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[Jelly_]

Hello everyone,
I would like to try fly fishing for mountain whitefish in the stave during the winter, what flies work best for them?
Thanks in advance

[fisherforever]

Size 12/14 Copper Johns, stone fly nymphs have always produced for me. Be gentle with them as they have a fragile mouth.

[Old Blue]

Think about it for a while and what would be the food source that draws them in?

Instead of asking for instant gratification put in some work and try to figure it out and reward yourself with the effort.

[clarki]

Like ff suggests, keep flies in the smaller range: 12’s and 14’s are perfect. I’ve fished larger nymphs tied in a size 8 for cutthroat and they were too big for the whitefish.

In my experience, whitefish aren’t fussy and will pick up anything that looks buggy and edible.

I tie a little pattern that uses Coq de Leon (or sometimes pheasant) for the tail, dubbing and wire rib for the body, and a few wraps of CDC for a hackle. A simple little representative pattern that looks like nothing, and everything. 

Sorry OB, I’m feeling helpful tonight

[RalphH]

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.

[Dave]

Single egg pattern

[Jelly_]

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?

[fisherforever]

I used to pickle mine with my pickled herring recipe.

[RalphH]

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.