Fly Fishing For Whitefish??? Help Please

[justinO]

Has anyone targeted Lake Whitefish on the fly? I have been seeing so many hitting top water all summer and always say I should have brought my fly rod. Well this weekend I am taking my rods I think it will be a ton of fun If I can figure them out. If you have any experience with this and feel like helping me out that would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Justin

[pikergolf]

I've always had the best luck on a caddis imitation. I would just see what they are rising to and imitate the nymph form of that. If they are not rising I've had good luck on a bright green 52 buick. Good luck!!

[Dust1n]

getting a lake whites to take a dry in a lake is very hard and you will only have limited chances. Using a waterboatman on sinktip is way easier way to get them or double cronimids under an indicator

[Gust]

what fh7 said or try a black fuzzy wingless thing #12 hook,,, after you get one you will exclaim,,, "WHY TROUT??" honestly, if you get one, you'll wonder why more people don't target them with a flyrod. this music is like catching one,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy84N_U5jw0

[justinO]

Thanks guys for all the help Ill try all these flies. I think they are hitting something that looks like a caddis but looked darker to me the lake is litered with them might be caddis...
Hopefully I can catch a few this weekend

[sather19]

Catch lots on hares ear bead head with a very slow drift on sylvan.

[npauls]

Catch lots on hares ear bead head with a very slow drift on sylvan.

Bingo!

I slammed a ton of lake whites last year on that same pattern on a slow drift.

I will be back to the same spot this season to try and get into more of them.

There is some big whites roaming around and they put up a good scrap on the 4 wt. fly rod

[Calgaryguy1977]

I've caught several on black prince nymphs with a little red in them. And as FH7 said, hares ear also seems to work well!
http://www.uppermidwestflyfishing.com/photos/data/500/medium/Prince_Nymph.jpg

[fish gunner]

× 2 on boatmen. possibly now or in the near future there will be a huge ant hatch depending on the moon. sz14 or smaller. the white fish luv them. cast then sit down brings fish closer while still feeding with confidence.

[trigger7mm]

Hello all, do you use floating or sinking line with your presentations? Thanks.

[npauls]

Hello all, do you use floating or sinking line with your presentations? Thanks.

I use a floating line and indicator.

[Dust1n]

Floating line with a 12foot leader

[fish gunner]

9' to 4× then 2' 4lbs tippit. I have a old 5wt floating line that's had better days so it sinks super slow works great for presenting flies just under the surface. its not cracked or damaged in any way it just does not float like it used to. dries on a full floating with same leader.

[justinO]

Awesome, Thanks for all the help. So what type of retireval are you guys using? When ice fishing for whites seems they don't require much movement is it the same now? Are you just letting your line sit? or are you stripping it in slow or fast or just try different things till one hits? What kind of hit is it?

[Speckle55]

Great tips guys ..:thinking-006: enjoyed reading all your posts ,

Fresh Water Bone Fish = Jumbo Lake Whitefish imo

i have nothing to add we have some Masters in the Art

nice teaching:test:

Thanks for Sharing

David:)

[Gust]

Awesome, Thanks for all the help. So what type of retireval are you guys using? When ice fishing for whites seems they don't require much movement is it the same now? Are you just letting your line sit? or are you stripping it in slow or fast or just try different things till one hits? What kind of hit is it?

How odd I was just about to post this,,,, stripping your line should be done steadily slow slow sslow sssssssslow and allow the natural wave movement to work your bug. If by a canal, cast and walk the shore allowing the current to work it and retreive with slight twitches, then walk up and repeat. If you get one you will get many

[justinO]

Awesome will do, I was going to start very slow and then work it up if nothing was hitting. I will be fishing from my boat not sure if that will change anything. I have seen them hitting top water all around me all summer I would prefer to catch them top water because who doesn't enjoy seeing fish hit top water :sHa_shakeshout:
I'll hopefully have pics and stories to share..
Thanks again for all the help
Justin

[noobsauce]

Awesome info, thanks. I will be trying tis out tomorrow

[Saltmania]

what fh7 said or try a black fuzzy wingless thing #12 hook,,, after you get one you will exclaim,,, "WHY TROUT??" honestly, if you get one, you'll wonder why more people don't target them with a flyrod. this music is like catching one,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy84N_U5jw0

I like Prokofiev, but I don't see the whitefish connection...lol
Rimsky-Korsakov would suit better. Flight of the Bumblebee or the allegro molto from Scheherazade? Your username used to be Mahler right?