yea one question buckshot
how do i work a buckshot jig or anyother jig like a a lindy flyer spoon
thanks alot
walleye man
Whitefish Trip
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Chevy Champagne
- Gold Participant
- Posts: 1838
- Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 8:00 am
- Location: ottawa river
Well I have had a few people ask about fishing for whitefish so I figured I would try and share some information. I first got into fishing whitefish on Lake Simcoe, while fishing for lake trout and then moved onto the Minden area and then discovered that just about everywhere you go in Ontario there is a good population of whitefish and they are usually eager to bite.
I have caught them in the Ottawa River while fishing for walleye, Lake Simcoe, Nipising, Round and Golden Lakes, and bunch of other lakes that I fish.
If someone can add to the info I have it would be great as I am always learning.
The first thing I will do is break the fishing down into ice and open water.
Ice fishing:
I like to use a spinning reel and medium action graphite rod spooled with 10 pound braid (I use power pro, yes it ices up a bit but just keep cleaning it).
One of the key things here is I use a barrel swivel (ball bearing style) and attach 12-18 inches of 8 lb fluorocarbon leader. This is critical in two ways: removes twist when jigging in deep water and allows the lure to function properly.
I am a true believer in using sonar, I have been using a graph up until this year and I have switched to a humminbird flasher. No matter what you use I believe it is a must in two ways. You need to key in on structure and depth and the sonar will let you find those spots, you have to keep moving to find fish, both around the lake and through the water column. Whitefish don’t just hug the bottom of the lake I will typically get them with in 10 ft of the bottom but I have also caught them half way through the water column (suspended feeding on smelt).
I will try to fish themed lake humps in the 40 to 60 ft range surrounded by deep water, but having said that I will also fish a 35 ft sandy edge into deep water on Golden Lake and do well. One of my favourite spots to fish is a 45 to 55 ft flat, if the lake has smelt it seems the whitefish will get on that and chase those baitfish around and they become quite aggressive when doing so.
I don’t think I use any special lure, I use a wide arrangement of the traditional lures and I will jig them aggressively and just twitch them other times. I feel the fish dictate the action I use; on my last trip out I even had whitefish hitting a Buckshot that was sitting still. I don’t use a lot of live or dead bait tipping a jig with a piece of minnow has helped.
The first whitefish that I ever caught was on the traditional Lake Simcoe spreader set on bottom with a balance tip up, if you have ever fished one of these tip ups you will know to make them work you really need to be in a hut, I have modified these with a small float used as strike indicator and it has worked in the past for fishing out in the open.
The rumour about soft mouths is untrue in my opinion, yes they aren’t really full of bone in the mouth but there is solid material there and when they suck in a small spoon with a treble they are hooked.
Some of the Lures that use:
Buckshot with rattle and without, Sea Rock Jig, Jiggin Rapala and Foxee Jig with Rattle
Williams Wabler, Williams Whitefish, Sweedish Pimple, Thompkins Smothie and Crippled Herring
The tradiational Lake Simcoe two way spreader (uses live minnows)
Open water:
I have only started to catch whitefish in the open water just recently. I have caught them as incidental catch while walleye fishing on several occasions but about 6yrs ago actually targeted them on Round Lake between Eganville and Barry’s Bay.
To target them the use of electronics was essential we fished suspended fish in 55 ft of water over 80 ft. We essentially were working the large schools of smelt, hunting fish through that area. The two key lures were the jigging rapala and the Williams whitefish. Both were jigged very aggressively, the use of a 7ft graphite rod and braid was a must at that depth to ensure a solid hook up, if you have ever tried to set the hook on fish that deep with mono it is a challenge. Along with fishing that depth the use of a swivel and leader were also essential to prevent line twist.
The second spot that I consistently caught fish was on a 55 ft flat working the same two lures along the bottom with an aggressive jigging action.
A calm day or the use of a bow mount or tiller is essential to help keep you line vertical in these situations. If you are fishing with your line at a 45 degree angle forget it.
