Whitefish Adventure - Lots of Pics

[cl_fishin]

I saw alot of interest in Whitefish through the ice over the winter, so I thought I would share some pics/info on how we target them in the openwater. Each fall a group of us travel north to camp and fish a variety of lakes/rivers, for a variety of fish species (Brook Trout, Walleyes, Pike, Salmon), and one of my favorite parts of the trip are when we target Whities. These fish are plentiful , fight hard, and are excellent healthy (high Omega 3 content) table fare if eaten fresh or canned (I find freezing them turns them to mush). As the water cools in the fall these fish will move into the bays to take advantage of shallow water forage, which makes them a lot easier to target then when warmer temps keep them out schooling over vast deepwater flats. We look for them in 15-20 FOW in mucky/sand bottom bays out beyond the deepest weedline edge, where they will be feeding on nymphs, minnows, worms etc. Using our centerpin Steelhead outfits we present tiny ice jigs with waxworms with sensitive slip floats a few feet off bottom, the long rods are important to pick up enough line quickly on the hookset to stick these light biters. Here are a few pics from last fall and a very old video, I hope to redo the video this fall documenting the canning process better.......canned/jarred Whitefish is amazing

 

 

Here is the very old video, and the picture quality is poor, but the info is still good. I do hope to redo/update it with some of my newer gear, and better explain the canning process. Because its an old video I apologize for the "plug" at the end, but that jig doesn't exist anymore anyway

 

Edited April 3, 2016 by cl_outside

[SylvanOwner]

Now there's something you don't see everyday! Great post. Looks like a blast and you could almost pass those off as Simcoe whities at 5lbs and shoulders. Never seen one jump either....

[4x4bassin]

Enjoyed that , my type of fishing . Love the reports from back country lakes

[Rod Caster]

I didnt' watch the vids yet, but this is a great post. Whitefish are a bit of an anomaly for me, but I know there are lots of great opportunities to catch them, I just need to learn and try. Plus I love eating whitefish as much if not move that walleye.

[Acountdeleted]

Awesome. Fantastic report. Some beauty whitefish and great pics.

[Sinker]

Very cool! Those are some tank whities!

 

S.

[Jds63]

Great video and report ! Lost my fair share of whitefish through the ice , that looks way more fun !!!!

[manitoubass2]

Awesome!!!!

 

Whiteys are one species I never target around here and im not sure why?

 

Ill get incidental catches here and now and ive only cleaned/cooked one in the oven and it was fantastic!!!

[Joey]

Great report

[Fish Farmer]

Thanks for sharing, now that's the kind of show I'd sooner watch on TV, very informative.

Canned Whites, how do you eat them after, chowder, Whitefish salad sandwich or ?

I've canned Salmon, it's great making Salmon sandwiches.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Fish Farmer

[dr_zayas]

Awesome post! Any chance you want to share your Brook Trout adventure too???

[misfish]

I use my pin/long rod, down rig,n for lakers on Simcoe here. It,s a blast. Might have to see if I can do what your doing for whities.

 

Need to see this canning video.

[adempsey]

Those are some real piggies. What time of year was that? When I fished for them in May, we targeted them in deep water. I've only seen them surface like that for Mayflies.

 

Not sure about pickling them though ;P

[cl_fishin]

Thanks for sharing, now that's the kind of show I'd sooner watch on TV, very informative.

Canned Whites, how do you eat them after, chowder, Whitefish salad sandwich or ?

I've canned Salmon, it's great making Salmon sandwiches.

I use it a lot for sandwiches, mix it up with avocado and onion, lots of black pepper, or you can use mayo. Also makes really good "crab" cakes

 

 

Awesome post! Any chance you want to share your Brook Trout adventure too???

I hope to do a video for those lakes this year too

 

I use my pin/long rod, down rig,n for lakers on Simcoe here. It,s a blast. Might have to see if I can do what your doing for whities.

 

Need to see this canning video.

 

Definitely plan on doing a more indepth video for canning them this fall

 

Those are some real piggies. What time of year was that? When I fished for them in May, we targeted them in deep water. I've only seen them surface like that for Mayflies.

 

Not sure about pickling them though ;P

 

This was in September, June is good for fly fishing dries for them during the hatches

[ckewley]

Brilliant video man, it is one of the species I plan on targeting this year

[Joeytier]

Awesome stuff. Would love to try putting this into practice, just tough to find lakes with a strong population of them, since no one around here targets them. How did you guys get onto this technique?

