lake Joe, ice conditions

Looks like a great day of weather, ice conditions and lots of action. Nice lakers but what? No WF at all?

Great day!

I don't normally fish for Whitefish and the baits I am using are not going to catch Whitefish on Joe. I also try to focus more on bigger lakers and don’t spend very much time fishing bottom at all. That being said the Laker bite was more of a bottom bite in the afternoon where as the morning was mid water and higher with great chases.

I don't normally fish for Whitefish and the baits I am using are not going to catch Whitefish on Joe. I also try to focus more on bigger lakers and don’t spend very much time fishing bottom at all. That being said the Laker bite was more of a bottom bite in the afternoon where as the morning was mid water and higher with great chases.

Interesting. Where I have fished, it doesn't seem to matter too much if I am on bottom or higher up, I can get both species hitting higher up. I use to think those marks that came up high (and also pretty quickly but sometimes not quiet as fast) were all lakers but in the right spots at the right time, it's all WF that do the same thing as the lakers. On bottom, for WF, I also get lots of lakers. This winter, it's been mostly lakers and I am trying to do what I would think would catch more WF. Hoping to get out a few more times as its starting to look like the end is coming...

I don't normally fish for Whitefish and the baits I am using are not going to catch Whitefish on Joe. I also try to focus more on bigger lakers and don’t spend very much time fishing bottom at all. That being said the Laker bite was more of a bottom bite in the afternoon where as the morning was mid water and higher with great chases.

Interesting. Where I have fished, it doesn't seem to matter too much if I am on bottom or higher up, I can get both species hitting higher up. I use to think those marks that came up high (and also pretty quickly but sometimes not quiet as fast) were all lakers but in the right spots at the right time, it's all WF that do the same thing as the lakers. On bottom, for WF, I also get lots of lakers. This winter, it's been mostly lakers and I am trying to do what I would think would catch more WF. Hoping to get out a few more times as its starting to look like the end is coming...

Hope you do.

I love eating WF but I hate how wimpy they fight. lol.

That being said if I knew I was on a school I would catch some core the table.

I don't normally fish for Whitefish and the baits I am using are not going to catch Whitefish on Joe. I also try to focus more on bigger lakers and don’t spend very much time fishing bottom at all. That being said the Laker bite was more of a bottom bite in the afternoon where as the morning was mid water and higher with great chases.

Interesting. Where I have fished, it doesn't seem to matter too much if I am on bottom or higher up, I can get both species hitting higher up. I use to think those marks that came up high (and also pretty quickly but sometimes not quiet as fast) were all lakers but in the right spots at the right time, it's all WF that do the same thing as the lakers. On bottom, for WF, I also get lots of lakers. This winter, it's been mostly lakers and I am trying to do what I would think would catch more WF. Hoping to get out a few more times as its starting to look like the end is coming...

Hope you do.

I love eating WF but I hate how wimpy they fight. lol.

That being said if I knew I was on a school I would catch some core the table.

Funny that you said WF are wimpy fighters. This winter, all my lakers have been pretty easy to get up to the hole....the real fight have always begun there. I only got two WF so far and the first one put up a better fight than all the lakers (including my 25+" entry for the derby) so far...it was hard to get it to the hole but once there, it was easy to get them out. The second (smaller) WF was really easy...felt like a herring it was so easy. When the WF starts into that side to side thing, they feel heavier than they are but for sure, almost never get them running like some lakers.

Flukes that line peeling, drag smoking runs are what I live for. Lakers do this when they aren’t dinks. For Lake Joe I only use an 8lb floro leader. This means a Laker has to get to say 4 lbs plus before it starts to pull some drag. I just find equal size whitefish I drag up fast. Of course a BIG Simcoe whitefish can give an ok pull just because they are bigger.

Pound for pound I just find lakers more fun but the whitefish are better table fare. IMO.

Nice fish Disco!

That's a beauty fish Disco!

I have caught a ton of lakers on that lake - and every so often tie into a slob 6-8 lbs (not Simcoe slob LOL), and also the odd burbot.

I have never caught a whitefish out there. That's very interesting. They must be in the same general areas.

I may have to change my baits up a bit and try and target some tasty table fare.

I haven't fished Joe in a number of years - it's been easier to catch a dozen perch for a feed (also a tastier feed), than the hour drive to Joe for 2 fish.

I'm going to have to rethink my strategies!

Absolutely agree with that. Love the rush of the drag going out. But these days, I am okay with only trying to catch the fish I want to eat and leaving the big ones alone (or at least not trying to get the bigs ones to play with). BUT, if they are wanting to play with my smaller baits, then I can't stop them...right? The challenge (for me at least and right now) with WF is not the pulling up and playing on the rod/line part but getting the buggers to bite. I find it is easier to get a laker to take a lure than WF. There is a subtleness that I am still trying to get right with presentation to WF and am trying to figure out if I am doing well one day and not another, is it me or is it the fish being off. Lakers...so much fun with the chasing though. But on the right day, the WF can do the same chasing. For sure WF is better table fare....my little one "tells" me this each time I try to sneak a piece of laker into a batch of WF pieces (and I don't tell him). He will just give the piece of laker one bite (say it's good) but move on to another piece and if WF, it goes down without hesitation). Perch, crappie and pike also go down well.

I don't normally fish for Whitefish and the baits I am using are not going to catch Whitefish on Joe. I also try to focus more on bigger lakers and don’t spend very much time fishing bottom at all. That being said the Laker bite was more of a bottom bite in the afternoon where as the morning was mid water and higher with great chases.

Interesting. Where I have fished, it doesn't seem to matter too much if I am on bottom or higher up, I can get both species hitting higher up. I use to think those marks that came up high (and also pretty quickly but sometimes not quiet as fast) were all lakers but in the right spots at the right time, it's all WF that do the same thing as the lakers. On bottom, for WF, I also get lots of lakers. This winter, it's been mostly lakers and I am trying to do what I would think would catch more WF. Hoping to get out a few more times as its starting to look like the end is coming...

Hope you do.

I love eating WF but I hate how wimpy they fight. lol.

That being said if I knew I was on a school I would catch some core the table.

Funny that you said WF are wimpy fighters. This winter, all my lakers have been pretty easy to get up to the hole....the real fight have always begun there. I only got two WF so far and the first one put up a better fight than all the lakers (including my 25+" entry for the derby) so far...it was hard to get it to the hole but once there, it was easy to get them out. The second (smaller) WF was really easy...felt like a herring it was so easy. When the WF starts into that side to side thing, they feel heavier than they are but for sure, almost never get them running like some lakers.

Hmmmmm....WF.....does it stand for Whitefish or Wimpy Fighters.....

Arnie

Or when they’re under you all day and won’t take anything you offer

WF means What’da Fu€

WF....yup, and yup. Not sure what's more frustrating....a fast chase for almost the entire water column or a big lazy blob on the bottom that won't chase of eat no matter what bag of trick you throw at them...or at least the limited bag of tricks I can throw at them. But they (esp. Simcoe's) can feel quite heavy and the hooks seem to pop out easier on the WF than lakers. Overall, I like them better...more of a challenge (to me anyway). Lakers are more like a dog that will bite (or at least chase) at anything that moves.