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[Colersmom]

Hi, would now be a good time to fish the stave for whitefish? if so where would be a good spot for them; closer to the dam or lower down?

[Wiseguy]

Waiting for Ralph to chime in here…

[RalphH]

I have never specifically targeted whitefish on the Stave or anywhere else. I have caught them but mostly while nymphing for trout. In the past whitefish on the Stave were an absolute pest when the chum fry started to move as they were numerous but their mouths are too small to be easily hooked on a fry imitation.

I was on the Stave for a few hours  a couple of weeks ago. I fished stuff that should equally target steelhead and cutthroat with no luck. I saw little sign of anything including other anglers.  The park on the east bank is closed so the only easy access is on the west bank. Even F&W says the Hayward Lake steelhead rearing program is yielding poor results & few fish are caught. Why don't they stop this? Other people I know say trout fishing on the Stave isn't worth it anymore.

I haven't seen much sign of whitefish in the North Fraser streams I fish over the last few years. I used to see small groups of them in tail outs or see them flashing in deeper water. Despite good hatches of mayflies (March browns this week) and some stone flies no sign of whitefish or trout. I don't know what's up with that.

For more detailed info if any is available call Hatch Match'r Tackle in Maple Ridge..

[SuperBobby]

If I was specifically targeting Whitefish right now, I would drive to Princeton and fish the Similkameen River. I think the Whitefish outnumber the rainbows 5-1 to there.

[RalphH]

A long drive and likely chilly up in Princeton plus the river is known for it's ice conditions

If our unseasonal cold spring weather continues the Fraser may clear (it was dirty a week ago). Some folks fish for whitefish around Agassiz etc. Side channels often produce the best.

[stsfisher]

Honestly whitefish have been very limited the last 3 or so years. I and a group of fishers specifically target whitefish and trout one weekend of the year, nymphing small weighted nymphs and the numbers have dropped significantly to the point it's not really worth the effort, unless ifcourse you live close and just want some peace.
Guys I know have been out already this season and the reports have been as bad if not worse. Not sure what's going on over there outfits not looking good.

[Darko]

Honestly whitefish have been very limited the last 3 or so years. I and a group of fishers specifically target whitefish and trout one weekend of the year, nymphing small weighted nymphs and the numbers have dropped significantly to the point it's not really worth the effort, unless ifcourse you live close and just want some peace.
Guys I know have been out already this season and the reports have been as bad if not worse. Not sure what's going on over there outfits not looking good.

I'm confident that is because of the high retention limits. There are for sure certain individuals that will go often and catch/kill many fish over a season. That's what happens when people post about a good thing on the internet, like a photo with a bunch of fish on the bank, or a yt video. For ex carp, there are groups that will religiously fish certain places and fill buckets with little 20+ 4-6 inch carp. I don't agree with what they're doing but it's not illegal unfortunately.

[clarki]

I'm confident that is because of the high retention limits. There are for sure certain individuals that will go often and catch/kill many fish over a season. That's what happens when people post about a good thing on the internet, like a photo with a bunch of fish on the bank, or a yt video. For ex carp, there are groups that will religiously fish certain places and fill buckets with little 20+ 4-6 inch carp. I don't agree with what they're doing but it's not illegal unfortunately.

You're going to have a hard time convincing me that taking bucket loads of non-native carp is a bad thing.

[Darko]

You're going to have a hard time convincing me that taking bucket loads of non-native carp is a bad thing.

No need to convince. Carp fisherman or any non carp hater would understand. If it was any sportfish you fished for I bet you wouldn't agree with it, or like it. Common carp do not intrude on any of the native fish here anyway.

[clarki]

No need to convince. Carp fisherman or any non carp hater would understand. If it was any sportfish you fished for I bet you wouldn't agree with it, or like it. Common carp do not intrude on any of the native fish here anyway.

Perhaps not on native fish, but there are other deleterious impacts

"Common Carp are one of the most damaging aquatic invasive species due to its wide distribution and severe impacts in shallow lakes and wetlands”

https://www.oiso.ca/species/common-carp/

[RalphH]

Darko I think I fish in waters where whitefish are common much more than you and in my long experience virtually no one targets them so I don't think the bag limit of 15 has any meaning. I'll also tell you that most casual anglers don't have the skill to catch a large number whitefish in a day. It is quite specialized. Hence the old saying - any angler who can regularly catch whitefish need fear no trout.

[Dave]

Hence the old saying - any angler who can regularly catch whitefish need fear no trout.

Totally agree with that statement.  I used to love fishing for whitefish and learned to fish the Vedder by catching them. Best whitefish day for me was about 20 years ago on the Horsefly river .. on dry flies. Only time I've had them on dries.

[SuperBobby]

I still say the Similkameen River is your best bet. They are not hard to catch there.
If you want large Mountain Whitefish, the Kettle River has some really good sized ones. A bit of a drive...
I was hunting the Christian Valley a few years back and would fish for them on warm fall afternoons.

[RalphH]

Totally agree with that statement.  I used to love fishing for whitefish and learned to fish the Vedder by catching them. Best whitefish day for me was about 20 years ago on the Horsefly river .. on dry flies. Only time I've had them on dries.

I did catch whitefish on dry flies on Kootenay Lake during an ant fall - tiny things but the whitefish and a few trout sure slurped them up. Best action I ever had for Whitefish was on the Crowsnest River in Alberta and the Madison in Montana. I used a 2 nymph rig on the Crowsnest and more than once had 2 whitefish on at the same time, fish that weighed close to a pound.