Whitefish might not be good to eat in the south but in a cold northern lake they taste great. Don't be afraid to try them. They have a really light white meat like a Walleye. They have a little more oil than a Walleye or Pike which is why most people smoke, steam, broil or poach whitefish.

Where Are They

Usually (not ice fishing), Whitefish are caught in the early spring or in the Fall when they migrate to areas with current such as rivers or narrow flows in the lake system. Whitefish have very small and tender mouths which is why most people who catch Whitefish were Walleye fishing while using really small hooks and minnows or really small jigs.

You don't have to wait for a freak chance to catch a Whitefish. Just follow some rules for the different seasons.

SPRING:

In the Spring, the Whitefish migrate into the rivers and streams to feed on the Walleye, Pike and Sucker eggs that are being dropped during the spawn. The best way to fish for Whitefish in the Spring is in the river with 4 lb. test line and really tiny hooks with a single salmon egg, grub, a little ball of Berkley Power Dough or the best bait, Wax Worms. Have a small float and let the bait float down stream and over the deeper pools that are behind the gravel spawning beds.

When the May Flies start to hatch, the Whitefish will move out of the rivers and stay just below the surface of the lake feeding on the hatching flies. When the May Fly hatch is complete, the Whitefish go deep.

SUMMER:

Do exactly what it says in the Lake Trout Section. Whitefish are a deep water fish and go deep during the Summer. Use a three-way swivel system with a 0 Mepps or Blue Fox and troll very slow in about 60 feet of water.

FALL:

Whitefish spawn in the Fall. They migrate into rivers and basically spawn in the same spawning beds as the Walleyes. During the spawn, the Whitefish only feed during the day which is the exact opposite of most fish. You will find that as soon as it gets dark, the fish lose all interest in food and concentrate on their spawn. During the end of the spawn, they may start to feed before they travel back to the lake.

Generally Whitefish will stay shallow all Winter. In the Spring, they feed on Walleye eggs again and do not go deep until after they gorge themselves on the spring May Fly hatch. May Flies are called May Flies everywhere in North America except North Bay, Ontario where they are called Shad Flies. You may want to know this if you have been fishing near North Bay and were wondering what the difference was.

Generally small is the word. Small baits and lures must be used. Whitefish will hit a bigger lure like a small Rapala or Thunderstick but generally the hooks on these lures are too big for the Whitefish's tiny mouth.

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