Which Lake had the bigest White fish in central Alberta

[Gbuss]

I noticed this summer on wab a lot more whites with size. I would follow them with the livescope and watch them surface. This was during a mayfly hatch. Just because you don't see them on camera or in 2ft of water doesn't mean they are ot their.

Gbuss

[chucklesthe3rd]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I find the bigger they are the fattier they are.

Once they hit the mid 2lb mark they get those big globs of fat in their belly and red meat, yuck.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by pikeman06

So how's the hatch and spawn recruitment from these whites in pigeon or gull or buck or st anne or wabamun. Let's see some real data!!! Sure 30 years ago the lakes were alive with whites, we all have cameras, these lakes are toast!!! The old timers fishing pigeon and wab and gull weren't catching ten pound whites, they were fishing healthy year classes that are long gone boys.

LOL, real data...
How about reading the netting reports for Gull. You can find your "real data" there.

Or how about the white from Pigeon last year on the top right.



Caught one that was 1.5 lbs (Sylvan sized). Caught and released another 10 or so that were the size in the pic or smaller even and all in the same day too.

It would help you to understand better if you actually caught whites. You would find some real data then.

[pikeman06]

Oh, its you again...like a coldsore. Set my clock on you chiming in and defying logic just for the sake of arguing. Right on pal. Merry Xmas. You want some fish pictures? I'll send them directly to your sorry ass. Had a pretty good year like 95 percent of the guys on here I'm sure but we don't all need to post a picture of every fish we catch, but some guys like the sound of their own voices it seems. If you think your precious pigeon lake is a healthy fishery you are on crystal methamphetamine.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by pikeman06

Oh, its you again...like a coldsore. Set my clock on you chiming in and defying logic just for the sake of arguing. Right on pal. Merry Xmas. You want some fish pictures? I'll send them directly to your sorry ass. Had a pretty good year like 95 percent of the guys on here I'm sure but we don't all need to post a picture of every fish we catch, but some guys like the sound of their own voices it seems. If you think your precious pigeon lake is a healthy fishery you are on crystal methamphetamine.

Not arguing, just get a kick out of how ignorant your posts are - not in a good way. I'm sure you've set some kind of record in that regard.

I never said anything about a healthy fishery. You just got your panties in a bunch on that one. You wanted "real data" about whitefish and recruitment since you cannot get any yourself. Clearly it is happening, nothing else to be said.

[Curtsyneil]

Originally Posted by pikeman06

Oh, its you again...like a coldsore. Set my clock on you chiming in and defying logic just for the sake of arguing. Right on pal. Merry Xmas. You want some fish pictures? I'll send them directly to your sorry ass. Had a pretty good year like 95 percent of the guys on here I'm sure but we don't all need to post a picture of every fish we catch, but some guys like the sound of their own voices it seems. If you think your precious pigeon lake is a healthy fishery you are on crystal methamphetamine.

I would just like to ask you what “data” do you have to make a comment that pigeon lake isn’t a healthy fishery?

[Supergrit]

Little Mcleod lake has big white fish it’s strange for years 90 percent of whitefish were small and now most are big. A lot fewer fish and they are hard to catch now

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Pioneer2

80% of a walleye's diet is perch

My own observations have been that they eat plenty of whitefish too. I'm no big-water wizard, but a lot of my biggest walleye have been caught trolling cranks in open water, nowhere near the bottom. Those walleye all had whites and tullibee in them.

My own theory is that with the perch severely depleted, fish of a size to move on from eating shiners will start to move up to juvenile whitefish. Once again, I'm not a big-water guy, I dont have the equipment and I dont particularly enjoy that type of fishing.... but if someone knowledgeable and determine were to apply these tactics to a number of pike/ walleye lakes that I fish, I think the results would be eye opening.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

My own observations have been that they eat plenty of whitefish too. I'm no big-water wizard, but a lot of my biggest walleye have been caught trolling cranks in open water, nowhere near the bottom. Those walleye all had whites and tullibee in them.

