how to catch lake whitefish

The bite of whitefish is very light so you need to make sure that your rod has a sensitive tip that will allow you to feel their bite. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This is very popular, especially for lake fishing. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish: Whitefish has very soft mouth and is fairly shy. Lake whitefish tend to spawn in the fall or early winter, depending on the area. Try them and you’ll find they’re very different from their cousins, the mountain whitefish. Are you new to whitefish fishing? Usually grow to 17-22 inches and range from 1.5-4 pounds 2. Related Posts: Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 26,246 times. Usually, this occurs when the water temperatures fall below 45 degrees F. They prefer to spawn in shallow rocky areas that are near the shores of lakes. A native fish abundant in the Great Lakes, lake whitefish is known for its flaky texture. Spoons are one of the most popular lures among anglers for catching whitefish. How to Catch Lake Sturgeon, How to Catch Lake Sturgeon – Fishing Tips. Whitefish have little and delicate mouths, which is the reason the vast majority who get Whitefish were Walleye angling while at the same time utilizing tiny hooks and minnows or tiny jigs. Usually, these are used either jigging or trolling when the whitefish are hanging out in deeper waters. Sand or rock bottomed lakes are good places to target them. The key point that you need to remember is that whitefish have small mouths, so your hook size has to be small. Catching Your Whitefish 1. If you get too overexcited and set your hook too aggressively you could end up tearing your hook right out of their mouth. Silver-white body? Just remember that whitefish don’t have very big mouths, so smaller spinners tend to work best. Whitefish have small mouths, so you should use small eggs or worms when selecting live bait. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Another popular lure for targeting whitefish is the tried and true jig. And Whitefish Lake promises everything a fishing fan can expect from nature at its best. That’s why it’s important to be patient when fishing whitefish. The species inhabits the cold areas of Bear Lake, staying in deeper water during the summer months. A simple line and jig is adequate enough to catch the fish as they feast on mayflies and midges. Look for them in areas with less than 25 feet of water. Duracz’s catch weighed 9.34 pounds, besting the previous record from 2019 by 1.65 pounds. These fish mainly live on the floor of rivers or lakes, spanning primarily across northern United States and Southern Canada. how to catch Mountain Whitefish. Learn more... Whitefish are a family of fish including cod, haddock, and pollock, to name a few species. They will come out from their deeper waters to feed, which presents a great opportunity to target them. Bear Lake whitefish are the focus of limited angling, particularly during their spawning period. Lake whitefish is a pale, shy member of the trout/salmon family (Salmonidae). Great Lakes lake whitefish is the primary catch for Michigan commercial and tribal-licensed anglers. Fishing: Mainstay of the commercial catch in the Great Lakes because of its exceptional flavor, convenient size, and habit of schooling. Once the fish move to the flats, which can … Without it, it is very difficult to locate the fish. This short film highlights a simple method for catching Lake Whitefish during the summer months from Banks Lake, Washington. Coho Salmon Fishing Tips The tribal fishermen caught fish by going around the lake in birch bark canoes using nets crafted from the willow bark strands. Commercial anglers catch and sell the fish to Ron Mohn’s local whitefish processing plant. % of people told us that this article helped them. Though they can reach sizes up to 15lbs if you’re extremely lucky. The bait mimics the small fish whitefish feed off of. Last Updated: July 31, 2020 When the temperature warms up they will begin to move into deeper waters. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Whitefish are sometimes called “humpback” because of their small head size and large body. Again, whitefish have small mouths so stick with smaller jigs. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. You’ve got a lake whitefish! Choose between salmon eggs, wigglers, maggots, and waxworms. Whitefish typically keep moving around in the main basin of the lake in schools, and is one of the main reasons for Don’s high success rate with his portability. Snagging your fish is when you scrape it with the hook rather than piercing it. They tend to eat anything that is near the bottom of the lake. Lake whitefish, or Coregonus clupeaformis, is a member of the salmonid family, and like its close kin--the salmon and the trout--you’ll find it at home in cool, clear waters.. Long upper lip? You want the cloud to form about 1 foot (0.30 m) off the surface. You can add a weight if you are using either a jigging spoon or live bait. Something around a number 6 is a good size. Smaller lures, smaller bait, smaller hooks, lighter lines. 3. For whitefish salmon eggs, maggots, and waxworms are productive. If your bait, or your line is too big it will spook them and they won’t bite. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Research catch and release laws based on where you are fishing. That means anglers without easy access to … Fishing Line. A good inline spinner can also be effective, especially when the whitefish are feeding in shallower waters. Learn how to make it better. Pike Fishing Tips Slower retrieves tend to work best. You can lose your fish if you don't set the hook securely. It can be taken by fly fishing or casting with small baits. In some areas, they may reside in brackish waters, but this is not as common. Think small when targeting whitefish. Fishing for Lake Whitefish peaks during the summer as fish congregate in large schools over the deepest portions of the reservoir. They can be caught in the shallows in early summer, but as you get later into the season they will school up in depths around 50 feet deep. Related to salmon, trout, and char 4. James Lindner shares everything you need to know to started with whitefish. Lake whitefish is one of the most important species for commercial inland fisheries in North America. Use your fish sonar to help locate the whitefish. Lake whitefish are common throughout Canada and the Northern United States. Lake whitefish have grown greatly in popularity in recent years as anglers have discovered how to catch these tasty, hard-fighting fish. It can be grilled, baked, broiled, pan fried, deep fried, poached, steamed, roasted and even pickled. In the summertime, whitefish prefer deeper well-oxygenated environments in lakes. This article has been viewed 26,246 times. Lake Whitefish Equipment Recommendations Rods and Reels. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7d\/Catch-Whitefish-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Catch-Whitefish-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7d\/Catch-Whitefish-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid9742435-v4-728px-Catch-Whitefish-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"