather have some fresh alewives to use for bait when I'm fishing out off the pier.

[Priority1]

The Kings, and other eating machines will eat what is available. Like us they all have their favorite foods, but when a steak is not available a hamburger will do.