Here's some trivia on Cyprinnis Cyprinnis (closely related but seperate from Cyprinnis Carpio). Yes, the ones you caught are likely just large feeder fish. Illegal for bait in many / most Cali waters. Might want to check out the regs for your local ponds.

Wild strain Goldfish (likely the offspring of farm raised parents)are VERY common in many, if not most Cali lakes. They are also really common in the Ca Delta (and legal for bait, if caught from that same water) and the Stripers hammer them ! :-)

The wild strain fish are just kind of gold / bronze, with a single, small stubby tail. Domesticated ones can vary from a gold / bronze, to bright orange, white, black, mixed..... and they can have a single small tail, a large fan tail, or even a double fan tail. All of these variances have been selectively bred for in Asia for thousands of years.

BTW, I have caught several of the wild strain ones from 4 lbs, all the way up to 10 lb 4 oz on night crawlers ! (anything will eat a crawler) C/R a Trophy Goldfish :-)

Peace,
Fish