07-15-2015, 03:51 AM
While it is true that both whites and browns eat much of the same stuff, (we often catch both on the same flies [
]) due to the specialized mouth morphology of whitefish, they are able to utilize food sources that browns have a hard time getting at. The proof of this is seen in a place like the Middle where the whites are robust and chunky and only the browns are stunted. If it is the case that the browns can't utilize efficiently what the whites grow fat on, then it doesn't matter how many whites you yank out, the browns won't improve until they are thinned out. With the current fish population in the Middle being something like 2 or 3 thousand fish per mile, largely browns, there is indeed a lot of thinning to do if one is to see some real big fish there.
Nonetheless, as noted previously, harvesting a white or three would have absolutely no negative effect either. I do like them smoked. I also found them to be good broiled or grilled.
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]) due to the specialized mouth morphology of whitefish, they are able to utilize food sources that browns have a hard time getting at. The proof of this is seen in a place like the Middle where the whites are robust and chunky and only the browns are stunted. If it is the case that the browns can't utilize efficiently what the whites grow fat on, then it doesn't matter how many whites you yank out, the browns won't improve until they are thinned out. With the current fish population in the Middle being something like 2 or 3 thousand fish per mile, largely browns, there is indeed a lot of thinning to do if one is to see some real big fish there.Nonetheless, as noted previously, harvesting a white or three would have absolutely no negative effect either. I do like them smoked. I also found them to be good broiled or grilled.
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