Author Topic: whitefish (Read 11366 times)

fishermanjake · « **on:** Dec 04, 2003, 04:57 AM »

there isn't a catagory for whitefish so i'll ask here. does anyone have any tips on catching them? especially locating them in rivers in the winter.

Barleydog · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 04, 2003, 02:15 PM »

Jake, Good to see you found the forum. Gotta have some whitefish anglers here? Have you fished Paxson or Summit for whitefish?

Jam_Jam · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 04, 2003, 03:27 PM »

If your fishing for river whitefish just bottombounce some royal coachman flies tipped with at single spike. Alot of guys use a bent coathanger for a weight so the don't get caught up on the rocks so much. Tie the hanger at the end of your line and then just tie a few hooks up the line (assuming more than one is allowed in your area). From my experience location isn't that important as they're usually spread out all over although I've noticed they do seem to move to slower pocket water and backbays in the winter. The main thing is ya want that bait as snug to bottom as you can get and you'll catch'em. If the river is frozen over you can still use the same technique but fishing straight up and down. In that case I like to use a little slip bobber to detect the light bites or you can always do some sight fishing as they are usually in 15' of water or less. Good luck.

HFT · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 04, 2003, 04:43 PM »

Whitefish have small mouths and feed near the bottom. You will find them stacked up in deep pools,find one and you will find a bunch getting ready for the spawn.
use small flys 16,18,20-chartreuse caddis larve,scuds,sows,brassies.
make sure to get enough weight to get close to the bottom.

fishermanjake · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 04, 2003, 04:52 PM »

Thanks guys i'll have to try that, I have been fishing in 20 - 25 feet of water, maybe i'll try a little shallower then, and a couple small flies, maybe tipped with some shrimp meat what do you think? Thanks barleydog for directing me here its been a real help. I have fished paxson, for lake trout. Did catch a 18 inch hmpback whitefish there though.

Jam_Jam · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 04, 2003, 05:19 PM »

I usually find them cruising very close to shore in 5-10' of water. If there is a drop off from 5 to 10' of water I would concentrate on that area. Where I fish if I fished in 25' of water I'd probably catch 5% of the fish I catch in shallower. As has been said if there is one there will be lots so if you don't catch anything in an hour or maybe even less then move on. Cover lots of water until you find them. I'd use a single maggot before shrimp. I learned the one maggot trick from an asian fellow some years back. I was having no luck getting them to bite and he took one look at set up with a fairly big hook (#10-12) with 4-5 maggots on it and shook his head. He gave me a slim size #16 hook and told me to put one maggot on it...lo and behold I got fish from that day on and even got a 22" rainbow with that setup. Sometimes less is more. Good luck

fishermanjake · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 04, 2003, 05:29 PM »

i have been fishing quite the dropoff, its 20 feet or less from shore, so you think if i move in close to shore that will be the ticket? by the way, i'm up in fairbanks, so i don't think maggots are an option for me.

Jam_Jam · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 04, 2003, 05:37 PM »

Even a fly with nothing will work if its got a bit of light colored and I find a bit of red helps too....I'm sure a little chunk of shrimp would work but I haven't tried that (keep it little). A steep bank is not good you want to look for a nice relatively flat muddy/weedy ledge...I'm thinking where the lake drops down to a 5-15' flat which is say 10 or 20' wide at least and preferably wider although if that isn't around they'll have no choice but to make do with what they are given. I'm really not sure what range of habitat you have where you are. They have small mouths and have alot of predators after them so they generally forage for bugs up on the flats...at least thats what I've found.

fishermanjake · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 04, 2003, 05:46 PM »

I'm trying to fish them in the tanana river, there is an eddy nearby that fits that discription except for the weeds. I know there are alot of whitefish in the system and i think your advice will help even though it is a different environment. I have only caught one whitefish here and that was in that 20 foot deep spot, the grayling seem to appreciate my efforts though. I have caught half a dozen of them, couple 15-16 incher to boot.

bushbunny · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 04, 2003, 08:45 PM »

I have found the best way to catch whitefish is with a net.

