Whitefish Spawn?

[mtnhunter]

Can anyone with whitefish experience in southern AB tell me roughly when the spawn is in the fall? Has it already started or is it more into October?

Is it similar for both Rocky’s and Lake Whitefish?

TIA!


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[Pioneer2]

Usually just before freeze up 1st of Nov.Rivers thick with spawners RMWW and rocky shorelines for lake WF.

[pikergolf]

Not sure exactly when the spawn is, roughly late Nov. to mid Dec. But in that time frame they are stacked on the dams of southern Res. Just before the ice goes on and just after the ice goes on can be spectacular fishing. It can also be excrutatingly frustrating, some days you can see hundreds of whitefish under the ice ignoring your presentation, and the next day you can clean up. I find changing lures can make a big difference as well. They will take wire worms, but my best days have been with the old russian lures, hard to come by now a days. If you are on new ice be extremely careful, it can be dangerous.

[Brovacs]

I rarely target them specifically but every year there seems to be a a day or two in Sept/Oct when I'll catch about a half dozen giants from McGregor, Crawling Valley, Keho or Badger fishing with minnows while I'm targeting big walleye.

[mtnhunter]

Thanks all! I’m hoping to catch a few this fall!


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[Dielbo]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I find changing lures can make a big difference as well. They will take wire worms, but my best days have been with the old russian lures, hard to come by now a days.

What are these "old Russian lures" you speak of? Never heard of this before.

[Drewski Canuck]

The company was called "Best Manufacturing". They made the tiny mite, the JS4, the mitzi ditsi, etc, etc, etc.

These things were small stamped brass with either silver, gold, or copper colour. They also did a line of painted hooks like the inch long fish shape that came in florescent green with three red dots, white, ...

Anyway, they were bought out by a US outfit that then stopped production. Nothing like it since, at least not for whitefish and perch.

Drewski

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Dielbo

What are these "old Russian lures" you speak of? Never heard of this before.

Mark 1-1-4 by Piker Golf, on Flickr

[trigger7mm]

Years ago we used to catch lots of whites on the fish shaped hooks in the top row. No maggots, just the plain hook.

[Hydroman]

Saw a few during the weeken

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Hydroman

Saw a few during the weeken

Nice!! Off of the dam?

[fish99]

Originally Posted by Hydroman

Saw a few during the weeken

great fighters in open water

[Sooner]

2 weeks ago I was at the Athabasca/Berland and the two nice ones we kept were full of eggs. I have been going there on the sept long weekend for over 30 yrs and we used to hit the "run" then and the next couple weeks after. Seems like it is later and later now.