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How to catch Broad whitefish

Coregonus nasus (Pallas, 1776)

About Broad whitefish fishing

The broad whitefish is a cold-water salmonid member of the genus Coregonus, native to Arctic-draining basins across northern Eurasia and North America. It features a compressed, herring-shaped body with a convex head, a mild overbite, short gill rakers, an iridescent dark olive-brown back, silvery-grey sides, and a whitish belly. Growing up to 71 centimetres and 16 kilograms, this nerito-pelagic fish inhabits lowland rivers, lakes, streams, and coastal estuaries down to 50 metres depth. Adults feed primarily on benthic organisms including chironomid midge larvae, molluscs, and crustaceans, undertaking extensive upstream spawning migrations during late summer and autumn into swift gravel-bottomed reaches. Prized for its rich, high-quality flesh, it is targeted by commercial fisheries and valued as a resilient sport fish in northern waters.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    46 cm TL

  • Market value

    Very high

  • Habitat

    Freshwater, Brackish

  • Season

    Summer, Autumn

  • Also known as

    Large Bottom Whitefish, Round-nosed whitefish, Sheep-nosed whitefish

Broad whitefish

Adipose fin

Fairly large fleshy adipose fin present on the back.

Caudal shape

Deeply forked caudal fin typical of whitefish.

Head profile

Rounded to flat profile of the head.

Broad whitefish fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    46 cm TL (max 71 cm TL )

  • Typical weight

    2.5 kg (max 16 kg )

  • Depth

    5–50 m

  • Longevity

    15 years

  • Body shape

    Fusiform / Normal

  • Commercial?

  • Vulnerability score

    65

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Peak

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Active

  • Midday

    High sun

    Low

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Low

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Peak

  • Night

    After dark

    Low

When to fish for Broad whitefish

01
January
02
February
03
March
04
April
05
May
06
June
07
July
08
August
09
September
10 Now
October
11
November
12
December

How to catch Broad whitefish

Tips for catching Broad whitefish

Anglers target broad whitefish by presenting baits and artificial flies near the bottom in deep river pools, lake drop-offs, and estuary edges where they forage for aquatic invertebrates. Because their small, subterminal mouths are designed for vacuuming benthic prey, successful float fishing requires light rigs with small hooks baited with worms or maggots, balanced with just enough split shot to tick the substrate. Fly fishers achieve success by dead-drifting heavy nymphs or small wet flies along current seams and gravel bars. Focus efforts during the cooler months of summer and early autumn when fish actively feed before their upstream spawning migrations, concentrating on low-light periods around dawn and dusk for optimal catches.

Other names for Broad whitefish

Local and alternate names anglers use for Broad whitefish.

  • Broad whitefish
  • Sheep-nosed whitefish
  • Round-nosed whitefish
  • Large Bottom Whitefish

Best equipment to catch Broad whitefish

Compare fishing methods for Broad whitefish — sized kit for each technique.

Note: Typical fish is 2.5 kg Our algorithm will suggest the best equipment for you based on this weight.

Best lures and baits for Broad whitefish

Ranked lures and natural baits from every method, best first.

How Broad whitefish migrates — Anadromous

Grows at sea and swims into rivers to spawn. Target the run as fish leave the ocean and push upstream.

How Broad whitefish migrates — Anadromous 1. Eggs: Laid in fresh water, usually well up the river. 2. Juveniles: Grow in the river, then head downstream to the sea. 3. Adults: Feed and grow at sea. 4. Spawners: Run back up the river to spawn.
Fresh water Estuary Sea

1 Eggs

Fresh water

Laid in fresh water, usually well up the river.

2 Juveniles

→ Sea

Grow in the river, then head downstream to the sea.

3 Adults

Sea

Feed and grow at sea.

4 Spawners

→ Fresh water

Run back up the river to spawn.

Some populations never go to sea and complete the cycle in rivers and lakes.

Hover or tap a number to read each stage.

Diet and behavior of Broad whitefish

  • Diet

    Carnivore

  • Feeds by

    Hunts animals

  • Hunts

    Dawn · Dusk

Prey and predators of Broad whitefish

Prey is what Broad whitefish eats. Predators are the animals that eat it.

That is how it feeds, and how it is hunted.

Predators

What hunts it

Fish

  • Lethenteron camtschaticum juv./adults

Where Broad whitefish lives

Pelagic over the continental shelf — coastal open water, not the deep ocean.

Habitats
Freshwater, Brackish
Depth zone
5–50 m
Water column
Open water
Does not use the seabed

Where this species lives