Barleydog · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 04, 2003, 11:45 PM »

Jake,
Your chances of running into grayling while fishing whitefish are really good! I have fished several different rivers, (Kvichak and Naknek) throughout the state that had both species, (round whitefish and grayling) cruising the same spots. Most of the time the grayling would actually chase the whitefish off the river flats. Funny that both species were feeding on the same food at the same time, which were sticklebacks and snails! The hot bait seemed to be tiny swedish pimples with the red attractant blade left on, (likely immitating the small sticklebacks nesting in the mud.) Reading Jamjam's replies about the coachmen patterns and the little bit of red remark, is strange but true!! I had tried other jigging spoons and pimples but the only spoon the grayling and whitefish would hit was decorated with the red attractant. Go figure, since Jamjam is fishing a distance from Alaska, the fish are responding the same.

I had mentioned in the Alaska outdoor forum that I use a single salmon egg on a single egg hook, another red bait, HMMMM? Whitefish love salmon eggs, and of coarse, so do the grayling. I'm sure you have probably watched Kings in the river during the spawn, check out what's lurking ten feet downstream. Good chance you'll see some nice fat grayling or whitefish!

Maybe I'm throwing out my crackpot theories for a bite eh?

$:-\$

Jamjam, Out of curiousity, which breed of whitefish are you targeting?

Jam_Jam · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 05, 2003, 09:31 AM »

River Whites Barley. I fish them in reservoirs and rivers near Calgary AB.

Don't worry about the lack of weeds as I often fish for them where there are none and do just fine. In a river they are going to have a harder time finding mud bottoms too but stick to the slow pools as the water cools and you'll get them. I think what your using and the size of the bait is going to be your key. Let us know how ya do.

Pasquatch · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 05, 2003, 07:51 PM »

Where in New York are these fish?

mooseslayer · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 10, 2003, 02:23 AM »

IN NORTHERN MAINE WE JIG FOR THEM WITH A SWEDISH PIMPLE WITH A SNELLED SZ 6 HOOK TIPPED WITH A SMALL CHUNK OF SMELT. FOLLOW YOUR ELECTRONICS FOR PROPER DEPTH.USUALLY I GET THEM BOUNCING PIMPLE ON BOTTOM THEN RAISING UP ABOUT A FOOT AND PAUSING.I TARGET THEM IN DEP FLATS EARLY AND DEEP FLATS OF POINTS COME MID SEASON.HOPE THIS HELPS SOME .LET ME KNOW HOW YOU DID?

HoagieAB · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 10, 2003, 02:25 PM »

For river whitefish here in Alberta, you can't beat a San Juan Worm. Red copper and fished near the bottom.

grumpymoe · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 17, 2003, 02:17 PM »

fishermanjake--noticed several comments about red in the presentation.although i dont fish for them, a friend does and he likes to use imitation bloodworm.(part of the natural forage)

bigredonice · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 25, 2003, 08:06 PM »

In NY, these fish are found in lake pleasant, lake champlain, upper saranac lake, tupper lake, and numerous other lakes in the adirondacks...also rarely caught in Otsego Lake

Pasquatch · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 27, 2003, 12:42 PM »

Thanks Red

CHfish · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 03, 2004, 09:26 PM »

I will try to find and catch them in NH somewhere, heard they are in Newfound Lake...
Does anyone have some info on that?

Da_Roc · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 04, 2004, 12:52 AM »

Hi Gang!
Is a white fish and a carp the same thing or family???
I have caught really big white looking fish. Kinda like a mix between a carp and a perch but big scales and really mushy really soft lips.
Da-Roc

sunup · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 04, 2004, 11:54 AM »

Carp belong to the minnow family, whitefish are part of the salmon family. Just don't ask me why, I don't know. Whitefish sure look more minnow than salmon. It sounds like you have a whitefish. Post a pic so we can see.

CHfish · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 04, 2004, 05:28 PM »

for a picture of the whitefish, go to this web site:
http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/fish/whitfish.php
The ones that I know look like the third one from the bottom.

mooseslayer · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 09, 2004, 02:33 AM »

DA ROC SOUNDS LIKE YOU GOT A SUCKER. THEY ARE EDIBLE IN WINTER BUT BONEY.WHITEFISH+SUCKERS ARE RELATED BUT NOT CARP.WHITEFISH HAVE BIG EYES AND SMALL MOUTHS. THEIR HEADS ARENT PROPORTIONATE TO THEIR BODIES BUT SUCKERS ARE.SUCKERS ALSO HAVE FLESHEY TURNED DOWN LIPS.

News:

Author Topic: whitefish (Read 11366 times)

Jam_Jam

HFT

Jam_Jam

Jam_Jam

Jam_Jam

mooseslayer

HoagieAB

grumpymoe

CHfish

CHfish

mooseslayer