targetting whitefish... depth?

[MikeGuo]

As fishing for lake whitefish is proving too difficult for a newbie like me in the summer, I hear that ice fishing for whitefish is much easier. So when ice fishing for lake whitefish, at what depths are they in usually? I've heard that whitefish likes the deep, colder water, while others have said that they are in shallower water to feed. Instead of driving myself crazy trying to find the right answer, I thought I would just create a thread and see what your guys' thoughts are.

[Barnes19]

I've never targeted Whitefish in the summer but fish for them quite a bit in the winter. January I find they feed in 6-10ft of water and they move into about 15ft after they spawn. Probably not the same for all lakes. The lake I fish for Whites is in Northern AB.

[Speckle55]

They feed where the food is as anywhere in the lake .. at certain times the food is in different areas of the lake .. if its summer you can find them when they rise if feeding on surface .. as always you have to do a bit of personally CSI work

in the winter I have caught them in less than a ft to 14fow .. also I like certain weed beds/bays etc as the numbers of Lake Whitefish are there at certain time of the ice fishing season as the food is there or the spawn is on etc

you can target them in the open water too

1/ where are they
2/why are they there
3/ what food is there
4/what time is supper

some
Food for Thought
David

[EZM]

In most prairie lakes catching a white in summer is tough. They are going to be in deep holes most of time only surfacing temporarily to feed.

In mountain, or deeper, cooler lakes, you can catch them with a little work.

At what depth, is determined by the lake temperature, what they are eating and oxygen levels.

You might catch them at the surface at Minnewanka, Cold Lake etc....BUT at Pigeon, Wabamun ...... they are going deep to hide for the summer.

This is an impossible question to answer with a general response.

[huntsfurfish]

Prairie Reservoirs, frequently see them shallow, just below surface. Ideal targets for fly rod.

[cube]

Originally Posted by MikeGuo

As fishing for lake whitefish is proving too difficult for a newbie like me in the summer, I hear that ice fishing for whitefish is much easier. So when ice fishing for lake whitefish, at what depths are they in usually? I've heard that whitefish likes the deep, colder water, while others have said that they are in shallower water to feed. Instead of driving myself crazy trying to find the right answer, I thought I would just create a thread and see what your guys' thoughts are.

You can indeed catch whitefish year round. Some even feel it's easier in the summer as they are more concentrated. It will require some searching though.

Like in ice fishing you will have to move to find them as at times they're shallow and other times deep. Turn your electronics on and step up the sensitivity if you have to (I always do). If you have an underwater camera for ice fishing great I would use that as well. Go to a spot stay 5-15 min and see what shows up. If nothings show up on sounder or camera move. Remember they are whitefish and just because you found them does not mean they will bite your lure.

There are a number of YouTube and Ontario websites with good info as well.

Good Luck