Catching Whitefish From Shore

[mtnhunter]

Originally Posted by Speckle55

out here u can catch them off the docks

use a bobber or indicator then a wire worm or nymph

here is how I fly fish them .. I have chest waders to get out deeper

both from shore or boat the way to get them is slowly twitch it in

then cast out and do it again if windy leave it to bob up and down

spring is best but u can catch all summer long in spots

here is some pictures of summer catches on Blood worms/ SJW

David

Thanks David! Looks like you’ve got a winning technique! I hope to have similar success this spring!


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[mtnhunter]

Update on my quest for whitefish:

No luck so far despite a couple outings. I’ve tried tons of different worm/nymph setups and depths but not even a bite. Actually, I’ve caught two pike and one walleye on my setup oddly enough. I never would have imagined them taking a wireworm.

Any other tips to help up my odds of catching a whitefish from shore in southern Alberta?


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[Speckle55]

change where you are fishing lake Whitefish have areas of lake that they like

you will be able to see them rising

I like to sight fish them

or cast to a rise as I did for these

David

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by mtnhunter

Update on my quest for whitefish:

No luck so far despite a couple outings. I’ve tried tons of different worm/nymph setups and depths but not even a bite. Actually, I’ve caught two pike and one walleye on my setup oddly enough. I never would have imagined them taking a wireworm.

Any other tips to help up my odds of catching a whitefish from shore in southern Alberta?


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Keep trying and move often, if they are around I usually get bit fast. It is still a little early for the dam faces, although they should be starting soon. With the massive choronomid hatches happening right now it can be a little daunting as there is so much food for them.

[mtnhunter]

Originally Posted by Speckle55

change where you are fishing lake Whitefish have areas of lake that they like

you will be able to see them rising

I like to sight fish them

or cast to a rise as I did for these

David

With the wind causing chop on the water I didn’t see any rises unfortunately. When you do find rising fish, do you find they take your wire worm under the surface? Like 3-5’ under the bobber?


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[mtnhunter]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

Keep trying and move often, if they are around I usually get bit fast. It is still a little early for the dam faces, although they should be starting soon. With the massive choronomid hatches happening right now it can be a little daunting as there is so much food for them.

Thanks Piker. I’m keeping at it and hope to post some success soon!


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[mtnhunter]

Any suggestions on type of bottom to focus on? Sandy? Rocky? Weeds?

[chucklesthe3rd]

I was at mcgregor yesterday, limited out in about 2 hours using just a slip bobber set up with wireworms tipped with mags. Usually you’ll find the most whites on a muddy bottom but this time I caught them off the dam along the rocks which was pretty surprising

[Dhannas]

Originally Posted by chucklesthe3rd

I was at mcgregor yesterday, limited out in about 2 hours using just a slip bobber set up with wireworms tipped with mags. Usually you’ll find the most whites on a muddy bottom but this time I caught them off the dam along the rocks which was pretty surprising

Want to take the girlfriend to Mcgregor soon .... how are the bugs? Lol not asking for me...

[mtnhunter]

Originally Posted by chucklesthe3rd

I was at mcgregor yesterday, limited out in about 2 hours using just a slip bobber set up with wireworms tipped with mags. Usually you’ll find the most whites on a muddy bottom but this time I caught them off the dam along the rocks which was pretty surprising

Hey Chuckles, I was out there too and tried the dam in a few spots and other parts of the lake. Had not even a bite. What’s the trick? How far under the surface did you fish your flies?


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[mtnhunter]

Originally Posted by Dhannas

Want to take the girlfriend to Mcgregor soon .... how are the bugs? Lol not asking for me...

Lots of midges and a few mayflies


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[Dhannas]

Originally Posted by mtnhunter

Lots of midges and a few mayflies


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Thanks! When you guys refer to the dam, are you talking north or south? Haven’t been before , new to Calgary!

[mtnhunter]

Originally Posted by Dhannas

Thanks! When you guys refer to the dam, are you talking north or south? Haven’t been before , new to Calgary!

