| Lake Erie is a unique lake in that it’s waters | | | | large enough to leave the protective shallows for |
| contain a wide variety of fishes, some here by | | | | deeper waters by early summer. Whitefish |
| accident, but most here naturally. The walleye is a | | | | generally grow rapidly, but this varies by region |
| lake native. So is the yellow perch. | | | | and food supply. |
| But there’s one species that has captured | | | | Lake whitefish can reach a size of more than 20 |
| my curiosity. It’s the lake whitefish. I’ve | | | | pounds and an age of over 25 years, although |
| never seen one—dead or alive— and | | | | this was more commonplace 50 years ago. While |
| I’ve never caught one. Yet they are a | | | | depletion of whitefish stocks by over-fishing and |
| mainstay of the commercial fishing industry | | | | environmental deterioration had drastically reduced |
| around the Great Lakes. And, yes, they are | | | | commercial yields, environmental cleanup and |
| native to Lake Erie. | | | | careful fishery management of the late 1960s |
| The whitefish is a member of the trout/salmon | | | | have largely remedied this. |
| family Salmonidae. And, I’m told, that they | | | | In recent years, Ohio commercial fishermen have |
| are a great eating fish. Yet, I never see them in | | | | netted around 1.4 million pounds of whitefish. |
| the supermarkets. If the commercials are | | | | Unlike its largemouthed trout and salmon cousins, |
| catching them, who’s buying? I’d love to | | | | the lake whitefish has a small, exceedingly delicate |
| sit down to a whitefish dinner some time. | | | | mouth (another challenge for the angler) and it is |
| Furthermore, I’d like to sport | | | | therefore confined to dining on insects, |
| catch some of these fish. But according to | | | | freshwater shrimp, small fish and fish eggs, and |
| Michigan DNR, that’s more than a little tricky. | | | | bottom organisms. |
| Until recently few sport anglers have even tried | | | | Most feeding takes place on or near lake |
| to catch lake whitefish, although DNR says that | | | | -bottoms. Whitefish eggs are consumed by yellow |
| situation is changing, and anglers are attempting to | | | | perch, ciscoes, burbot, and even other whitefish. |
| refine a method of catching them. | | | | Young whitefish fall prey to lake trout, northern |
| Michigan DNR says the reclusive lake whitefish | | | | pike, burbot, walleye, and probably other |
| prefers to swim in the company of a school of | | | | fish-eating predators. Adult whitefish are taken |
| fellow whitefish in depths of up to 200 feet and | | | | primarily by man. |
| deeper during mid | | | | While sport fishing for whitefish is around zero so |
| summer. Of course, this is the main reason why | | | | far, some Lake Erie anglers reportedly are trying |
| they are difficult to catch. Lake Erie has one spot | | | | out tiny fly-like lures to catch these elusive fish. I |
| that is about 200 feet deep but that’s up | | | | haven’t seen any reports yet on their |
| near Buffalo. | | | | success. When I do, I will let everyone in on the |
| However, the whitefish spawns in early winter in | | | | secret. |
| shallow rock or sand bottomed lake waters less | | | | But the prospect of adding whitefish to the |
| than 25 feet deep. These waters include | | | | angler’s list of keepers is fascinating. These |
| Erie’s Western Basin and the shallower areas | | | | fish have been in the lake thousands of years and |
| of the Central Basin. The Detroit River is one of | | | | anglers are now just discovering the potential. My |
| the whitefish’s spawning areas, too. | | | | -o-my! |
| The young hatch the following spring, and grow | | | | |