Centerpin Whitefish

[cl_fishin]

A little slow in posting these but,..every September we head up to the Chapleau area to warm up our centerpin outfits on some Whitefish. These fish start to move shallow in big numbers and we target them with slip floats and ice jigs tipped with a waxie. The fish average around 4lbs and we have gotten them up to 9lbs, they fight hard, and are good eating. This year we canned some as well and its excellent. I also have some video we shot that I will post whenever I get it edited

[adempsey]

Nice! Would love to do that! Of the freshwater fish, whitefish are my favorite table fare. Never pickled them before though.

[blaque]

Well theres a report ya dont see everyday! Nice Job

[Roy]

Beautiful....a really rare kind of a report. Can't wait to see the video! Thanks.

[Roy]

You can can them without pickling them.

[BillM]

Man, I'd love to try that out with my flyrod I'm assuming any whitefish lake would pattern the same? (ie move shallow in the fall, etc)

[Grimace]

Awesome. I love the pressure canner, I have been meaning to get one. Is that an All American pressure canner? They look great.

 

Beautiful Whitefish!

[DRIFTER_016]

Man, I'd love to try that out with my flyrod I'm assuming any whitefish lake would pattern the same? (ie move shallow in the fall, etc)

 

 

Yes Bill

They move shallow in late September/early October to spawn.

We have good runs in the rivers up here not much difference other than timing down South.

[BillM]

Thanks Dave, I'll have to search around this area to see what I can come up with

[Dozer]

Unique report Rainbow skein is a killer bait for 'em.

[Harrison]

Now that sounds like fun!

 

I know on Simcoe they spawn on humps and underwater points in 30 - 50ft or there abouts. Long arse time to wait for a micro jig to pass through the slip float!

[Woodsman]

Great report.

I've never thought about canning them as they're so good pan fried or smoked.

Maybe this winter I'll try canning some Simcoe whities.

[Rod Caster]

Fantastic! I was hoping to catch some shallow water Whitfish in the local river but the run is very thin right now. I've been bottom bouncing waxies and small chubs but I'm only catching walleye.

 

Looks like a great time, you've had a unique experience especially with your pin. Very cool!

[DRIFTER_016]

Thanks Dave, I'll have to search around this area to see what I can come up with

 

FYI

I have caught them on my CP in the Nipigon river both spring (June) and fall (September).

[solopaddler]

That is super cool! I used to fish a similar pattern in a Haliburton lake in Oct back in the day.

 

Chapleau is a long way to go, but for fishing like that totally worth it.

 

Would love to ice fish your lake.

[Aaron Shirley]

That is pretty cool. Definitely a rare report!

[Guest chase4chrome]

Nice report--lookin really fine.

[cl_fishin]

Thanks guys, it really is alot of fun, great warm up for steelhead season

 

@BillM I think this is pretty common in northern lakes with good populations of Whities. These fish will spawn later Oct/Nov on rocky points /shoals etc.., but I believe the fish we are catching in Sept are just taking advantage of cooler temps and shallow water forage (nymphs,leeches, minnows etc) that they can't access when the water is warm in the summer (they like it cold like trout). We catch them in soft bottom mucky bays 12-15ft down over 15-18FOW. There is occasionally a Caddis hatch on the lake in Sept but it is sporatic and the fish rarely target them like they do Mayflies in June

 

@Grimace... It is an American made pressure cooker but I am not sure the make

[BillM]

FYI

I have caught them on my CP in the Nipigon river both spring (June) and fall (September).

 

I'll be bringing the pin up this year for whatever wants to bite