Bottoms

[jabers69]

I'm new to whitefish fishing . I've been told that mud bottoms are better then say rockie or gravel  bottoms . Is there anything to this . I fish on GrandLake in New Brunswick.  It has both types of bottoms

[samson]

don't know too much about whitefish but i do know that they prefer mud bottom flats cos of the bloodworms and other invertebrae. 

[Water Wolf]

don't know too much about whitefish but i do know that they prefer mud bottom flats cos of the bloodworms and other invertebrate. 

I know that whitefish feed everywhere in the water column from a few cm under the ice to a few cm off the bottom. But mid depths can be quite productive, though the larger fish are usually along the bottom.
Partly weedy flats may attract the whitefish too for the same reason as mud flats food.
A small wire worm or small bead-head nymph will usually work well, make sure you tye them so they hang horizontally in the water.
Good luck.

WW

[jacksmelt71]

in n. maine we get them on muddy flats near the bottom but ive got them 15ft. of the bottom on tip ups and live bait before. i usually get them on a sz. 7 pimple with a 6in. leader w/ a sz. 6 hook. put some cut bait or small garden worms on for bait and your ready. the nymph technique sounds like it would work well too but ive yet to try it.

[samson]

good tips, gonna try it out this season

[jabers69]

Thanks for the help 

[Tambo]

I've caught too many in both hard and mud bottoms to make a judgement.  However, if i had a choice, I'd say sticky bottoms.  Best analogy I have for whities are like hogs digging in teh mud for food.
Tambo

[cheffy]

      Spend most of my icefishing time on whites  and have found that at early ice and late ice they hang out in 3-7 ft of water in sandy or muddy bottomed places. In mid-Winter they are found in the 12-16 ft range in the same areas.I have found that various colored wire worms fished horizontal on the bottom or 2-3 inches off the bottom works best for me.I'll fish one color lure for about 15-20 minutes then change color,I try to have 5-6 lines ready to go the night before.Whitefish have very,very good eyesight so you need to go with a thin line as possible, sometimes they will see the line and swim away,a 4 or 6 lb line is about as thick as you want to go.If you are sight fishing you will be able to see them take the hook, try to resist the urge to set it too early.Hope this info will help you out.
                                                          Good Fishin & Tight Lines

[Barleydog]

Cheffy,
Do you have any pics of the wire worms you use?  Great post!

[cheffy]

      Hey there Barleydog
     Sorry bud spent the digital camera money on a power auger so no pics of a wire worm,but if you go to "the fishin hole" or canadian tire web sites they have pics.Basically its just a "j" hook with either copper or brass wire wrapped around the shaft and to add color you paint the wire portion.They'll cost you about a buck a piece so pick up a few different colors.I don't generally jig a wire worm but rather just make it "shiver" by barely moving my wrist with a lift of no more than 2 inches every once in awhile.Horizontal presentation is very important when fishing for whites if you see a white comming in and the hook is facing the wrong way slowly turn it using your thumb and fingers.As small as the hook my seem a white will pick it up off the bottom so if you miss a white just let your hook settle back to the bottom and more often than not it will come back and pick it up.It seems that if you get one white, get your hook back down the hole as soon as you can as there will be more than one lurking around and you have to watch the fall as they will take a falling hook.i know as I've missed a few on the down fall.   I hope this helps everyone out.

[cheffy]

   I noticed that there were over 100 people who checked out this site but there are very few post and even less sharing of tips and information on fishing.I know we all like to have our "secrets" but I have found over 30 years of fishing that if you think of something chances are somebody else has already thought of it.
                                                             Good Fishing & Tight Lines

[Barleydog]

Amen to your last comment cheffy!  Great tips your sharing, and for one, I hope it makes me a better whitefish fisher!!  I tie a decent bloodworm pattern for trout, so maybe the reduction in size may be just the ticket.  The fish I will be targeting are extremely large humpback whitefish.  These guys are like subs!  I like the "turning the hook trick", it's great to see your technique works.  Now save up some $$$ and get a camera!  Thanks again...  -Jim

[cheffy]

         Barleydog
   You might to also try a small beadheaded nymph,not sure about the pattern but just about any one with a gold colored bead and a dark body with silver or gold thread on the body works well at late ice.Another lure that you might want to try is called a "Wetaskawin Special" Basically it's a quad hook that has a small spinner blade wedged between the shafts of the hook and you jig it just off the bottom or let it sit on the bottom and the whites will pick it up. Where are you fishing for whites?I'm in Alberta and there are lots of lakes and streams that have whites so I go fishing for them year round. We have two types of whitefish here and both have different styles and techniques to catch them.














