Flies & Streamers for Whitefish?, Sculpin-Goby Patterns

[2Cold]

Well.... haven't been out yet due to late season-ice, bad timing...and work. But I have had some time on my hands to think about using flies or streamers for ice fishing whitefish. A great Spey fishing buddy and fly tying guru made a couple of Sculpin-Goby patterns with weighted 1/4oz heads for me to test out.....if I get out?

They are 2.5 inches and the color/pattern I think is close? But not sure of the wet action jigging vs pulling in a stream? Pic attached ...I hope.

Just wondering if anyone has tried this technique out with any success or tips?


I have an AquaVu camera with 100ft cable and will try to video and post when I get out.

Please PM if you have a "rough" idea of what area might be good to focus on now....I fish the east side of Simcoe as I live in Durham Region...I fish alone, walker, have all gear, old, and slow as frozen molasses....so 50fow is probably my limit.




[U][B]

[stinkbait]

I'm not into fly fishing or tying flies but wow those look awesome especially the one on the bottom. Great looking jigs!
Sorry I'm a perch/pike guy I don't know any WF spots.

[Newburg007]

No reason they can't work. "Fly-type" lures are an option many have tucked in their tackle box. I'd be curious how the body "hairs" move under water(?) If they separate and "dance" with any slight movement, whities and lakers will rise to investigate -- and hopefully give chase. If they cluster, then bottom bouncing should draw attention. There's no reason your depth, or even shallower, wont work. Don't be afraid to move around on the "hunt". Always fun to try something new. Good luck.

[Dayfat]

I use flies for whitefish all the time and have most of my success on them! I like to tie them a foot or two off the bottom above a spreader or meegs jig. I dont use large goby patterns like yours, but more smaller bugs like patterns like scuds or caddis flies. A white or tan colour caddis fly seem to work the best for me

[Dayfat]

Examples

[2Cold]

Thanks for the great feed back gents ....I also have had some some luck running small Midge type flies(as pictured above) in tandem with spreaders and jigs.

I got some info on an area to try and will hopefully get out later this week ......and hoping the ice remains somewhat stable with the warm temps.

[Huronfly]

I swing flies like that all the time for steelhead, they love them. I would think they should work under the ice, those sculpin helmets are heavy enough they should jig alright. I use balanced leeches(think tube jig wrapped with marabou or rabbit) for other species as they hold more horizontal in the water column, but for bouncing bottom the weight foward of those sculpins should do the trick.