
Photo by Rob Foster on iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
Lake whitefish
Coregonus clupeaformis
- When
- Nov–Mar — January, February, March, November, December. Earlier in the south, later in the north.
- Where it holds
- Deep basins of big cold lakes; a mainstay of the ice fishery.
- How to know it
- Small, blunt, overhanging snout above a small mouth; silver body, deeply forked tail.
- What to know
- Excellent smoked. A schooling bottom feeder that responds to a jigged spoon and a slow lift.
- The tactic
- Jigging spoon or a small tungsten jig, right on the bottom in 15–25 m.
Seasons, size limits and catch limits change every year and differ by water body. Check the current regulations for your province or state before you fish.
Found in these regions
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