[SCREWJACK]

I posted this on the old board also and I just wanted to cover my bases by posing the question here.

Well, I've decided to go and try to hit some whitefish in the Yakima River Canyon tomorrow. The problem is that I haven't fished for them since I was 17 or so and that was 23 years ago. I picked up some size 14 whitefish flies and a few containers of maggots and I plan to drift them using slinky weights or drift them with a bobber. Do any of you have suggestions on the best technique? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Netdab]

Check out the Whitefish Gear Rules (pg 26) and Closed waters on the Yakama (pg 86).

I used to make up my own mini slinkeis out of shoe laces stuffed with #6 bird shot with both end melted shut with the top end flattened and a small hole melted thru by a hot nail. The mini slinky almost never snags. A tag leader for the slinky tied to it to a 3way swivel about 8" long. The hook leader being about 2 1/2 feet long with a sz 12 gamo and a 1/2" piece of worm. Drift fish or set plonk line tight. Sz 12 EL Aberdeen hooks bent to make a mini circle hook work great for catch and release the smaller Whitefish, but with a circle hook - no setting the hook.

 

[SCREWJACK]

Netdab, thanks for the info. We're heading out shortly and we'll post an update of our successes...failure is not an option.