Hope some of this helps.
I am sure we could go on forever if we all put our heads together.
I have caught them in the Ottawa River while fishing for walleye, Lake Simcoe, Nipising, Round and Golden Lakes, and bunch of other lakes that I fish.
If someone can add to the info I have it would be great as I am always learning.
The first thing I will do is break the fishing down into ice and open water.
Ice fishing:
I like to use a spinning reel and medium action graphite rod spooled with 10 pound braid (I use power pro, yes it ices up a bit but just keep cleaning it).
One of the key things here is I use a barrel swivel (ball bearing style) and attach 12-18 inches of 8 lb fluorocarbon leader. This is critical in two ways: removes twist when jigging in deep water and allows the lure to function properly.
I am a true believer in using sonar, I have been using a graph up until this year and I have switched to a humminbird flasher. No matter what you use I believe it is a must in two ways. You need to key in on structure and depth and the sonar will let you find those spots, you have to keep moving to find fish, both around the lake and through the water column. Whitefish don’t just hug the bottom of the lake I will typically get them with in 10 ft of the bottom but I have also caught them half way through the water column (suspended feeding on smelt).
I will try to fish themed lake humps in the 40 to 60 ft range surrounded by deep water, but having said that I will also fish a 35 ft sandy edge into deep water on Golden Lake and do well. One of my favourite spots to fish is a 45 to 55 ft flat, if the lake has smelt it seems the whitefish will get on that and chase those baitfish around and they become quite aggressive when doing so.
I don’t think I use any special lure, I use a wide arrangement of the traditional lures and I will jig them aggressively and just twitch them other times. I feel the fish dictate the action I use; on my last trip out I even had whitefish hitting a Buckshot that was sitting still. I don’t use a lot of live or dead bait tipping a jig with a piece of minnow has helped.
The first whitefish that I ever caught was on the traditional Lake Simcoe spreader set on bottom with a balance tip up, if you have ever fished one of these tip ups you will know to make them work you really need to be in a hut, I have modified these with a small float used as strike indicator and it has worked in the past for fishing out in the open.
The rumour about soft mouths is untrue in my opinion, yes they aren’t really full of bone in the mouth but there is solid material there and when they suck in a small spoon with a treble they are hooked.
Some of the Lures that use:
Buckshot with rattle and without, Sea Rock Jig, Jiggin Rapala and Foxee Jig with Rattle
Williams Wabler, Williams Whitefish, Sweedish Pimple, Thompkins Smothie and Crippled Herring
The tradiational Lake Simcoe two way spreader (uses live minnows)
Open water:
I have only started to catch whitefish in the open water just recently. I have caught them as incidental catch while walleye fishing on several occasions but about 6yrs ago actually targeted them on Round Lake between Eganville and Barry’s Bay.
To target them the use of electronics was essential we fished suspended fish in 55 ft of water over 80 ft. We essentially were working the large schools of smelt, hunting fish through that area. The two key lures were the jigging rapala and the Williams whitefish. Both were jigged very aggressively, the use of a 7ft graphite rod and braid was a must at that depth to ensure a solid hook up, if you have ever tried to set the hook on fish that deep with mono it is a challenge. Along with fishing that depth the use of a swivel and leader were also essential to prevent line twist.
The second spot that I consistently caught fish was on a 55 ft flat working the same two lures along the bottom with an aggressive jigging action.
A calm day or the use of a bow mount or tiller is essential to help keep you line vertical in these situations. If you are fishing with your line at a 45 degree angle forget it.
Hope some of this helps.
I am sure we could go on forever if we all put our heads together.
In open water I like to jerk-line with leadcore. I find them just offshore near deep water cliffs. They hang anywhere from 30 to 50 ft. Slow troll (1 -2 mph) a thin spoon to your target depth with leadcore. Now as your moving, give the line a quick jerk forward in the direction your trolling, then allow the spoon to flutter back to a tight line. They usually hit as the spoon is fluttering back. Don't let go of the line on the flutter back, just let the spoon work back and you'll feel the strike with your hand. It's a work out on some days but we rarely go home empty handed. Good Luck!!
