Zen is not a quiter, He has started teaching me how to tye fly's again. He is a good teacher.I have never seen so much fly fishing stuff in my life. I'm looking forward to my next lesson.
Learn the teachings of Zen and your life will change. Ohmmmmmmmmmmm.Ohmmmmmmmmm. Ohmmmmmmmmmm.

Anybody know any good places for whitefish around Battle Ground. I've never fished em and want to give it a try. I don't go for salmon or steelhead being as I can't. Believe me, I wish I could, I can't get anywhere though because I can't drive so am dependent on my parents. Do you fish whitefish with a trout type settup, or are they smaller?
Thanks

Fishboy,

Find running water with a rocky bottom. Small rocks work best for whitefish as they feed on nymphs on the bottom.

Use the standard trout rig with a slip sinker. I had my best luck with worms, but think eggs would work as well.

Throw it out on a seam in the water. I've found the fish seem to hold below it. If you don't get a bite in a couple of minutes, move as they aren't there.

Whitefish hold in riffles in the summer, but school up in the pools during the winter.

Now you know as much as I do.

This summer when I had nothing but time on my hands. I went for a drive just for a look see. I stopped at the bridge that crosses the Middle fork of the Snoqualmie. And in the pool that is under that old bridge were schools of White fish and they were not little. I thought that they were trout but when one rolled on it's side to snuff something off the bottom I saw it's silver side. I guess if one likes to eat fish,heres your chance. Jim S.

Jim,

Sent you email on whitefish.

Sorry guys. But I don't even fish for them fish. I just seem to know where they all hang out at. I guess that I just read too much. Besides the way it is raining out,even those rivers will be out of shape. All you have to do is look at the falls to see how much water is going over them. Jim s.

I've caught some 2-3lb whitefish on the middle fork snoqualmie while trout fishing (sorry - but no bait up there).

On the lower river (where the raging come in), I stopped and watched an old timer catching them left and right. He had a long noodle rod (at least 10 ft) and an ultra light reel with 4lb line. He was using a dropper weight with 2 short leaders (about 12 inches or less) staggered up the line at 90 degree angles. His bait was some kind of small whitefish nymph flies tipped with white grubs/maggots. He just flipped it a little ways into the current and let it drift about 10 to 20 feet - keeping constant pressure on the line to feel subtle takes. He said he often hooks up with steelhead doing this as well...

Also, the yakima kicks out some good sized whitefish.

Just remember that, while they can be fished for just like trout, they have smaller mouths than trout. They will hit flys in the surface too. But that small mouth can equal frustration if they can't get the hook in their mouth...

Well, that's about all I know about them too... I must admit though, when I'm out steelheading in the winter, and don't see a fish for hours - i sometimes stick on some smaller lure/bait and try to hook a few of these guys just to remind me what a fish feels like (although they don't fight as well as a trout, they can still be fun).

-Chad

Zen,Zen,Zen, shame on you for promoting fishing for whitefish with Arghhhhhhh,WORMS. Don't you know that they are a great fish to flyfish for.
Any smallish nymph pattern bounced along the bottom or fished deep under an indicator in the deepest pools will catch whitefish on most rivers all winter.
In E.Wash they often seem to prefer wet flies with a white wing. The impatient put a few maggots or a mealworm on the fly if the bites aren't coming fast enough. Keep your maggots under your lip like a chaw of tobacco or they will freeze on ya. Don't worry,they don't eat much.

I'm Hungry now :p