Alewife

The 'Wooly Wife' fly pattern - a white woolly bugger variant with silver flashabou, white marabou tail, white chenille body, silver mylar ribbing, and white hackle. Effective trolling flies include patterns with white, silver, and light blue materials, often enhanced with UV-reactive elements for deep water fishing.

The most productive fishing occurs during spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) when Alewife move between deep and shallow water. Summer fishing requires targeting depths of 40-100+ feet where they retreat during thermal stratification.

For trolling applications targeting salmon and steelhead feeding on Alewife, use flies and lures that imitate their silver coloration and 3-4 inch size. For surface fishing when Alewife schools are visible, small silver spoons, white streamers, or herring imitations can be effective.

Alewife are planktivorous, feeding primarily on zooplankton including copepods, cladocerans, and mysids. Larger individuals also consume amphipods like Pontoporeia, fish e.g.gs, and small fish including their own larvae.

Established throughout Michigan's Great Lakes system. They exhibit strong seasonal movements, spending winters in deep, cold water (40-60+ feet) and moving shallower in spring and summer.