Almost whitefish time

[TubeDude]

I have been getting a few requests for my PDF writeup on Bonneville Whitefish.  They usually start showing up about anytime after Thanksgiving...with the best time around the first week or so of December.  Hope this helps.

Also, many of us fondly remember "Old Coot"...who is now a resident of Washington.  But while he lived among us here he contributed a lot of aid and wisdom.  I am also attaching a writeup he provided a while back.  Hope he approves.  If he doesn't...tough.  Miss ya Ralph.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Pat, that's a great preview for the next week or so... Hope it's a good year and we get some weather that is fishable for the faint of heart... I hate wind and the last couple years have been tough on the days I could get away... Looking forward to the attempt anyway... Later Jeff

[Kent]

Pat, great information. One item you may want to add, on your next revision, is to not use spot lock, on an electric trolling motor. One can use the electric trolling motor to move around and then use an actual anchor to hold one's position. The spinning blades on an electric trolling motor spooks white fish. Last year, I forgot that advice from Scott, and paid the price with minimal success. I won't make that mistake again.

[TubeDude]

Pat, great information.  One item you may want to add, on your next revision, is to not use spot lock, on an electric trolling motor.  One can use the electric trolling motor to move around and then use an actual anchor to hold one's position.  The spinning blades on an electric trolling motor spooks white fish.  Last year, I forgot that advice from Scott, and paid the price with minimal success.  I won't make that mistake again.

Great advice.  I have witnessed the effect of running an electric over shallow whitefish first hand.  On one trip Scott and I were scoring well on some nice whities when a couple of guys in another boat thought they would come give us some immoral support.  We were (carefully and quietly) anchored.  They moved in close...too close...under full electric motor power.  The fish on sonar disappeared and our jigs went unmolested thereafter.

Have also heard testimonials from other guys who belatedly discovered the effect of electrics on finicky whities.  It is also wise to avoid dropping things into the bottom of the boat...or playing the wrong kind of head-banging music at 120 decibels.

Since I don't have spot lock on my float tube motor, I just gotta remember to work my fins slowly and not get lazy and run the electric.

[Hallsy86]

Great advice, thanks! I'm going to make an attempt to get away from work and head up for a day this year.

[Springbuck1]

TD, last time I tried (without success), I did exactly as your guide says, retrieving at the "five seconds per crank". I lost my rig on every single cast for 15 casts in a row, got no bites, and quit because I couldn't tie any more knots with frozen fingers and eyeballs. To be fair, we were forced to fish from shore, wading out as far as we could and then casting.

Surely there must be another technique that'll work? Some way to do something other than snag up?
Why wouldn't the old fly and bubble work if you put your plastics on a regular hook and sunk your bubble? Couldn't you figure some sort of dropper rig to bounce a little unweighted jig along the bottom? A slip bobber and stop? Is a boat mandatory?

[TubeDude]

TD, last time I tried (without success), I did exactly as your guide says, retrieving at the "five seconds per crank".  I lost my rig on every single  cast for 15 casts in a row, got no bites, and quit because I couldn't tie any more knots with frozen fingers and eyeballs.  To be fair, we were forced to fish from shore, wading out as far as we could and then casting.

Surely there must be another technique that'll work?  Some way to do something other than snag up?
Why wouldn't the old fly and bubble work if you put your plastics on a regular hook and sunk your bubble?  Couldn't you figure some sort of dropper rig to bounce a little unweighted jig along the bottom?  A slip bobber and stop?  Is a boat mandatory?

All suggestions should serve merely as a place to begin.  Water depth, bottom contour, fish activity levels and other factors make it important to be able to work out individual techniques "under fire".  A little faster speed will keep you out of the rocks better...but probably will not cost you any fish.  You gotta experiment and it really pays to have sensitive gear and to be in tune with what is going on at the other end.

As far  as fishing from shore...there are a lot of the more successful whitieologists who fish ONLY from shore.  The area around second point is especially popular.  The fish sometimes come in so close to shore you hardly have to cast to them.  But it always pays to fan cast around until you find them.


