they can be very tasty particularly in mid to late winter and early spring. In late fall and early winter whitefish often have a rancid flavor from eating salmon eats and rotted flesh. FWIW some anglers I talked too complained whitefish in the Stave were all but absent in the Stave the last year or 2. In the nearby Alouette they have all but disappeared for several years.

Still no news. Friends and family continue to search the Chehalis river. Brad was an experienced angler and very familiar with the canyon having made many trips into the area. Hopefully he’s found soon so the family can have closure.

I used to pickle mine with my pickled herring recipe.

Thanks for the replies, I may also try getting some on a spinner if my luck on flies are not as good. Has anyone ever tried eating them?

Test

Single egg pattern

when salmon fry are about whitefish love to nail salmon fry patterns even if they are too big for there little mouths. Alevin patterns are another choice that will work as are small egg patterns.

Also some of the gear chuckers I have spoken to use small white rubber maggots.

This time of year most local rivers will be in the cold water immersion temperature range. If you fall in, getting out of the water is the first of your problems. Hypothermia is an immediate threat. It has happened to me & always surprises me how quickly the feeling of cold and shivering sets in. In the cool air of late fall drying even synthetic clothing outside takes hours.

I carry a few items with me; a knife, a flame red survival blanket, a candle style lighter and a whistle.The 3 weigh next to nothing and are not bulky.  I have practiced whittling slivers of wood and lighting them with a sustained flame and it will work. You can't get a sustained flame from matches. The whistle can help alert S&R of your location. A flame red survival blanket will make you more visible.

Also many smart phone have some immersion rating. I always keep mine in a ziplock bag. You can also buy purpose made waterproof pouches or cases. You can't call 911 with a dead phone.

Here is the GoFundMe page for Brad:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-werbowski-family-as-they-search-for-bradly

Thanks Rod. Just donated. My thoughts are with his family and friends. As clarki said, this hits home.

Related to river and wading safety and hoping to help others, I can only recommend the following two podcasts from the Orvis fishing podcast with renowned experts on the topic. Some good tips and reminders on how to face tricky situations in the water and be as ready and as fit as possible. You can skip the "fly box" questions (usually first 30 min) to get to the actual interview. You can also find them on Apple music, etc.

https://howtoflyfish.orvis.com/podcasts/general-fly-fishing/1859-this-podcast-may-save-your-life-with-ralph-cutter - highly recommend. I use the tips learned here every day when wading rivers and channels

https://howtoflyfish.orvis.com/podcasts/general-fly-fishing/1848-how-to-become-a-better-wader-with-lindsay-kocka

I was extreamly sad to hear this news when it got to me, and I can't thank you enough @wiseguy for the updates you have provided.
Brad is a great guy and this is truly tragic. I can't imagine how his family feels.
I've shared this story to my outdoor friends and people I know from Chehalis, I hope they are able to find him.