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I did a radio interview this weekend about the upcoming Bonneville Whitefish run on Bear Lake which should begin later this week/weekend and go through the first couple of weeks of December. I am attaching a link below so you can listen to it if you choose. It has a lot of info about techniques, tactics, lures, etc. that I always answers lots of questions about each year. I hope this will be helpful to the anglers who want to try fishing for Bonneville Whitefish for the first time and for those seasoned anglers too who might find the information helpful. When you go to this link the interview about whitefish fishing begins at the 20:00 minute mark and last for about a 1/2 hour.
Here is the link:
[url "http://www.backcountrynetwork.com/Download/WesternLifeRadio59-11-19-16.mp3"]http://www.backcountrynetwork.com/Download/WesternLifeRadio59-11-19-16.mp3[/url]
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Thanks for the tip, I'll have to check it out... Getting excited to come try it again this year... That's really fun fishing when they are in and biting... Hope I can do a little better this year as I learn a little more how to do it... Thanks for the heads up.. J
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Scott, I would like to listen to it, but when I click the link I get the message, "Page not found".
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Kent I had the same problem with two different computer access points... Think it's a bad link... J
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[#0000FF]I have had a couple of requests for the writeup I put together on the whitefish too...thanks to a lot of help from you. Here 'tis.
Looking forward to a couple more trips...soon.
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[quote FatBiker]
This page let's you play individual segments.
[url "http://backcountrynetwork.blogspot.com"]http://backcountrynetwork.blogspot.com[/url]
Larry
[/quote]
Thanks Larry, that worked.
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Thanks Larry, that will work..... J
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I'd like to get up there with the fly rod this year.
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[#0000FF]FatBiker has put in a reservation for a few whitefish on flies too.
FWIW...some fly flingers have done reasonably well on the whitefish. Others have gotten little more than exercise.
The key elements in catching whities on ANYTHING are:
1. Location and timing: You gotta be where the fish are...and active. They move around and their preferred locations can be different under different water levels and temperature conditions. But if you can find active fish then the other factors emerge.
2. Depth: The fish may be in water anywhere from 5' to 15' deep. Usually split the difference as a good place to start. Once you find the right depth, keep working it as long as the fish keep biting. The main thing is keeping your jig or fly within about a foot of the bottom...without getting "a piece of the rock". These fish usually feed looking down...unlike many species that feed looking up. If you fish above the whities you might get a cutt or two but not as many whitefish.
3. Presentation: Slow stripping and pauses will get more "inquiries" than fast retrieves. Some anglers report fish picking up their offerings while resting on the bottom. That is usually tipping with bait but not always. A good looking fly or jig will get bit.
4. Size and color: Bonneville whitefish are mostly piscivorous...eating small fry of several species. They also eat invertebrates and small sculpins. Flies in white, silver, gold or black...or dark green or brown...can all be effective. Anything from 1" to 3" will work. 1 1/2" and 2" plastics are favored by jig fishermen. Similar sized buggers and clousers will get the job done with a long wand.
Some experienced whitefish fly rodders prefer a faster sinking line...to get down quicker and to keep the flies deep as long as possible on the retrieve. Others do fine with a medium sink...or even a sink tip line when the fish are in skinnier water.
Having experienced the fickleness of these fish for a few years now, I might recommend that the would be fly flingers also go armed with a light spinning rod and some jigs. You can work a lot more water by fan casting with jigs. Toss the jigs...tipped with a piece of crawler...until you find the fish and the depth. Then break out the feathers and go head on 'til your head hurts.
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I hope I fixed it. I just tried it and it worked. If it is still not working for you, let me know and I'll just change my original post to the links the other guys have had success with.
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It works now Scott. Thank you.
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I went out this morning off of Cisco beach and spent three hours in water from 5-20'. No whitefish and one cutthroat trout lost at the boat. A guy from laketown went yesterday afternoon and caught two somewhere between first and second point. Those are the first whitefish I've heard of this fall so far. There should be some by Saturday though when I go back out again.
Mike
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Hey Mike I just checked the weather and the w monster doesn't look good on Saturday. I'll keep my eye on that, but I don't think I want to fight a gale on Bear Lake. Hope they change their mind on that one. Happy Thanksgiving. J
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