lake whitefish
Coregonus clupeaformis
Fish of large North American lakes, prized for its flesh and its roe, which becomes caviar. Reaches 100 cm and has been introduced to Argentina and Chile.
Also called: corégono-de-lago, coregono, coregono de lago, lake whitefish
- maximum
- 100 cm
- record/max.
- 19.0 kg
- depth
- 8–128 m
who is the lake whitefish
Salmonid of the family Salmonidae, freshwater and sometimes brackish, reaching 100 cm and weighing up to 19 kg. It is mainly a fish of large lakes, moving from deep to shallow waters with the seasons. It enters brackish waters. It spawns in autumn and early winter, in shallow areas. It eats the larvae of aquatic insects, molluscs and amphipods, as well as other fish and fish eggs, including its own species. It has commercial value: the flesh is eaten fresh, smoked or cooked, and the roe becomes caviar.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the lake whitefish.
fun facts
- During spawning, the fish are very active and can jump out of the water.
identification
Fusiform fish with a dark brown to dark blue back, which fades to silver on the sides and white on the belly. The adipose fin is well developed and is usually larger in males. Unlike the lake trout, which has pale spots on its back, this fish's back is dark brown to dark blue.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Native to North America, in the large lakes and rivers of Canada and the United States, and introduced to Argentina and Chile. Not recorded in Brazil.
Habitat: Large lakes and large rivers, from 8 to 128 meters deep.
rules for the lake whitefish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Harmless fish. When returning it, hold it with a wet hand and release it quickly into the water.
in the kitchen
It is eaten fresh, smoked, frozen or cooked, and its roe is used to make caviar.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0055, b = 3.23; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Coregonus clupeaformis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Coregonus clupeaformisNames by country and language.