11-21-2016, 09:20 PM
[#0000FF]FatBiker has put in a reservation for a few whitefish on flies too.
FWIW...some fly flingers have done reasonably well on the whitefish. Others have gotten little more than exercise.
The key elements in catching whities on ANYTHING are:
1. Location and timing: You gotta be where the fish are...and active. They move around and their preferred locations can be different under different water levels and temperature conditions. But if you can find active fish then the other factors emerge.
2. Depth: The fish may be in water anywhere from 5' to 15' deep. Usually split the difference as a good place to start. Once you find the right depth, keep working it as long as the fish keep biting. The main thing is keeping your jig or fly within about a foot of the bottom...without getting "a piece of the rock". These fish usually feed looking down...unlike many species that feed looking up. If you fish above the whities you might get a cutt or two but not as many whitefish.
3. Presentation: Slow stripping and pauses will get more "inquiries" than fast retrieves. Some anglers report fish picking up their offerings while resting on the bottom. That is usually tipping with bait but not always. A good looking fly or jig will get bit.
4. Size and color: Bonneville whitefish are mostly piscivorous...eating small fry of several species. They also eat invertebrates and small sculpins. Flies in white, silver, gold or black...or dark green or brown...can all be effective. Anything from 1" to 3" will work. 1 1/2" and 2" plastics are favored by jig fishermen. Similar sized buggers and clousers will get the job done with a long wand.
Some experienced whitefish fly rodders prefer a faster sinking line...to get down quicker and to keep the flies deep as long as possible on the retrieve. Others do fine with a medium sink...or even a sink tip line when the fish are in skinnier water.
Having experienced the fickleness of these fish for a few years now, I might recommend that the would be fly flingers also go armed with a light spinning rod and some jigs. You can work a lot more water by fan casting with jigs. Toss the jigs...tipped with a piece of crawler...until you find the fish and the depth. Then break out the feathers and go head on 'til your head hurts.
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FWIW...some fly flingers have done reasonably well on the whitefish. Others have gotten little more than exercise.
The key elements in catching whities on ANYTHING are:
1. Location and timing: You gotta be where the fish are...and active. They move around and their preferred locations can be different under different water levels and temperature conditions. But if you can find active fish then the other factors emerge.
2. Depth: The fish may be in water anywhere from 5' to 15' deep. Usually split the difference as a good place to start. Once you find the right depth, keep working it as long as the fish keep biting. The main thing is keeping your jig or fly within about a foot of the bottom...without getting "a piece of the rock". These fish usually feed looking down...unlike many species that feed looking up. If you fish above the whities you might get a cutt or two but not as many whitefish.
3. Presentation: Slow stripping and pauses will get more "inquiries" than fast retrieves. Some anglers report fish picking up their offerings while resting on the bottom. That is usually tipping with bait but not always. A good looking fly or jig will get bit.
4. Size and color: Bonneville whitefish are mostly piscivorous...eating small fry of several species. They also eat invertebrates and small sculpins. Flies in white, silver, gold or black...or dark green or brown...can all be effective. Anything from 1" to 3" will work. 1 1/2" and 2" plastics are favored by jig fishermen. Similar sized buggers and clousers will get the job done with a long wand.
Some experienced whitefish fly rodders prefer a faster sinking line...to get down quicker and to keep the flies deep as long as possible on the retrieve. Others do fine with a medium sink...or even a sink tip line when the fish are in skinnier water.
Having experienced the fickleness of these fish for a few years now, I might recommend that the would be fly flingers also go armed with a light spinning rod and some jigs. You can work a lot more water by fan casting with jigs. Toss the jigs...tipped with a piece of crawler...until you find the fish and the depth. Then break out the feathers and go head on 'til your head hurts.
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