Small river I fish in Washington is absolutely loaded with them and I have broken off a few really large ones on light gear. They seem to eat most stuff but I have been surprised by how readily they take streamers. Can be hard to keep them on the hook though.
The Mountain Whitefish, aka Short Fin Grayling thread
- Thread starter Tom Butler
- Start date
Fished a spot on the Crooked I call the Handi-hole... has access docks. Claiming double point for fish caught off a dock.
Was pleasantly surprised to find this on the end of my line down in SWW.
SilverFly
Legend
I have never seen or caught one on that crick in many years of fishing, and even some snorkeling in my youth. No denying that is 100% mountain whitefish, and I'm waaay more stoked than I should be!
A good sign for cold clean water
Another surprise when going after Cutts. I have never caught or saw a whitefish on this particular river in the hundred or so times I have fished it previously. Caught it on a hybrid mashup of a pheasant tail and perdigon nymph I was experimenting with.
I’m a fellow whitefish fan. I’m gonna spend some time this next winter during whitefish season and have at it.
that is a tank of a whitey!
SilverFly
Legend
Is it wrong that pic makes me want to get started building my smoke house?
um, not wrong at all!
They are quite good in the smoker.
Weird bulb on the snozzle? Have you guys ever got these big ones with the strange beluga nose?
I have a pic somewhere around (it may be earlier in this thread) that looks like a damn rhinoceros....
That bad boy has been hard at work rooting around the rocks. Not sure but the inferior location of the mouth says bottom feeder to me. Maybe got sucker punched
Polymorphic mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) in a coastal riverscape: Size class assemblages, distribution, and habitat associations
Fluvial mountain whitefish (<italic>Prosopium williamsoni</italic>) offer a rare example of trophic polymorphism among stream dwelling salmonids in temperate North American river systems. Trophic polymorphism is a form of resource-based phenotypic diversification that occurs when exploitation of...
digital.lib.washington.edu
"Pinocchio whitefish develop an elongated snout used to overturn substrate while foraging for benthic invertebrates, whereas normal whitefish have an even sloping head shape and feed primarily on drifting prey. I hypothesized that (1) morphotypes would be associated with distinctly different habitat features based on known feeding behavior and diet, and (2) these differences in habitat association would segregate morphotypes at channel unit and reach scales. "
That Pinocchio whitie must be a flyfisher cuz he's obviously a damn liar!Polymorphic mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) in a coastal riverscape: Size class assemblages, distribution, and habitat associations
Fluvial mountain whitefish (<italic>Prosopium williamsoni</italic>) offer a rare example of trophic polymorphism among stream dwelling salmonids in temperate North American river systems. Trophic polymorphism is a form of resource-based phenotypic diversification that occurs when exploitation of...
"Pinocchio whitefish develop an elongated snout used to overturn substrate while foraging for benthic invertebrates, whereas normal whitefish have an even sloping head shape and feed primarily on drifting prey. I hypothesized that (1) morphotypes would be associated with distinctly different habitat features based on known feeding behavior and diet, and (2) these differences in habitat association would segregate morphotypes at channel unit and reach scales. "
SilverFly
Legend
On the whitey board! Thought I hooked Moby Whitefish right away, but turned out to be a foul hooked sucker. Legit tested my cheapo 4wt though. Tried various patterns/rigs with no action. Was about to give up when this little guy ate a simple #14 dubbed body nymph on an indi rig. And yes, I bonked it for a taste test. About half the size of the two I hooked last week.
