whitefish Species Facts
Science Name: Coregonus clupeaformis / Prosopium williamsoni
Description

Lake whitefish
Lake whitefish are olive-green to blue on the back, with silvery sides. They have a small mouth below a rounded snout, and a deeply forked tail. They are mostly found in larger lakes in western Canada, where they prefer deep, cool water.

Lake whitefish spawn from September through January in water two to four metres in depth. The longest single movement of a tagged whitefish ever recorded was 388 km (240 miles), from Fort McMurray to the north shore of Lake Athabasca.

Mainly bottom feeders, lake whitefish eat crustaceans, snails, insects and other small aquatic organisms.

They are fished commercially in western Canada, and are becoming a very popular winter sport fish.

Mountian Whitefish
Mountain whitefish have large scales, no spots and small mouths with no teeth. The general body color is a bronze-white or greenish white. This fish is often called Rocky Mountain whitefish or (incorrectly) grayling. The latter name is often used in regions where Arctic grayling are not found.

Mountain whitefish are native to most of the waters of western Canada. They move in large groups or schools from pool to pool. Adult mountain whitefish undertake spawning migrations in the fall and feeding migrations in the spring.

These fish are more adaptable in their environmental requirements than other cold-water sport fishes. They have maintained large populations in many streams. Large hydroelectric reservoirs often provide suitable habitat for these fish, and large populations are often present.

Spawning takes place over gravel in fairly shallow water in streams. It usually occurs at night in October or November. No nest is built. The eggs and milt are deposited directly on the bottom material. The eggs hatch in early to mid-March.

Mountain whitefish feed primarily on bottom-dwelling aquatic insects, but will also feed on terrestrial insects on the surface. They have also been known to feed on other smaller fish and on fish eggs.