'

[Barleydog]

Cheffy,
I can tie that up.  I use a ton of beadheads for flyfishing.  It's by far my favorite pattern.  I had thought using them, but never got around to it.  Now's the time.  I live in Interior Alaska, and fish for anything that presents a challenge, AND WHITEFISH ARE A CHALLENGE!  They have my number through the ice, but once the ice is gone they seem easy to catch.  The humback is the target most sought after.  It will happen!

[cheffy]

       Hey Barleydog
        Try using a size 7 hook the whites here really like that size.I agree completely about whitefish being a challange.I've been fishing for whites for 12 years and every year I learn something new about them.Let me know how you do this winter
                                                                     Good Fishing & Tight Lines
                                                                              Cheffy
                                                                       

[Barleydog]

Thanks!  I will.

[sunup]

Out of the 185 reads I bet 180 of us are still trying to get our first whitefish.   Thanks for the help.

[jacksmelt71]

see in n. maine here the majority of whites are caught in 30-70ft of water. only river whites will go in shallower water. i agre that whites are a challange to catch. thats why they are my fav. gamefish. i appreciate all the tips guys. i hope mine have offered some insight as well. tight lines!

[jabers69]

Again thanks for the great info. Hope to get use it . Soon if we ever get some ice 

[cheffy]

            Hey Barleydog
    Made my first trip for whites today and managed to get my limit most were around 4 lbs.
those wireworms I told you about worked like a damn.Use the whole gammet of colors ;red,yellow,green,brass,copper and white.Didn't see anything for the first 2 hours and just as I thought that I should try a new spot , Wham, 6 fish in an hour,then it slowed down to 2 fish an hour.LOL The guys fishing a little ways away seen a few but they wouldn't bite for them.I had a few of those as well,they just sit there watching your hook and then they just bump the hook.
   
                                                                Good Fishing&Tight Lines

[Calgary Jazz]

 Nice opening of the season! How thick was the ice and where did you open?

[Water Wolf]

Wow, nice going cheffy, a 4 lb whitefish is a big one and to get your limit of them is great.
I know they like different colors every day but what was the winning color combo this time?

WW

[Barleydog]

Cheffy good job!  Man, what I'd pay for a good OJT lesson on these guys!  Did you chum them in?  I'm tying up some wire worms this week. 

[cheffy]

         Barleydog & Calgary Jazz & Waterwolf
    I opened the year at Pigeon lake ,mission beach, to be exact in about 6-8 ft of water.As for color the went after all the colors but the best one seemed to be the bright brass tipped with a maggot about 3-5 inches off the bottom.Didn't chum but had to bore lots of holes as they were comming from all over but mainly from the edge of a weed bed that I found.Had quite a few come up and take a look but no matter what I tried ,they wouldn't bite but then they would swim away and come back and slam the hook.The good ol' rod had a work out.    Going to give it a try tomorrow maybe try a different area of the lake. Hope this helps you out guys out.
                                                      Happy Holidays to All
                                                             
                                                                     Good Fishing & Tight Lines

[cheffy]

         Barleydog & Calgary Jazz & Waterwolf
    I opened the year at Pigeon lake ,mission beach, to be exact in about 6-8 ft of water.As for color the went after all the colors but the best one seemed to be the bright brass tipped with a maggot about 3-5 inches off the bottom.Didn't chum but had to bore lots of holes as they were comming from all over but mainly from the edge of a weed bed that I found.Had quite a few come up and take a look but no matter what I tried ,they wouldn't bite but then they would swim away and come back and slam the hook.The good ol' rod had a work out.   Going to give it a try tomorrow maybe try a different area of the lake. Hope this helps you out guys .
                                                      Happy Holidays to All
                                                            
                                                                     Good Fishing & Tight Lines