Lake whites on a fly

[lds]

Anyone have some good experience with this. I've never caught one on anything or even done much targeting for them but goin to sylvan for the long weekend and would like to target them on a fly. Any advise is appreciated. I hear chironomids are good this time of year for them. What about scuds or even dry flies?

[cecil]

I've had luck with a variety of bead headed nymphs, under an indicator/dry fly. I've never had a lake white take a dry fly yet. They are fun to catch with a fly rod. I don't usually target whites when at Sylvan but bring my fly rod sometimes to experiment. Have fun!

[Outcast 1100]

i like to use nymphs, chronies are also great this time of year. had good luck with the lightning bug fly.

[pikergolf]

There diet is pretty much the same as a trouts. I've had luck with an assortment of flies, but this one seems to always work when nothing else will trigger them. I use it with a slow sinking line.

http://www.guidebc.com/flypatterns/52buick.asp

[Chief16]

If speckle55 sees this, he would be one of the best to inform you with information on this topic.

[lds]

Ok well hopefully I can manage to land a few. Always like learning a new species

[Speckle55]

lds and others

just use search engine(Lake Whitefish on Fly Rod) on here and go back to the 8 month 2014 and there are lots of posts on how to Fly Fish them ..you can use these methods on any Whitefish lake in the province

if you want too you can hit my name then ..on right side hit show all stats ..then post started by me and go back to Aug 2014 and before ..back to summer 2013

if you see the Lake Whitefish hunting in your favorite lake that's when to hunt them .. they will be rising and feed on surface as the hatch is happening

I us nymphs but lots of fly's will work just as always be patience

if you have any more questions then just ask

David

[Bjay]

use chronomides. Chromies and black ice cream cones with a gray wire or red wire rib. Some times a small black leach with an orange bead head will work also. Use your sonar to find them. Don't just let your fly hang there. Drop to your predetermined level , wait 1/2 to 1 minute then slowly lift the rod a foot, pause, then another foot, pause, another foot,pause. If no hit drop down and wait again then start the lift again. Over and over. Moving the fly a bit will get more hits than just letting it sit there.
Bjay

[Flight01]

What sort of depths are typical in May and early June ?

[spinN'flyfish]

Originally Posted by Speckle55

lds and others

just use search engine(Lake Whitefish on Fly Rod) on here and go back to the 8 month 2014 and there are lots of posts on how to Fly Fish them ..you can use these methods on any Whitefish lake in the province

if you want too you can hit my name then ..on right side hit show all stats ..then post started by me and go back to Aug 2014 and before ..back to summer 2013

if you see the Lake Whitefish hunting in your favorite lake that's when to hunt them .. they will be rising and feed on surface as the hatch is happening

I us nymphs but lots of fly's will work just as always be patience

if you have any more questions then just ask

David

Hey, is talbot open and is it possible from shore? I'm craving lake whites on the fly too

[BPman]

I have seen lots of surface action at Sylvan L on calm evenings and mornings but only fished the whites in winter, so far. I see lots of flying caddis and chronnies there in summer and I think the whites are taking those nymphs at the surface, rather than the adults off the surface. I have caught lots of whites on flies in other lakes and it seems they like small flies in the #10 to 16 range but sizes 12 and 14 are what I used most. The 52 Buick is a great fly for them but something like a Prince Nymph, bead-head or plain and a Copper John would be my choices to start. I would try a floating or intermediate line when inshore where the water is less than 10' deep. Hope to see you there.

[Speckle55]

It open on Sat May 16 and yes to fishing from shore as some days you can see them from shore cruising

David

Originally Posted by spinN'flyfish

Hey, is talbot open and is it possible from shore? I'm craving lake whites on the fly too

[spinN'flyfish]

Originally Posted by Speckle55

It open on Sat May 16 and yes to fishing from shore as some days you can see them from shore cruising

David

thanks, it always seemed pretty intimidating as a big lake for shore fishing

[lds]

Ok just got back from sylvan. Only got about 1.5-2 hrs fishing in but caught my first lake whites. Pulled 2 in from about 5 fow and man those suckers can fight. I've always thought Rockies where harder fighters than trout but these guys pound for pound are the best fighting fish in Alberta imo. Thanks for all the help guys. It payed off. They were really fun to sight fish with all the little schools in the shallows

