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Whitefish in the bwca

lindyman
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lindyman Enthusiast

lindyman

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Hey ya'll,

I'm heading up for our annual laker trip next weekend, but this year I'd like to give the whitefish a shot as well. I've been reading what I can find, and it sounds like a pretty fun time if you can find 'em. Basically, articles I've read suggest fishing the deep holes. The deeper/bigger, the more whitefish will be there. Any of you guys fish whitefish? Do you tend to find them in these deep basins. The lake we're fishing has several deep basins, so if you've got any suggestions I'll send you some smoked whitefish!! I've also read they tend to be schooled up with the lakers (or that they lakers are feeding on them), would you think a good laker spot would tend to be a good whitefish spot?

Once again, thanks for the help....

lindy

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fishermn Experienced

fishermn

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We caught a good sized whitefish once up there jigging for lakers on the edge of a very deep section of the lake. By far the biggest whitefish I have ever seen. But no, I havent ever intentionally went looking for them.

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kkahmann Enthusiast

kkahmann

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It helps to chum for them--popcorn works good--so does canned corn. Then fish a small worm dead flat on the bottom--plain hook. You will occasionaly catch them on small jigging spoons but they have to be very active for that.

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yukon Community Regular

yukon

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Me and a partner net whitefish in the fall. He tried talking me into eating the livers but I thought he was joking. Breaded and fried? How do they taste?

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REEFRAKER Collaborator

REEFRAKER

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I caught one up there once trolling with a rap. I thought I had a laker at first but the fight didn't last long. I've caught them down here and what we use is a small ice fly or teardrop tipped with a waxy. In clear water you can see them come through. Most of the time they will be in schools and chummin does help. Chummin will bring them in and it will keep the school around longer. I've also caught them on a number 2 pimple tipped with a waxy or minnow head. Good Luck

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Catfishunter Collaborator

Catfishunter

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I would use a 1" white pearl panfish tube, no time to re-bait when the schools come through. You can find them in most of the same spots as lakers, they're bonus fish when fishing lakers for me.

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lindyman Enthusiast

lindyman

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Thanks for the info fellas, We're headed up next thursday, I'll let you know how it goes......

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finnbay Proficient

finnbay

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The only one I ever caught was in the summer on a lindy rig and night crawler! It was one of those years when the army worms were bad and it's throat was full of army worms. I do know a couple of locals that used to go up to Prairie Portage and catch them before fishing season in the fast water with fly rods.

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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I don't believe there's anything in the regs about chumming per se (I've never been able to find anything on it directly), though it's illegal to put fish entrails or other fish part back in the water. I suppose a person could get nailed for littering when putting corn or popcorn in the water.

Lindyman, let us know how you do. Those whitefish sure taste amazingly good. I had some smoked whitefish alongside some smoked redfin laker a few weeks ago and they were both great. A bit different from each other, but still great.

I've heard from many people they are excellent filleted and fried like shore lunch walleye.

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fishermn Experienced

fishermn

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Steve, yeah I agree, I had the same question a couple years ago so I emailed it to the DNR and they confirmed it is not legal to chum in Minnesota. That said however, there is no reference to it in the regulations at all. Makes me wonder if they really looked into the answer or?

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lindyman Enthusiast

lindyman

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Thanks for all the info guys. At this point I'm not real confident in a sure-fire spot to fish whitefish. So I think we'll start out doing our regular laker thing, we usually fish a sharp break into a deep basin. The lakers are usually about half way down the break. Hopefully we can get a couple lakers on ice and if so, can start spreading out a little in the basin looking for whitefish. We'll probably just gradually work out from our laker spot into deeper water in hopes of finding a school cruising. Not sure yet how we'll approach fishing them, sounds like a light waxie set up is ideal, but I just love my small glow frosty jigs tipped with a cprappie minnow head. As for chumming...I'm not sure either. I know you can't cut up fish for chum, but corn or popcorn might be allowed. Does the popcorn float down the hole OK, and if you use regular corn does it just rush down to the bottom? I wonder if chumming the bottom would do much if the whitefish are suspended 40ft up. Thanks again for all the help....I will definately be posting a report for you on monday. I'll just have to crop the background out of all the pictures ;\)

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Catfishunter Collaborator

Catfishunter

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Use a bait that wont get ripped off, time re baiting means less fish on the ice. 1 inch tube is my choice.

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