Mountain whitefish
How to tell a mountain whitefish from the fish it's most often mistaken for, and what you can keep in each BC region.
How to confirm it's a mountain whitefish
- Tiny mouth under a rounded snout, no teeth you can see
- Large scales, silver sides, no spots
- Has the small fleshy fin of the trout family
Could it be something else?
Lake whitefish
Lake whitefish are deeper-bodied with a small hump behind the head, mostly in large lakes.Kokanee
Kokanee have a bigger mouth and small scales.
Lake whitefish are deeper-bodied with a small hump behind the head, mostly in large lakes.Kokanee
Kokanee have a bigger mouth and small scales.
Mountain whitefish quotas by region
Each region's quota rule that covers mountain whitefish, in the synopsis' words. Many waters set their own, lower quota or require release; check the water.
Region 1 · Vancouver Island
- No regional quota listed; see the rules for each water.
Region 2 · Lower Mainland
- Bass: 20 (excluding Mill Lake). Crappie: 20. Crayfish: 25. Kokanee: 5 (none from streams). Whitefish: 15 (all species combined). White sturgeon: catch and release only.
Region 3 · Thompson-Nicola
- Bass: 0 quota, closed to fishing. Burbot: 2. Crayfish: 25. Kokanee: 5 (none from streams). Whitefish: 15 (all species combined). White sturgeon: catch and release only. Yellow perch: 0 quota, closed to fishing.
Region 4 · Kootenay
- Bass: 0 quota, closed to fishing. Crayfish: 25. Kokanee: 15 (none from streams), no more than 5 over 30 cm. Northern pike, walleye, yellow perch: 0 quota, closed to fishing (see tables for exceptions). White sturgeon: closed to fishing (no exceptions). Whitefish: 15 (all species combined).
Region 5 · Cariboo
- Bass: 0 quota, closed to all fishing. Kokanee: 5 (none from streams). Whitefish: 15 (all species combined). White sturgeon: closed to all fishing in the Fraser River watershed upstream of Williams Lake River; catch and release downstream of and including Williams Lake River; closed in the Fraser River downstream of and including Williams Lake River Sept 15-July 15.
Region 6 · Skeena
- Kokanee: 10 (none from streams). Whitefish: 15 (all species combined). White sturgeon: closed to all fishing.
Region 7A · Omineca
- Arctic grayling: catch and release only. Burbot: 5. Kokanee: 10 (none from streams). White sturgeon: closed to all fishing. Whitefish: 15 (all species combined).
Region 7B · Peace
- Arctic grayling: 2 (none under 30 cm and only 1 over 45 cm); release any size May 1-June 15 and all from Williston Lake and its tributaries. Goldeye: 10. Inconnu: 1. Kokanee: 10 (none from streams, except Peace River). Northern pike: 3 (only 1 over 90 cm). Walleye: 3 (only 1 over 70 cm); release all from streams Apr 1-May 15. Whitefish: 15 (all species combined). Yellow perch: 5.
Region 8 · Okanagan
- Bass: 0 quota, closed to fishing (see tables for exceptions). Burbot: 2. Crappie: 20. Crayfish: 25. Kokanee: 5 (none from streams). Walleye: 8. Whitefish: 15 (all species combined). Yellow perch: 0 quota, closed to fishing (see tables for exceptions).