Lake Whites on the fly?

[Flieguy]

Anyone tried this? I would be interested in it! I don't know a ton about Lake Whitefish other than what I've read in "fish of alberta", but I'd be open to try it out

[Dust1n]

One of my favorite fish to catch on the fly rod. Its like bonefish fishing but only in Canada haha.
You want to find a Sandy flat and setup there. Marinas, Creek outlets, and beachs all hold the whites this time of year. I like go wade in the beachs because I KNOW theres nothing to get snagged on but theres nothing wrong with fishing in marinas if you got permission.
Fly Choices- Boatman,Backswimmers,Scuds,Cronimids,Bloodworms,Ny mphs (Hares ear,Pheasent tail,Prince Nymph) and small streamers if you get a chance to spot a huge school of them and in the Early morning and Late Nights you can sneak in some dry fly action on caddis patterns. Remeber if its below the water being retreive you need the BH. It will get that whites attension and will come rushing over and it helps when your using a faster retreive or needing to get lower in the water colom in mid day.
Fast 1 inch strip, Long slow Strip and a figure 8 retreives work the best I find. Whites arnt picky and will eat almost anything do WONT fit into there mouths. They try eating larger stuff but there retricted by there mouth side.
Time of day? Iv caught them before sunup and iv caught them in midnight but you want light for best success so you can sightfish them and know where your going to land them.
Bring a floating line with a 12ft leader and your set. I dont like to use sink tip but im sure you could if you wanted too and the same goes with indicators unless the water is really choppy. They will bend 8wts like its cheese and there really fun on the 4wt because they will take you into your backing and you can really give that fish a hookset. Anything bigger then a 5wt and you want a firm hookset but not enough to rip it loose because there mouth is really soft. It also helps tying your flies with a wide gap hook it really helps when your fishing whites!
Have fun!

[Flieguy]

Thanks for all the info! Just one more thing... where should i go? I live between Priddis and Bragg creek. where would be my best bet within 2 hours?

[wildbill]

Just got into fly fishing for lkwtfsh this summer, pretty awesome action, closest thing to fishin for trout on some of these southern reservoirs. If your in the Lethbridge area talk to the wise man in the fly fishing department at Wholesale sports, he and his buddies are gurus in this type of fishing. I often find myself just going there to b.s. with him, he is a very good man and has helped alot over the years with fly fishing. Bead head wire worm tied on a scud hook sz 10-6 provides some serious action 4'-6' below a bobber type indacator. These are extremely easy and durable flies to tie. I put a dab of head cement on the shank to stop the copper wire from spinning and then put some on when I'm done tying the fly. P.S. it took me like a year to get this info out of the "wise man" actually, come to think of it I ran into these two older gentlemen fly fishing at Ridge who were just slaughtering the whitefish with fly rods and, they spilled the beans. They told me their buddy who showed them everything they know about fly fishing for lake whitefish was going to arrive at any moment and, low and behold its the "wise man" from wholesale.

[mr.boats]

Ha ha......I know the "wise man" you speak of too. If he's not on duty and you need help in the fly fishing section at WS, you might as well go home and come back when he's working. He's helped me out a lot over the years and doesn't try to sell me more than I need. Great guy. X2 on the Lake Whites....good fighting fish! I'm still pretty new to fishing for them. Any suggestions on where to fish for them at Ridge?

[wildbill]

Right where it drains into Cross Coulee res. and down below in cross coulee @ the spillway and your right he is one of the only ones in the store who actually know something and, like you said a real straight shooter but, isn't that what fly fishing is all about?

[wildbill]

If you Google bathymetric maps theres some real good srd ones on southern Alberta reservoirs and give a guy a good idea of where the action is, thats how I found that spot. As well you want to get some directions the as well. Now if we were talkin trout water I wouldn't be post that info on here but, there is no shortage of whitefish in these reservoir. Hope this helps and, there still may time to get out before everythings froze cockstiff!

[Lornce]

Another great method besides indicator fishing is using a deep sinking line and a couple of small nymphs. Usually a bead head then a soft hackle trailer. I've also caught them on micro buggers.

[Hydroman]

Caught and LDR a bunch of lake whites using a beaded copper wire worm today at Stafford today. Best action was between 10 am - 2 pm. They were surfacing early, but could not get them to take a dry?

[Bhflyfisher]

Originally Posted by Fish Hunter7

One of my favorite fish to catch on the fly rod. Its like bonefish fishing but only in Canada haha.

How is it anything like bone fishing? Have you ever gone bone fishing?

[Guitarplayingfish]

[1/2 oz Bucktail]

Gotdamn I loves me a good internet scrap. I'll put my cash on BH, he looks tough..... maybe not BGSH tough, but he's gettin there.

