Round Whitefish
A native salmonid of cold northern lakes and rivers, the round whitefish ranges from Alaska across Canada to New England and into the Great Lakes basin.
Cylindrical where most of its relatives are laterally compressed, it lives deep, feeds on the bottom, and carries a small, toothless mouth that makes it genuinely difficult to catch — which is part of why most anglers never encounter one despite sharing water with them.
Also known as Menominee, Frostfish, Round Fish, Menominee Whitefish, Pilot fish, River whitefish
- Distinctly cylindrical body — noticeably rounder in cross-section than other whitefish or ciscoes, which is the quickest field ID.
- Dark brown back fading to silvery sides and silvery-white belly; pectoral and pelvic fins are tinged light orange.
- Small, toothless mouth and large scales; the adipose fin marks it as a salmonid.
- Most fish run 10–14 inches; individuals over 18 inches are uncommon, and reaching 14 inches takes roughly seven years of growth.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native across a broad northern arc — from Alaska and Arctic drainages of northeast Asia east through Canada to New England and the Great Lakes (absent from Lake Erie).
- A cold-water specialist that needs deep, well-oxygenated lakes; also found in large rivers and ponds within its range, though river populations have declined in parts of the northeast.
- Introduced into additional waters beyond its native range in some areas of the northeastern United States.
Specific Spots
- Spends most of its time near the bottom of deep, rocky lake basins where invertebrate food concentrates in the substrate — targeting the deepest well-oxygenated zone.
- Stream inlets, outlet mouths, and pinch points in lakes draw fish, especially as water cools in fall and fish stage for spawning runs.
- On calm days, individuals will suspend and dimple the surface — a brief window when they're more accessible than their usual deep-bottom routine suggests.
Round Whitefish FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Round Whitefish?
Micro-jigs in the 1/32- to 1/16-oz range (crappie-style) and size 0–1 spinners or tiny spoons are the most consistent producers, anything larger is simply too big for the mouth. A small hook baited with a single salmon egg fished near bottom is a reliable natural-bait approach, particularly in winter through the ice.
What do Round Whitefish eat?
Primarily zooplankton, midge larvae, and small crustaceans, the same tiny invertebrates that live in bottom sediment and the water column of cold, deep lakes. This is why micro-jigs and small bead-head nymphs sized to imitate these organisms outperform anything larger.
Where do Round Whitefish live?
Native across a broad northern arc, from Alaska and Arctic drainages of northeast Asia east through Canada to New England and the Great Lakes (absent from Lake Erie).
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