My own theory is that with the perch severely depleted, fish of a size to move on from eating shiners will start to move up to juvenile whitefish. Once again, I'm not a big-water guy, I dont have the equipment and I dont particularly enjoy that type of fishing.... but if someone knowledgeable and determine were to apply these tactics to a number of pike/ walleye lakes that I fish, I think the results would be eye opening.

Look into basin musky tactics it works for big pike

It’s not uncommon at all for walleye to key in of whitefish/tullibe even if perch are supposed to be a preferred forage. Another overlooked forage is burbot fry. Overall predatory fish in general will key in on whatever they can find in abundant appropriate sized forage. Soft fin fatty fish are definitely a target for all predators. More times than not they are switching forage throughout the season depending on what provides the best opportunity for the least effort

Not a big walleye guy but I do target pike in deeper water that are keyed in on bait more than structure. Actually had some good days jigging them with big rubber(something 12-14inch lures) in 20+ft of water. Electronics are definitely needed to locate them and often I stumble on these opportunities traveling between locations

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Look into basin musky tactics it works for big pike

It’s not uncommon at all for walleye to key in of whitefish/tullibe even if perch are supposed to be a preferred forage. Another overlooked forage is burbot fry. Overall predatory fish in general will key in on whatever they can find in abundant appropriate sized forage. Soft fin fatty fish are definitely a target for all predators. More times than not they are switching forage throughout the season depending on what provides the best opportunity for the least effort

Not a big walleye guy but I do target pike in deeper water that are keyed in on bait more than structure. Actually had some good days jigging them with big rubber(something 12-14inch lures) in 20+ft of water. Electronics are definitely needed to locate them and often I stumble on these opportunities traveling between locations

Yeah, the burbot for sure, I'm pretty sure thats one of the reasons why I catch so many big pike in real skinny water in the early season. We get lots of juvenile burbot in the shallows after ice out, and they seem quite lethargic, to the point you can successfully catch them with your hands. It strikes me as somewhat weird though, that for all the time I've spent deadbaiting in the spring, I've never caught an adult burbot. Those post spawn pike are for sure eating the little guys though.

I often think of upgrading my electronics and maybe getting a downrigger... cruise till I find big schools of suspended whitefish and then use the downriggers. I do pretty well with just a long rod and a set of waders though, so I always decide its an unnecessary expense. Some day somebody will start doing it though, and I'll get to say "Ha!, I told you so!"

[SteveY66]

Originally Posted by snapfisher

not arguing, just get a kick out of how ignorant your posts are - not in a good way. I'm sure you've set some kind of record in that regard.

I never said anything about a healthy fishery. You just got your panties in a bunch on that one. You wanted "real data" about whitefish and recruitment since you cannot get any yourself. Clearly it is happening, nothing else to be said.

tanks!!!

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by SteveY66

tanks!!!

And tanks a lot! Hope all it good with you SteveY.

[slough shark]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

My own observations have been that they eat plenty of whitefish too. I'm no big-water wizard, but a lot of my biggest walleye have been caught trolling cranks in open water, nowhere near the bottom. Those walleye all had whites and tullibee in them.

My own theory is that with the perch severely depleted, fish of a size to move on from eating shiners will start to move up to juvenile whitefish. Once again, I'm not a big-water guy, I dont have the equipment and I dont particularly enjoy that type of fishing.... but if someone knowledgeable and determine were to apply these tactics to a number of pike/ walleye lakes that I fish, I think the results would be eye opening.

That’s definitely something that happens, I noticed last year ice fishing on sylvan for the first time in a while I was seeing decent numbers of small perch and what I think was juvenile whitefish. This was also directly related to me seeing a lot less walleye which people had finally been able to keep for more than a year for the first time in recent memory. It looked like the lake is in the process of reverting back to what it used to be with schools of perch, lots of whitefish and more pike as well (caught a few small ones which again haven’t seen a ton in a while). It’ll take a couple more years before the rebalance is complete but it gives some hope that we can “fix” a lake into one resembling a healthier ecosystem with prey species in decent numbers and pike numbers recovering as well.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Curtsyneil

I would just like to ask you what “data” do you have to make a comment that pigeon lake isn’t a healthy fishery?

