What makes a whitefish lake?

[MooseRiverTrapper]

Sylan, Gull, and Pigeon here in the north are notorious producers. I’m sure others I’m not aware of. I’ve spent a lot of time staring down holes on other north central lakes and never seen a white. Yet the limit there is also 10. Come summer time on some of these lakes there is extra large whites dead on the surface. How come there is not a targetable population in some of these lakes, yet there is mature fish.

What does pigeon and the other lakes have to produce year after year?

[Supergrit]

Good question maybe keeping moving around a lot until you can find that place were maybe the white fish move in shallow. Or maybe in some lakes they are out deep takes a camera to or flasher to fish.You are right there is lots of lakes that have big white fish yet I have never heard of anyone catching even one.
From what I seen in order to catch whites in open water the lake should be really clear if isn’t I had no luck at all.

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by MooseRiverTrapper

How come there is not a targetable population in some of these lakes, yet there is mature fish.

Are they actually not targetable or does the greater population just not target them? I have caught whitefish and even cisco on a few lakes I don't know of others targeting or catching them in. Namur lake is one example, I got bored of lock jaw pike and was seeing a couple whitefish so I targeted them and caught a couple, the lodge owner was surprised when I showed him the pictures since no one ever targets or catches them. Similarly on Lesser Slave I caught cisco by targeting a suspended fish after seeing a couple strange marks higher up.

Whitefish are one of the toughest species to target and often have fairly different habits depending on the lake. Sometimes they are shallow, sometimes deep. Sometimes primarily feeding on insects, sometimes more piscivorous. I find that people mainly target them on these central lakes because the options to keep other more desirable fish species have greatly declined(can barely keep a walleye, perch or pike anymore on most of these lakes) so people have learned how to catch the whitefish instead. Some of these lakes, primarily Sylvan produce quite a few whites while others like Pigeon produce some but not as many especially now with as many walleye as there is in the lake.

What makes a great whitefish lake I am not entirely sure. My guess would be clearer cooler waters with good oxygen levels (since they are prone to dying off in low oxygen and high temperature conditions). Abundance of spawning habitat and insect life. Not too many predators(big pike or lakers).

[pikeman06]

Lot of northern lakes have whites that are very wormy, the tapeworm cysts are in the meat and the locals won't touch them. The central lakes mentioned plus south buck, smoke, battle, lac st. Anne, snipe just to name a few all have excellent quality big whitefish that will bite a hook of some sort. Sometimes it's a time of year. Some of the lakes I mentioned don't seem to have much of a population of smaller whites. I think the big whites are selective as to what they feed on and that's why they only come in for a curious look but refuse from 4 or 5 feet away. Those ones are frustrating to try to catch. First thing in the morning is a must in my opinion and shallow (less than 10 ft) so I can sight fish and maybe turn the hook at the last minute or drop it to get them to turn around and try it again. There are guys who ice fish deep for whites with flashers that do okay it seems too but I certainly can't give much useful info on that tactic I lose patience very quick fishing whites deep.

[MooseRiverTrapper]

Oddest for me was catching them fairly consistently on big jigs one time at Pierce in 80’ targeting trout.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by pikeman06

Lot of northern lakes have whites that are very wormy, the tapeworm cysts are in the meat and the locals won't touch them. The central lakes mentioned plus south buck, smoke, battle, lac st. Anne, snipe just to name a few all have excellent quality big whitefish that will bite a hook of some sort. Sometimes it's a time of year. Some of the lakes I mentioned don't seem to have much of a population of smaller whites. I think the big whites are selective as to what they feed on and that's why they only come in for a curious look but refuse from 4 or 5 feet away. Those ones are frustrating to try to catch. First thing in the morning is a must in my opinion and shallow (less than 10 ft) so I can sight fish and maybe turn the hook at the last minute or drop it to get them to turn around and try it again. There are guys who ice fish deep for whites with flashers that do okay it seems too but I certainly can't give much useful info on that tactic I lose patience very quick fishing whites deep.

This^^

I fish Central lakes because they are not wormy. I used to find some gut worms in Pigeon and Sylvan whites but nothing like that in years now. Northern lakes are full of wormy whites.

[Kim473]

Saw them on the camera once at North Buck. About 10 feet away or more, they looked towards the hook but kept on going. The only time in 10 or more times out.

[PlayDoh]

This might not be related to whites, but I’ve often wondered if fish have adapted to anglers as a food source. Take Pigeon for example. The amount of minnows put in the water by us has to compete with a natural source, I would think.
Especially at the ‘offshore parking lot’ by the provincial park. I’d guess the fish don’t shy away from being caught, sort to speak since it’s a fair trade for a good chance at an easy meal. With little chance of not being released.
Perhaps the popular lakes for whites have altered their behavior? Or it’s simply that they are focused on their target insects, which are more abundant on the harder to catch lakes. When there’s more natural food available, the less chance your lure has. If the balance of whites to a food supply is heavier to either side, the greater the effect on angling.
If I’m not mistaken, whites are notorious for having tunnel vision, with their heads down, sucking up insects and rejecting anything else. Compared to other game fish which are much more opportunistic, and have a more diversified diet. There’s many more insects than baitfish.
Just a thought.

[dodgeboy1979]

Originally Posted by MooseRiverTrapper

Oddest for me was catching them fairly consistently on big jigs one time at Pierce in 80’ targeting trout.

I've caught them on my down riggers at Lac La Plonge. Really weird they will strike a william's wobbler whitefish spoon lol

[slough shark]

Down south there are good numbers of whitefish, I see them all the time in open water, heck look at the number of fish the commercial guys used to pull out of each lake. Problem is I think each lake they behave differently and hang out in different spots, one needs to try and figure them out at each lake it seems.

[Zip-in-Z]

The deeper the better.

D.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by PlayDoh

This might not be related to whites, but I’ve often wondered if fish have adapted to anglers as a food source. Take Pigeon for example. The amount of minnows put in the water by us has to compete with a natural source, I would think.
Especially at the ‘offshore parking lot’ by the provincial park. I’d guess the fish don’t shy away from being caught, sort to speak since it’s a fair trade for a good chance at an easy meal. With little chance of not being released.
Perhaps the popular lakes for whites have altered their behavior? Or it’s simply that they are focused on their target insects, which are more abundant on the harder to catch lakes. When there’s more natural food available, the less chance your lure has. If the balance of whites to a food supply is heavier to either side, the greater the effect on angling.
If I’m not mistaken, whites are notorious for having tunnel vision, with their heads down, sucking up insects and rejecting anything else. Compared to other game fish which are much more opportunistic, and have a more diversified diet. There’s many more insects than baitfish.
Just a thought.

Interesting theory but I seriously doubt it.

Whites are a very curious fish. Anyone that had done ice fishing with a cam will attest. They come on in to look at almost anything and more than any other fish. They are crappy at the final commit to the bite. I think this has more to do with small mouths than bad eyes. I've sight watched whites this year come up out of 30 FOW to grab a small bug at the bottom of the hole. Exceptional eyesight and commitment!

In the end though, to get them to commit you need to mimic their food source either in color, shape and movement. If you hit on all 3 you have the winning combination.

[Speckle55]

I use this nymph in summer fly fishing with indicator

also this shows color n movement

Blood worms are food for Lake Whitefish
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQwau_uSyy4

I will also just strip through a school of Lake Whitefish

I will on Winter ice use a Backswimmer imitation which works in summer too!

as always a little movement will create a strike (Aqua view mini)

some parts of lake will show u fish(May rising Lake Whitefish feeding )

as all ways this is

Food for thought

David