Mountain Whitefish
Prosopium williamsoni
Also called whitefish
A native salmonid species found in cold, clear waters of western North America. They have a distinctive small mouth and feed primarily on aquatic insects and small invertebrates.
Mountain Whitefish at a glance
- Scientific name
- Prosopium williamsoni
- Typical size
- 8-16 inches, 0.5-2 lbs
- Water
- Freshwater
- Habitat
- Freshwater
- Rarity in the Fishdex™
- Common
Habitat
Mountain whitefish inhabit cold streams, rivers, and lakes throughout the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest. Anglers typically target them with small flies, worms, or light tackle in deeper pools and runs. They are often caught incidentally while fishing for trout.
Catch one and it is yours
Log a mountain whitefish through the Cobia Camera and this entry fills in with your photo, your personal best, and the exact conditions on the day. The app also carries the slot and season rules for wherever you are standing.
How the Fishdex™ worksWhat to throw for mountain whitefish
The lure classes that produce for mountain whitefish, drawn from the same species map Cobia reasons about. Each one opens a full page on what it is, when it works and how to fish it.
Which one, in which color and which weight, depends on the water in front of you today. That part is the app.
Mountain Whitefish questions people ask
Mountain Whitefish is Prosopium williamsoni. Anglers also call it whitefish.
A typical mountain whitefish runs 8-16 inches, 0.5-2 lbs. Cobia records the length and weight of every mountain whitefish you log and keeps your personal best on its Fishdex entry.
Mountain whitefish inhabit cold streams, rivers, and lakes throughout the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest. Anglers typically target them with small flies, worms, or light tackle in deeper pools and runs. They are often caught incidentally while fishing for trout. It is a fresh water species, filed under freshwater in the Fishdex.
Spoons and blade baits all produce. Which one, in which color and which weight, depends on the season, the water temperature and the tide on the day, which is the part Cobia works out against the lures you already own.
Yes. Log one through the Cobia Camera and this entry fills in with your own photo, your personal best, and the conditions on the day you caught it. The app also carries the slot limits and season dates for wherever you are standing. It is free.
Tomorrow morning starts tonight
Set your home water, pick a drive radius, and wake up to a plan.
Android coming soon
iPhone, iOS 17 or later. Setup takes about a minute.