I've caught my share of whiteys on both the Yak and the Deschutes. I've noticed that when indicator nymphing for trout that I have to adjust my awareness of what constitutes a strike. (I suppose that's a whole 'nother story about how I somehow expect the indicator to flash in neon colors as if to say: Hey dummy... you might want to think about setting the hook some time soon...)
Whiteys have a much subtler take than trout. I recall thinking I had been struck more than once in the same place before I realized that these were probably fish and that I needed to start setting the hook on much less evidence. That turned out to be the key to whitefish success.
These fish also feel quite different from trout when bringing them to net. They don't share the same characteristic head shakes, nor do they have a Redside's two, three, or even four separate runs during the retrieve. It's gratifying when I've correctly anticipated the type of fish before actually seeing it.
I grew up on the east coast eating smoked whitefish as a deli treat, but never dreamed it was the same fish until I had some that was shared by some folks camping in an adjacent site on the Deschutes. I'm primarily a C&R kind of guy, but am considering making an exception for the big whitefish that grow in that river. (If I can only get over what looks to me as an expression of surprise that they all seem to have!)