I can verify that a bubble and fly will work...but works much better with a piece of worm on the fly.  Not purist but those fish want meat...and whatever jig, plastic or fly you present is nothing more than a BDS...bait delivery system.  That's not to say they won't hit "unsweetened" lures  or flies.  They will.  But adding some good stuff improves the odds.  Oh yeah, Gulp minnows and other goodies have definitely passed the whitefish gourmet test.  Some of the regulars on Bear Lake use nothing but Gulp minnows.  I'm betting that a gulp minnow on an unweighted hook...3 feet behind a water filled bubble...will get bit.  Just be sure the line runs through the bubble so you can feel the take.

[PAC12_AfterDark]

Thank you - I studied this guide diligently and limited on my first time out last year.

Already put in my vacation for this year, it really is one of my favorite bites of the year!

Also, another addition, If your boating PLEASE be friendly to those behind you and let your trailer drain in the water instead of ripping it right out of the water, this prevents ice formation on the ramp.

Always being salt melt and a shovel. Chains if you have them.

[FatBiker]

Thanks Pat. Always good to get the scoop from a couple of pros.  Taking the kayak over first week in December.

[TubeDude]

Thanks Pat. Always good to get the scoop from a couple of pros.  Taking the kayak over first week in December.

I got a call from Scott (DWR biologist at Bear Lake) yesterday.  I have an invite to join him for a whitie reconnoiter trip on Wednesday the 2nd of December.  I will report back on water levels, best areas this year, observed fish activity, etc.  Plus, we are trying to get Scott (BearLakeFishGuy) back on the boards after the website changeover swept him away.  And I am sure he will provide regular updates as the season progresses.

You should do fine with your yak.  Fellow former yakker R2U2 had his "banana yak" out there on one trip while I was tubing...on the east side.  Even after drifting away from the dock...and leaving his paddle behind...he had a good day.  A courteous boater took his paddle out to him before he blew away to Idaho.  He didn't have that marvy "Mirage" foot pedal drive you have on yours.  Just don't get overconfident and be sure to keep an eye on the weather.  Bear Lake can huff up some straight-sided waves in a hurry and you don't wanna be anywhere it ain't easy to hit the beach.

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey I was there that day, one of my better days catching whitefish and trout as I remember... Didn't limit, but got some nice big ones... I'd love to have a repeat of that trip, seems like glassy water and warmer temps for that time of year... Fun day.... Later Jeff

[TubeDude]

Hey I was there that day, one of my better days catching whitefish and trout as I remember... Didn't limit, but got some nice big ones... I'd love to have a repeat of that trip, seems like glassy water and warmer temps for that time of year... Fun day.... Later Jeff

Yes you were there...seems like along with half the BFT membership.  One of those rare calm days when the fish were active too.

[brookie]

Springbuck, I understand your pain. I think for those of us who have not spent many days fishing this whitefish spawn, there is a learning curve, with some fast learner (Pack12) exceptions. I went the first time with Kentofnsl and Ktrout in their boat. We caught some but it was spotty. The next time I went, I fished from shore. I started out like you with NBS (nothing but snags). So I put a slip bubble inline above a swivel and about a 3' leader to the jig. It helped keep me out of the snags. I did pretty well, including a decent cutt. Of course I did the double klutz, tripped and fell in the water on the cobble rocks. Luckily my chest waders helped and I only had to climb back through the snow to the truck to change my coat.

I have been several times since in my boat with mixed results. Every time I go, I think "why did I drive 3+ hrs dragging a boat on slick roads and marginal weather, to fish in the cold for these bony, not great shape because they are spawning, average tasting fish - pretty miserable as far as comforts go (frozen fingers and all). They do fight well. Yet I find myself considering the trip again this year. I guess some of it is the challenge, some the lack of other fishing alternatives and the fact that this is the only time these fish are available in reasonable numbers. Who knows, if I get this bathroom remodel done quick enough I might be up there too.