Essential tips and tactics for catching whitefish all winter long

TACTICS

I’ll never forget one of my best days of ice fishing, when a good friend and I left work early and raced out to Alberta’s Lake Wabamun. It was late in the season and there were a few inches of water on the ice, so we had to wear rubber boots. After drilling several holes, we sat on our buckets and dropped down wire worms.

No one was using shelters because of the flooded ice, but they didn’t have to—the water was only three feet deep, and the action was spectacular. And while winter whitefish can be difficult to catch, finesse fishing definitely wasn’t necessary. The bite was fast and furious, with the whitefish feeding frenzy continuing all afternoon and into the evening.

Unfortunately, it’s not always like that. Fishing for winter whites can be hit or miss, and on most days it’s an exercise in finessing the hook to just the right depth for the fish to inhale it. With these often selective feeders, precision is the name of the game. On top of that, ice fishing for winter whites typically involves sight-fishing by staring down a hole in shallow water from inside a dark tent, or fishing deeper water using a flasher or an underwater camera.

JIGGING

The most proven technique for fishing winter whites involves jigging the lure with one smooth lift, allowing it to settle back to the bottom, sometimes churning up the sand a bit, then lifting it back up to your target depth (typically six to 12 inches off bottom, but it varies). Over the years, I’ve found a slow jigging motion, with a 10- to 15-second pause, is the most effective.

The odd time, whitefish will race in and smash your bait, but that’s the exception. Your jigging action will certainly attract the fish, but sometimes you’ll find they prefer your offering to remain motionless before they actually eat it. That’s when having a set line with a device such a JawJacker can be ideal. It holds the bait still with the rod tip bent down, and when a fish touches the bait, the rod tip is released and springs upward, setting the hook.

SIGHT-FISHING

While you can sight-fish in four to eight feet of water on sandy flats near weedbeds, this tactic works better in somewhat deeper water. It’s also preferable to sight-fish from inside an ice-fishing shelter. In the tent’s dark interior, it’s much easier to see these silver, slender-backed fish approach and inhale the hook. In my experience, water clarity also matters, as whites can be attracted visually, as well as by smell.

Lake whitefish habitually cruise, sometimes in loose schools, in search of food. If they like what they see and swim in for a closer look, they’ll sometimes inhale it. More often, however, they’ll make what looks like a feeble attempt to strike, best described as a swim-by “mock attack.” In such cases, the whitefish need some coaxing to take the hook, and that’s where sight-fishing excels. By closely observing the fish, you can respond directly to their actions and keep your bait at the right depth.

Many experienced whitefish anglers actually forgo rods, opting for handlines instead. This lets them spin their line to orient the lure toward the fish, making it as easy as possible for the fish to inhale it. The less effort these fish have to make to take the bait, the better your chances of catching one.

Whitefish are also notorious for just cruising by, seemingly oblivious to your offering. This can be frustrating, but keep doing what you were doing—it brought them in once, so they’ll likely return for another look. I’ve had many whites swim by three or four times before finally taking a swipe at my bait, for example. And when they do decide to bite, they’ll sometimes snatch your offering with little warning. Most often, however, you’ll see them leisurely cruise in to inhale the lure.

ELECTRONICS

If you’re fishing in deeper water, a reliable flasher or underwater camera (or both) can be a game-changer. These devices provide critical information to help you to respond to the fish by working your lure accordingly, much like you would when sight-fishing. With the gain setting properly adjusted to identify detail, you can easily observe fish approaching the mark made by your lure. And by experimenting with different jigging actions, or by simply leaving you lure dead in the water, you can learn what attracts the fish and prompts them to strike.

Most recently, some of my best hardwater angling for whitefish has involved the use of a Marcum underwater camera. Literally illuminating the bottom, it allows you to see precisely how the fish are moving down below, how they’re approaching the lure, and other variables that may be affecting how aggressively or timidly they’re biting. In the end, the results speak for themselves—put electronics to work, and you’re sure to put more fish on the ice.

TASTY REWARDS

Lake whitefish fillets are incredibly flavourful, especially when marinated in a favourite brine, or better yet, smoked. If you’re willing to deal with the bones, baking whole whitefish with lemons, lemon pepper and garlic butter can also result in a delectable meal. Like all fish, just be sure not to overcook it.