Where's the sheefish?

[fishermanjake]

Did you guys see the sheefish in the anything catagory?  I didn't think they had them in BC, but maybe salmoncandy went up to the Yukon territory to get him.  Anyhow for those of you who don't know, thats a small sheefish.  The biggest ones come out of the Kobuk and Selawik river drainages.  They over winter in Selawik Lake and the berring sea, but prefer brackish waters I believe.  My dream icefishing trip is to go to go icefish Hotham Inlet for them, the mouth of selawik lake.  The state record is 53 pounds.  These are some serious fish and could easily take the anything catagory.  BTW i heard that the prime fishing time is march when they get ready to run up the rivers to spawn(in the fall) and feed when the ice goes out. In the selawik lake area they say they have an average size of 30 pounds.  Also to dispel the rumor, sheefish are a whitefish and not the fresh water cousin to the tarpon which is closely related to the snook and bonefish although they are nicknamed tarpon of the north for their similar apearance.

http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/fish/sheefish.php

[KGrant]

They have a Sheefish derby in Kotzebue.  I have a friend who lives there, maybe I'll see if he can take some pictures if he goes out.

[fishermanjake]

when is the sheefish derby, I couldn't find any dates for it online or pictures but i heard about it.  I have a friend who works for AK air so we can probably get out there for cheap...I didn't get registered for the tourny in time this year though , I would have had an anything post, and a burbot post but no winners.  anyhow, i really want to plan a trip out to kotzebue to do that, if not this winter, next winter.

[salmoncandy]

There are more than one location in BC to catch a sheefish.
SC

[dirk327]

My father used to live in Kotzebue and still has a camp up on the Noatak River.  Let me know if you need any info..he can hook you up.  We fished the shefish derby a few years ago.  It  was a good time and caught tons of fish.  My father, his friend and I had over 100 fish on the ice...not one went to waste.

[dirk327]

we caught quite a few that were 50 lbs...maybe even a few that would have beat that state record!  If only i would have known that it was 53 lbs.

[fishermanjake]

that is totally SWEET!!!!!!

I'll have to get info if I get a chance to get up there this spring!!!  how thick was the ice? how fast was the action, sounds like it was good.  Those are some really cool pictures.  Where you fishing Hotham Inlet? or selawik lake? what year did you catch them and what time of year?

[Baiter]

There are pictures of those fish?

[fishermanjake]

on the alaska fishing outing pictures post

[dirk327]

bout 4 feet of ice, we were fishing in late april.  I can remember looking over at my dad saying wow, what time is it?  he replied 2 am!  That was a bit weird being from maine and having it light for like 21 hours.  We were fishing on the noatak river...only problem with that is you have to have a plane or sled to get out there.  We were 25 miles out of the village.