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Lake whitefish, a pale, shy member of the trout/salmon family Salmonidae, has long been a mainstay of the commercial catch in the Great Lakes because of its exceptional flavor, convenient size, and habit of schooling. Until recently, few sport anglers had discovered the special techniques required to catch lake whitefish, but this situation is changing, and any angler who has learned to fish whitefish successfully will find it well worth the effort. The reclusive lake whitefish prefers to swim in the company of a school
of fellow whitefish in the gloomy, cool water of the Great Lakes at depths
of up to 200 feet and deeper as summer’s heat climbs, the main reason it
requires extra skill to catch one. The whitefish spawns in early winter in
shallow rock or sand bottomed lake waters less than 25 feet deep. The young
hatch the following spring, and grow large enough to leave the protective
shallows for deeper waters by early summer. Whitefish generally grow
rapidly, but this varies by region and food supply. Lake whitefish can reach
a size of more than 20 pounds and an age of over 25 years, although this was
more commonplace 50 years ago. Although depletion of whitefish stocks by
over-fishing and environmental deterioration had drastically reduced
commercial yields, environmental cleanup and careful fishery management of
the late 1960s has largely remedied this.
Unlike its large-mouthed trout and salmon cousins, the lake whitefish has
a small, exceedingly delicate mouth (another challenge for the angler) and
it is therefore confined to dining on insects, freshwater shrimp, small fish
and fish eggs, and bottom organisms. Most feeding takes place on or near
lake-bottoms. Whitefish eggs are consumed by yellow perch, ciscoes, burbot,
and even other whitefish. Young whitefish fall prey to lake trout, northern
pike, burbot, walleye, and probably other fish-eating predators. Adults are
taken primarily by man.
COMMON NAME:
Lake whitefish
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Coregonus clupeaformis IDENTIFICATION: The lake whitefish has a long cylindrical body with olive-green to olive-blue coloring and a silvery overcast. The mouth points down and there is a fin located near the tail fin. This fish does not have spines. RANGE AND HABITAT: Lake whitefish are native to the great lakes, and prefer cooler water temperatures. LIFE HISTORY: Lake whitefish spawn in the Western Basin of Lake Erie in shallow bays during fall when water temperatures drop below 50E F. Females spread their eggs over the bottom where they remain until the following spring. Research has shown that cold winters with thick ice cover on whitefish spawning areas increases their spawning success. Ice cover prevents the wind from stirring up the bottom and covering the eggs. In early spring, adult fish migrate to the deeper water of the Eastern Basin in Lake Erie. During this period of the year they can usually be found in deep water (>40 feet) where temperatures are more suitable. Adult fish are primarily bottom feeders. Their diet consists of mollusks, and insect larvae. ADULT SIZE: Lake whitefish average 17 to 22 inches in length and from 1 to 4 pounds in weight. FISHING METHODS: Because of their diet, these fish are rarely caught by anglers. |
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Identifying characteristics: Two dorsal fins including one adipose
fin, blunt nose, fins clear or nearly so, greenish brown back, silver sides.