Guess he took his ball and left. Or he is out gathering real data

[Rvsask]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Look into basin musky tactics it works for big pike

It’s not uncommon at all for walleye to key in of whitefish/tullibe even if perch are supposed to be a preferred forage. Another overlooked forage is burbot fry. Overall predatory fish in general will key in on whatever they can find in abundant appropriate sized forage. Soft fin fatty fish are definitely a target for all predators. More times than not they are switching forage throughout the season depending on what provides the best opportunity for the least effort

Not a big walleye guy but I do target pike in deeper water that are keyed in on bait more than structure. Actually had some good days jigging them with big rubber(something 12-14inch lures) in 20+ft of water. Electronics are definitely needed to locate them and often I stumble on these opportunities traveling between locations

Yes!!!!
Whitefish are definitely a food source for walleye. We’ve netted a lot of 25-29” walleye with the tail of a 10” whitefish sticking from their mouth.

There is much more to Smoky’s post worth elaborating on if a person wants to dissect targeting big pike and walleye over a main lake basin but in regards to walleye and whitefish, yes, one definitely consumes the other.

[Macdrizzle]

Bigger whites taste better for me. The additional fat like the jumbos in wab/LSA makes it more flavorful and flakier when smoked compared to a much dryer meat in that of a 1-2lber white in say Sylvan lake / Travers. The larger, thicker meat also makes it better for fish fries as well. I can never go back to harvesting small whites anymore after eating the jumbos. Win/Win for all of us.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Rvsask

Yes!!!!
Whitefish are definitely a food source for walleye. We’ve netted a lot of 25-29” walleye with the tail of a 10” whitefish sticking from their mouth.

There is much more to Smoky’s post worth elaborating on if a person wants to dissect targeting big pike and walleye over a main lake basin but in regards to walleye and whitefish, yes, one definitely consumes the other.

Dude, that sig line is pure genius.

[Macdrizzle]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

LOL, real data...
How about reading the netting reports for Gull. You can find your "real data" there.

Or how about the white from Pigeon last year on the top right.



Caught one that was 1.5 lbs (Sylvan sized). Caught and released another 10 or so that were the size in the pic or smaller even and all in the same day too.

It would help you to understand better if you actually caught whites. You would find some real data then.

I've always wondered when they do FIN netting reports what do they do with the netted fish? Do they get released back in the system? Do the fish make it after being netted? If not then aren't they doing more damage netting all the mature spawning walleye/pike/whitefish that could have spawned but died in a net which has a much higher catch rate efficiency than using a line and hook?

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Macdrizzle

I've always wondered when they do FIN netting reports what do they do with the netted fish? Do they get released back in the system? Do the fish make it after being netted? If not then aren't they doing more damage netting all the mature spawning walleye/pike/whitefish that could have spawned but died in a net which has a much higher catch rate efficiency than using a line and hook?

I asked this question on one of the Alberta Fisheries sessions. It was said that the fish do not survive which I assumed and that the fish are shared with local groups and charity organizations. We would have to take this at face value of course.

BTW, I agree on the big whites. Pigeon whites make the best fish burgers due to their high fat content. I also use them in other dishes and they really are the best. I barely smoke a Pigeon white anymore

Sylvan are great for smoking as they smoke quickly and come out more "candied" in the way I do them (wet brine using water, brown sugar and soy sauce in equal portions - or half the water and increase the sugar for more candied).

[Curtsyneil]

When they do testing at pigeon the whites are given away to either friends of the bios or f&w officers. I know this cause a friend was given a whitefish from f&w officer in October after netting test one year. Works with game also if a deer is poached the officer can give the animal to a friend or people in need with a piece of paper letting butcher know why there is no tag needed.

[Red Bullets]

The record lake whitefish in Alberta was taken in South Buck Lake. 11 lb. 12 oz.
You can't keep any whitefish at South Buck anymore. Very hard to catch anyways. I used to net there with my MIL and we'd be lucky to get up to a dozen and they were always big. (5 to 8 lbs.)

David Thompson, in the early 1800's, mentioned he weighed a lake whitefish from Lac St. Anne and it weighed 18 lbs.