Originally Posted by Bhflyfisher

How is it anything like bone fishing? Have you ever gone bone fishing?

On some of the really clear reservoirs they move onto the sandy flats (especially early summer and early fall) to feed. You can see pods of them cruising, and when conditions are right all you have to do is get your fly within about 2-3 feet of them (little weighed nymphs, tiny clousers etc). I was really into it a few years back, biggest ones weighed 6-7 lbs, pretty fun.

[Bhflyfisher]

Originally Posted by jrs

On some of the really clear reservoirs they move onto the sandy flats (especially early summer and early fall) to feed. You can see pods of them cruising, and when conditions are right all you have to do is get your fly within about 2-3 feet of them (little weighed nymphs, tiny clousers etc). I was really into it a few years back, biggest ones weighed 6-7 lbs, pretty fun.

Ah geez, i wrote up a whole reply, but thought twice and its not even worth starting another ridiculous thread about.

but i will ask if you're fishing .5-2'/ankle deep water for the so called bone fish of alberta.

Yup, I've seen them shallow enough their dorsals occasionally break the surface. Not the same obviously, but as close as the prairies can provide. Can usually watch them come up and slam the fly when conditions are just right. I see why guys make the comparison.

[Bhflyfisher]

Originally Posted by jrs

Yup, I've seen them shallow enough their dorsals occasionally break the surface. Not the same obviously, but as close as the prairies can provide. Can usually watch them come up and slam the fly when conditions are just right. I see why guys make the comparison.

Well if you've seen those conditions then i could see the similarities but that happens very rarely. But if you've ever been bone fishing, you'd know it really is nothing like it. At all.

[crazyfish]

I've also used the flies in winter to much success while icefishing ! Found that tying some of them with hook point up got the best catch ratios !

As for flies , I have had success with bead head nymphs , backswimmers , and shrimp flies in summer or winter. Good luck

[Speckle55]

First picture is a Bonefish not me
Second is a Lake Whitefish Talbot Lake

Hang on for either with a Fly Rod the run's are Smoking

David

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[hard_azz]

hot dam i'm gonna make a real good effort at tryin this out after ice out... i have always fished them thru the ice and i could only imagine how hard they would pull on the line when they got nothin but open water. i heard of guys goin for them with the fly gear but never really had an idea of where to start. thanks for the info guys

[Albertafisher]

Originally Posted by Bhflyfisher

Well if you've seen those conditions then i could see the similarities but that happens very rarely. But if you've ever been bone fishing, you'd know it really is nothing like it. At all.

No man, it's the same. Basically save your travel money and go to Talbot lake

[Bhflyfisher]

Originally Posted by Albertafisher

No man, it's the same. Basically save your travel money and go to Talbot lake

Love fishing for bonefish with a bobber and wire worm.

[Albertafisher]

Originally Posted by Bhflyfisher

Love fishing for bonefish with a bobber and wire worm.

Especially when you use chum to bring them all in, then you HAMMER 'em.

[ESOXangler]

Originally Posted by Bhflyfisher

Love fishing for bonefish with a bobber and wire worm.

you haven't bonefished until you do it out of a clam nanook!

Besides who cares if its close or not, to the one guy it was, so thats how he looks at it and it makes him enjoy it more. Your wife might think your pretty but I don't! But that's just my opinion! Much like his an opinion.

[BEL]

I have bonefished also. The depth we fished was between 2 feet and 15. The 15foot depth was the best. We could see about 1000 of them pooling together. The approach the guide used was very similar to the wire worm and bobber. In the shallow stuff we used fly rods. So in defense of FH, he is correct, it is close. Not trying to start a fight. BEL

[wildbill]

Originally Posted by Flieguy

Anyone tried this? I would be interested in it! I don't know a ton about Lake Whitefish other than what I've read in "fish of alberta", but I'd be open to try it out

Did you ever give this a try?

[FlyTheory]

I've wanted to, but no opportunity this summer!

[wildbill]

Originally Posted by FlyTheory

I've wanted to, but no opportunity this summer!

Spring and fall are the best times, if you like trout, you'd like these!

[smitty9]

I love to bonefish near my home at Whitemud Creek. G*#@%mn chub minnows strip at least 6 feet of line off my -1 weight rod. As always, the Royal coachmen shrimp damsel is the ticket.

[BigSky]

Originally Posted by Bhflyfisher

Well if you've seen those conditions then i could see the similarities but that happens very rarely. But if you've ever been bone fishing, you'd know it really is nothing like it. At all.

Bonefish? What the hell are bonefish? I've never even heard of one, let alone catch one. Can you teach me how, Great Master?

[SNAPFisher]

I'm with BH on this one...