I would think both are good. I’ve tried both and caught some fish but not whities yet


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[Fishingforjoy]

Originally Posted by mtnhunter

Update on my quest for whitefish:

No luck so far despite a couple outings. I’ve tried tons of different worm/nymph setups and depths but not even a bite. Actually, I’ve caught two pike and one walleye on my setup oddly enough. I never would have imagined them taking a wireworm.

Any other tips to help up my odds of catching a whitefish from shore in southern Alberta?


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From now on till early June, it is golden time in McGregor for shore fishing white. Go North dam if wind blows from North, West, or East; go South bridge along the parking lot if wind blows from South, West or East. Set your depth to 2.2 meter for both locations. Usually early morning has more bites. Lots of my friends have the limit in couple hours if the time is right. One day the bits may be 30 meter away from shore, one day maybe just around 10 meter. The white is very big there, do not set the drag too tight!!! Try it out. Have fun!!

[mtnhunter]

Originally Posted by Fishingforjoy

From now on till early June, it is golden time in McGregor for shore fishing white. Go North dam if wind blows from North, West, or East; go South bridge along the parking lot if wind blows from South, West or East. Set your depth to 2.2 meter for both locations. Usually early morning has more bites. Lots of my friends have the limit in couple hours if the time is right. One day the bits may be 30 meter away from shore, one day maybe just around 10 meter. The white is very big there, do not set the drag too tight!!! Try it out. Have fun!!

Thanks FFJ! One other thing I’m wondering about is if the whities are line-why. I’m using 6lb fluoro and thought that would be fine but maybe it’s too thick??


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[Fishingforjoy]

Originally Posted by mtnhunter

Thanks FFJ! One other thing I’m wondering about is if the whities are line-why. I’m using 6lb fluoro and thought that would be fine but maybe it’s too thick??


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Should be no problem. If you worried about it, you could use Scientific Anglers Fresh water Tippet( I use 8.5lb 3X)

[slingshotz]

Does anyone have an image/link of the wireworms they have been using in Travers or MacGregor?

Spent the day at Mac and could not figure out how to catch the whites while people all around me were catching some. Pretty much went though all the nymphs I had all around 7-10 foot deep, just like what others were saying they were doing with the slip bobbers and as far out as they were as well. Frustrating to say the least.

Had both my fly and spin rod but I have no experience with slip bobbers on how they work with wireworms and how to weight them since the wireworms don't have enough weight. I put a couple split shot about 2 feet above the wireworm but it was hard to figure out how much weight to use..

I overhead one person saying red wireworms but I only had a few small red chironomid styles and really large SJW ones I use for the Bow. The other wireworms I had were either gold or orange and nothing hit on those.

I did manage a few pike and a walleye surprisingly on the nymphs, was amazing they didn't cut my line.

[Zip-in-Z]

Never fished Travers or MacGregor but this red with green glow bead is one of my most productive W/W on Sylvan & Gull, if it works here it will work anywhere.

D.

[slingshotz]

Originally Posted by Zip-in-Z

Never fished Travers or MacGregor but this red with green glow bead is one of my most productive W/W on Sylvan & Gull, if it works here it will work anywhere.

D.

I usually do well with a small gold W/W about size 12 or 14 in Sylvan but I've never had luck with them anywhere else. About what size is that red W/W?

[Fishingforjoy]

Originally Posted by slingshotz

Does anyone have an image/link of the wireworms they have been using in Travers or MacGregor?

Spent the day at Mac and could not figure out how to catch the whites while people all around me were catching some. Pretty much went though all the nymphs I had all around 7-10 foot deep, just like what others were saying they were doing with the slip bobbers and as far out as they were as well. Frustrating to say the least.

Had both my fly and spin rod but I have no experience with slip bobbers on how they work with wireworms and how to weight them since the wireworms don't have enough weight. I put a couple split shot about 2 feet above the wireworm but it was hard to figure out how much weight to use..