[cl_fishin]

Awesome stuff. Would love to try putting this into practice, just tough to find lakes with a strong population of them, since no one around here targets them. How did you guys get onto this technique?

 

We learned the basics of the technique from some older guys that camped on one of the lakes we fish ( I have learned to listen closely to old guys,... a lot of wisdom comes with those grey hairs). We then refined it abit combining some newer tackle components, like slimmer more sensitive floats, jig styles, Fluorocarbon leaders, and a few other tweeks. But realistically the biggest challenge is finding areas the fish are using. The nice thing about Whities they often surface, jump and swirl on top when in shallow water feeding and give away their locations, spending time driving around with your graph will help you find them too, but again this time of year we always look for mucky areas outside of weedbeds in fairly large bays. Most lakes that have Whitefish tend to have lots of them, as they are rarely pressured too hard

[BillM]

Great vid man! Fishing for them with dries on a 4wt is a riot! Like you said, once you find them surfacing, you've pretty much found the motherload. Haven't tried it with my float rig, but it sure sounds like a lot of fun.

[cl_fishin]

Great vid man! Fishing for them with dries on a 4wt is a riot! Like you said, once you find them surfacing, you've pretty much found the motherload. Haven't tried it with my float rig, but it sure sounds like a lot of fun.

 

I would really like to try them in June again when the big flies are hatching, surface action just at dark is a lot of fun, they often cruise just under the surface and you can see their backs cutting through the surface at times

[akaShag]

3 comments:

1. Awesome fishing, and I am jealous! We used to fish them in the spring on very short, ultralight rods, straight down over the gunwales. So the hookset is straight up, regardless of water depth.

 

2. If you like canned whities, you must try canned SMOKED whities, probably the best of all of the smoked canned fish I have done over the years.

 

3. If you can your fish during your trip, it would be impossible for a conservation officer to determine species and number of fish being transported. Just sayin'... that would really ruin your trip..........

 

Doug

[cl_fishin]

3 comments:

 

1. Awesome fishing, and I am jealous! We used to fish them in the spring on very short, ultralight rods, straight down over the gunwales. So the hookset is straight up, regardless of water depth.

 

2. If you like canned whities, you must try canned SMOKED whities, probably the best of all of the smoked canned fish I have done over the years.

 

3. If you can your fish during your trip, it would be impossible for a conservation officer to determine species and number of fish being transported. Just sayin'... that would really ruin your trip..........

 

Doug

 

I put some liquid smoke in a couple of the jars this year, but have yet to try it.......I am gonna get one out now LOL

One of the guys that goes with us does an amazing job smoking them too, may have to can some of them this year

 

#3 I just sent an email to the MNR to get confirmation of my understanding of the rules for "processed" fish....... its a good point for sure

[akaShag]

 

I put some liquid smoke in a couple of the jars this year, but have yet to try it.......I am gonna get one out now LOL

One of the guys that goes with us does an amazing job smoking them too, may have to can some of them this year

 

#3 I just sent an email to the MNR to get confirmation of my understanding of the rules for "processed" fish....... its a good point for sure

Not trying to be an asshat, just had a buddy with a bad experience. But NOT with canned fish, just fillets that could not be identified, and "transport" was the issue. Fillets we did not eat at camp, bringing them home rather than throwing them out (also an offence of course), and you can't put skin back ON to a skinned fillet.... the CO did not see things that way and my buddy paid a fine for half a dozen crappie fillets.

[Musky or Specks]

My trips to Labrador @ the Canada Day weekend the whitefish are going crazy for flies. Hard to get a good drift for the Ouananiche and brookies when you flies dont even drift 3 ft down river and you have two or three whiteys on at once( I fish three flies on a line when allowed. Also have had great dry fly action for them in the evening on Manitou Lake in Algonquin @ the 24.

[Sinker]

 

I put some liquid smoke in a couple of the jars this year, but have yet to try it.......I am gonna get one out now LOL

One of the guys that goes with us does an amazing job smoking them too, may have to can some of them this year

 

#3 I just sent an email to the MNR to get confirmation of my understanding of the rules for "processed" fish....... its a good point for sure

I am interested in hearing what MNR has to say as well. I can a lot of things, and wonder if it is still considered to be in possession once its canned.

 

I assumed your fish were considered processed, meaning prepared to eat. It kinda hard to can fish in a way that they are easily counted, so I would love to know what they say.

 

S.

[BillM]

I can't see the MNR being happy about fish that have already been canned. They give you crap for not leaving the skin on for identification.