Species Facts
Science Name:
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Stenodus leucichthys
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Other Names:
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Inconnu; Eskimo Tarpon
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Description
The sheefish (Stenodus leucichthys) is the world's largest whitefish. Some
anglers think it looks similar to a tarpon. This fish fights very hard and has
delicious white meat. The general body shape of inconnu is very similar to that
of char or whitefish, but the head is relatively long, pointed, and depressed on
the top. Its mouth is large, and the lower jaw clearly projects outward beyond
the upper jaw. The maxillary, or upper jaw bone, extends back at least as far as
the middle of the eye. Small, fine teeth are found on the anterior part of the
lower jaw, and on the tongue, premaxillaries, the head of the maxillaries, the
vomer, and the palatines (bones of the roof of the mouth). The tail is
distinctly forked. Sheefish have large scales and a dark lateral line, and, like
all salmonids, an adipose fin.
Where to Find
Inconnu are found in Alaska, from the Kuskokwim River (Bering Sea drainage)
north, throughout the Yukon River in Canada, in the Mackenzie River, in Great
Bear and Great Slave Lakes in Canada's Northwest Territories as far as the
Anderson River near Cape Bathurst, and in isolated areas of extreme northern
British Columbia.
Habitat
Although generally viewed as a freshwater species, the inconnu occurs in
strictly freshwater lakes and rivers and also in anadromous sea-run forms that
winter in brackish deltas, bays, and tidewater areas and ascend coastal
tributaries to spawn.
Feeding Habits
Sheefish feed mostly on smaller fish.
World Record
53 lbs. caught in Pah River, AK on August 20, 1986
Tips for Fishing
Sheefish can be taken on medium action spinning or bait casting gear using 10 or
20 pound line. During their feeding periods, sheefish can be caught close to the
surface using a fly. Sheefish can also be taken through the ice in Selawik Lake
and Hotham Inlet during April and May using a lure attached to a short jigging
stick with heavy line.