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wolfe
- Diamond Participant
- Posts: 7588
- Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2004 11:04 am
- Location: Marietta, NY & Wolfe Lake, Ont.
I guess I am surprised that whitefish will feed aggressively on minnows and hit rapalas, spoons, and the like. I never really thought about it, but always lumped these fish together with the bottom feeders.
Great lesson on whitefish -- thanks for taking the time to put it together.
I have a question: does anyone target / catch these fish in the spring/summer season? I know Wolfe Lake has them, and some very large as I've seen them killed after severe electrical storms; but I have never hooked one incidentally or otherwise. I do know they hang deep, which is probably the biggest reason I've not stumbled on one. It's not my preference to fish very deep water.
W.
Great lesson on whitefish -- thanks for taking the time to put it together.
I have a question: does anyone target / catch these fish in the spring/summer season? I know Wolfe Lake has them, and some very large as I've seen them killed after severe electrical storms; but I have never hooked one incidentally or otherwise. I do know they hang deep, which is probably the biggest reason I've not stumbled on one. It's not my preference to fish very deep water.
W.
Hi Wolfe,
Yes - I occasionally target whitefish in softwater. I generally fish them deep (below the thermocline), usually just before sunset, using a 3-way rig with a 2 foot flouro leader to a small spoon, then 1 ft behind the spoon I tie on a wet fly. The spoon and fly bump bottom. Slow drift is critical.
I have also caught 1+ lb lake herring with the same technique.
One thing unique, seems they are always moving, and nearly impossible to stay on top of them. But once a school is found, you will catch several, then if you stay put, within an hour later they will return again. I always wondered if it was the same school or a new group...
Yes - I occasionally target whitefish in softwater. I generally fish them deep (below the thermocline), usually just before sunset, using a 3-way rig with a 2 foot flouro leader to a small spoon, then 1 ft behind the spoon I tie on a wet fly. The spoon and fly bump bottom. Slow drift is critical.
I have also caught 1+ lb lake herring with the same technique.
One thing unique, seems they are always moving, and nearly impossible to stay on top of them. But once a school is found, you will catch several, then if you stay put, within an hour later they will return again. I always wondered if it was the same school or a new group...
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wolfe
- Diamond Participant
- Posts: 7588
- Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2004 11:04 am
- Location: Marietta, NY & Wolfe Lake, Ont.
They were dead. This isn't something that happens all the time. I can recall two episodes in the past (many) years -- but one in particular took a lot of fish. I was told by a local that if lightening hits the lake, the whitefish are occasional victims because of their depth. I don't know if this is true, but I can tell you there were scores and scores of big, dead whitefish. What a stink, too. 
W.
W.
That's a shame. After reading your info, I googled and found out that the larger fish are more susceptible to this than the smaller ones. Makes sense, because the voltage differential would be greater on a larger fish.wolfe wrote:They were dead. <snip>
W.
Too bad though... thanks for the info - I learned something again!!
O4T
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ratsotail
- Silver Participant
- Posts: 642
- Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:45 pm
- Location: Columbia, Illinois
Buckshot,
Great report and thanks for posting. I'm surprised more anglers do not target these fish. I fished 31 Mile Lake in Quebec last Spring and caught a few of these fish while fishing for Lakers...was pleasantly surprised to find these fish were far better as table fare than Lakers. It had the kids and adults begging for more at the end of the night.
Tight Lines and keep up with the reports!
ratsotail
Great report and thanks for posting. I'm surprised more anglers do not target these fish. I fished 31 Mile Lake in Quebec last Spring and caught a few of these fish while fishing for Lakers...was pleasantly surprised to find these fish were far better as table fare than Lakers. It had the kids and adults begging for more at the end of the night.
Tight Lines and keep up with the reports!
ratsotail