Whitefish in near bonnyvile?

[I.catch.fish.]

A wile back I was fishing at moose lake (near bonnyville) and I snagged a white fish and it was the only white fish I’ve ever caught and I was wondering if someone had any information an how to catch them. I don’t need the specific spots but just what to use and we’re to look for them

[3blade]

The big ones will hit size 6 and 7 rattlin rapalas, caught a few when trolling for pike and walleye

To specifically target them in open water is a whole different thing. They feed on sand or mud flats early in the morning. On calm days you can see them with polarized glasses. A 1/8th or smaller jig with a maggot or gulp plastic, with a 4-6 lb fluoro leader, under a small properly balanced slip bobber, cast well ahead of them will sometimes work. Fly fishing with a nymph and indicator can be awesome. It’s tough though, they will often chase and refuse at the last second or spit the hook before you can set it, and when they turn off it’s usually over for the day.

In most of our lakes the flesh is soft in summer. Winter is usually better. Get them killed, bled out, gutted and ON ICE immediately, and in the brine for smoking as soon as you get home. Dont let em flop around and sit on a stringer in 70+ degree water, if you do that it’s not even good for cat food (and I don’t like cats). Trim all the red/dark meat off the skin side of the fillet. Smoke or bake as you like the day of the catch or the day after, they don’t freeze well either.

[schleprock]

Cold lake has lots. About 30 years ago, some Saskatchewan friends were setting their nets in hopes of cashing in on the 100,000 pound whitefish quota that was available. Some dorks targeted the lake trout and caught the 500 pound quota limit early on the first day immediately shutting down the netting season. This was on the far east side of the lake. With only the First Nation and Métis being allowed to net the whitefish, there should be tons of them to catch if you can figure them out.

[chucklesthe3rd]

Late summer right now so target deep water main lake basin mud flats for the most action. Wire worms on a Carolina rig fished vertically off the side of the boat with a flasher/down imaging is great fun as you can seem them chase your wireworm up and down. Electronics can help so much since whitefish are such light biters that you'll only detect them when you're pulling the wireworm up and away. I see a lot of guys here down in the southern reservoirs using their ice rods this same way but hooking into a whitefish on a 6'6 med light is so much more fun. This rig under a bobber set up also works but is definitely more finicky. I wouldn't fish closer than 4ft to the bottom if anything the should be suspended up in the mid water column.

Chuck

[I.catch.fish.]

How deep of water do they live in

[fordtruckin]

I’ve had luck using something called a rattle disaster made in Polson Montana. Green on green. 1/4oz cut one of the barbs of the treble and put a green grub tail on it the opposite of the lure. Light on dark dark on light. Past that it’s just jigging. The whitefish we have are all eating perch and they are very light biters. Pretty much bounce the rig off the bottom and then suspend it 3-4” off the bottom.

As for eating them, like someone else said cut anything that isn’t white off fillet. That’s where the nasty oily fish taste comes from imo. Past that I’ve baked them with lemon juice butter and old bay and they turned out good. Probably the best way is get your favorite fish fry batter and deep fry them. Personally I’m not too worried about bleeding them right away and not freezing them. We’ve caught coolers full then spent a couple hours filleting them. I still have a freezer bag or two full from last summer. I fried some up back in May and they were fine. It ain’t no bluegill walleye or halibut but they’re decent table fare. WAY better then trout….

[fordtruckin]

We were catching whitefish here in Montana in about 55-65’. Largest ones ive ever seen. 23” and 26-3/4” were the largest I caught yesterday. It’s quite the whitefish season.

[Tungsten,]

Look at deep line chironomid fishing,there's a thread here in fly fishing.
Easy to catch,just have to find them.

[Penner]

A lot of the whitefish in the lakes north of Bonnyville are infested with tape worm cysts.

[chucklesthe3rd]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

We were catching whitefish here in Montana in about 55-65’. Largest ones ive ever seen. 23” and 26-3/4” were the largest I caught yesterday. It’s quite the whitefish season.

Those whites down there get so big off their baitfish diet

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by chucklesthe3rd

Those whites down there get so big off their baitfish diet

Loads of baby perch when we fillet them. Sucks I got weathered out the second day I had to go. Have to wait until next years run to go again now.