[Flight01]

Hoping to get out in mid June for whites. Have never fished them
Congrats on your success

[biggamehunter]

Originally Posted by lds

Ok just got back from sylvan. Only got about 1.5-2 hrs fishing in but caught my first lake whites. Pulled 2 in from about 5 fow and man those suckers can fight. I've always thought Rockies where harder fighters than trout but these guys pound for pound are the best fighting fish in Alberta imo. Thanks for all the help guys. It payed off. They were really fun to sight fish with all the little schools in the shallows

just curious as to what method you were using at sylvan? I fished for them many times and never had too much success. Only one summer stripping white wolly bugggers. Tried chironomids butter never had much success. Maybe i wasn't fishing in the right depths but I was in the right spot i could see them swimming around me on the sand flat.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by lds

Ok just got back from sylvan. Only got about 1.5-2 hrs fishing in but caught my first lake whites. Pulled 2 in from about 5 fow and man those suckers can fight. I've always thought Rockies where harder fighters than trout but these guys pound for pound are the best fighting fish in Alberta imo. Thanks for all the help guys. It payed off. They were really fun to sight fish with all the little schools in the shallows

First, congrats on the success!

I was interested as I have never gone to Sylvan in the spring for them. I've gone in the fall starting September. Good to know they school in the shallows there in spring. You should try the fall
I've had some over 30 fish days there. Cheers!

[lds]

Originally Posted by biggamehunter

just curious as to what method you were using at sylvan? I fished for them many times and never had too much success. Only one summer stripping white wolly bugggers. Tried chironomids butter never had much success. Maybe i wasn't fishing in the right depths but I was in the right spot i could see them swimming around me on the sand flat.

I just fished chironomids and let it sink and the. Very slow retrieve. First time for whites so might have just been lucky.

[Pencilweed]

Anyone ever slow trolling with sinking line for lake whitefish?

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Pencilweed

Anyone ever slow trolling with sinking line for lake whitefish?

I've has good luck trolling in a belly boat. Sinking line and a small 52 buick fly.

[lds]

Originally Posted by Pencilweed

Anyone ever slow trolling with sinking line for lake whitefish?

I tried trolling but had floating line. The fly was heavy so still stayed down. Never caught anything trolling

[catnthehat]

I generally rely on a swanandaze back swimmer or a gold ribbed Prince, and a Scud Missile.
Cat

[sather19]

I sight fish them in the shallows on sylvan. Find a couple and cast out in front of them with a bead head hares ear, with a chironimid dropper just off bottom and they bite just about every time.

[Chief16]

I am currently on a trip in the Yukon and me and my buddy hammered lake whites. We had a canoe and cruised shelves basically fishing to schools. We honestly made contact with at least 100 fish, landing around 70. Was fishing a chironomid right off the bottom under an indicator but many would come up and eat it if we happened to drift over some deeper spots holding fish.

[Bjay]

If the whites are cruising the the top then put you fly no deeper than 3 to 5 ft under and indicator. If using a dry line put on a long leader say 15 feet or so and use one of the flies mentioned above but put 2 or 3 split shot 3 to 5 feet before the fly preferably before a knot so that the split shot doesn't slide down the line to the fly and use a slow overhand retrieve. Ever now and then give the fly a one or two foot pull to vary the retrieve a bit. Play with the retrieve till you find a retrieve that works. All the lakes are full of dragon fly nymphs so you might give a black or dark olive 1/2 back a try also. Size 3x# 8 or 3x #6.
The bigger fly is also easier to see. They will ever eat a small muddler minnoe.
Good luck

[xring_assassin]

The little darlings are a bit hyper right now - even biting #4 panther martins.

Ice cream cone chironomid under an indicator just hammers them too. And boy are they ever tasty!

saw about 5' long pike cruising the flats after I spotted half of a good sized whitefish floating on the surface - I suggest keeping a rapala handy on a heavy spinning rod...I wish I had one that evening. That thing was HUGE!!