I overhead one person saying red wireworms but I only had a few small red chironomid styles and really large SJW ones I use for the Bow. The other wireworms I had were either gold or orange and nothing hit on those.

I did manage a few pike and a walleye surprisingly on the nymphs, was amazing they didn't cut my line.

This wireworm works good for me in McGregor. Sharp and strong. I landed a 17.5lb pike last year while shore fishing white.

[slingshotz]

Thanks for the photo, it helps a lot. About what size is that wireworm?

Do you put some split shot on the line above it to help it pull the line through the slip bobber or is it heavy enough to do it by itself? I'm just trying to learn more techniques to add to my knowledge.

[Fishingforjoy]

Originally Posted by slingshotz

Thanks for the photo, it helps a lot. About what size is that wireworm?

Do you put some split shot on the line above it to help it pull the line through the slip bobber or is it heavy enough to do it by itself? I'm just trying to learn more techniques to add to my knowledge.

Here are my set up. You could buy them all the necessary stuff from fishing hole. I added the 2 small balls on the top of the bobber for better float and easy for me to see. In order to cast further, I use 0.5 ounce weight. The hook is size #6.





PM me if you have more questions. Have fun!!

[Dielbo]

Originally Posted by Fishingforjoy

From now on till early June, it is golden time in McGregor for shore fishing white. Go North dam if wind blows from North, West, or East; go South bridge along the parking lot if wind blows from South, West or East. Set your depth to 2.2 meter for both locations. Usually early morning has more bites. Lots of my friends have the limit in couple hours if the time is right. One day the bits may be 30 meter away from shore, one day maybe just around 10 meter. The white is very big there, do not set the drag too tight!!! Try it out. Have fun!!

Great series of posts on this subject. I'm going to take my boys there and try a bit of fishing for whites. I've never been to McGregor before, looking at it on Google Earth I can see how to access North dam area but don't see any (easy) way to reach the South dam. Is there a road that gets close or ? Thanks.

[Fishingforjoy]

Originally Posted by Dielbo

Great series of posts on this subject. I'm going to take my boys there and try a bit of fishing for whites. I've never been to McGregor before, looking at it on Google Earth I can see how to access North dam area but don't see any (easy) way to reach the South dam. Is there a road that gets close or ? Thanks.

Very easy to go South Bridge parking lot.

Here is the GPS coordinates

50.351344,-112.835006

[bowness]

Did not get walleye draws and want a fish dinner

[Dielbo]

Originally Posted by Fishingforjoy

Very easy to go South Bridge parking lot.

Here is the GPS coordinates

50.351344,-112.835006

Cool, thanks bro. I'm going to set-up my boys spinning rods as you've shown and try nymphing with my fly-rod for me. Are there scuds (freshwater shrimp) in the reservoir? We caught some pike at Clear Lake whose stomachs were loaded with an olive~brown scud a couple of days ago.

[slingshotz]

Originally Posted by Dielbo

Cool, thanks bro. I'm going to set-up my boys spinning rods as you've shown and try nymphing with my fly-rod for me. Are there scuds (freshwater shrimp) in the reservoir? We caught some pike at Clear Lake whose stomachs were loaded with an olive~brown scud a couple of days ago.

There are in every lake I think in Alberta. Clear Lake is a little odd as there not the typical forage fish for the pike to feed on (whitefish, perch, suckers, etc) so the pike in there have to eat scuds, burbs and other pike.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by chucklesthe3rd

I was at mcgregor yesterday, limited out in about 2 hours using just a slip bobber set up with wireworms tipped with mags. Usually you’ll find the most whites on a muddy bottom but this time I caught them off the dam along the rocks which was pretty surprising

you limit out every time you fish, when are you going to take a camera with you so you can teach all the rest of us?

[chucklesthe3rd]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

you limit out every time you fish, when are you going to take a camera with you so you can teach all the rest of us?

Would you inform me on how to post pictures on this website? I can't quite figure out how to upload pictures.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by chucklesthe3rd

Would you inform me on how to post pictures on this website? I can't quite figure out how to upload pictures.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=330170