lake whitefish

fish

Also known as: Coregonus

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Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

The lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) is a large, pale green fish primarily found in the cold, deep waters of North American lakes, especially the Great Lakes. It is considered a superior food and sport fish.12

Whitefish belong to the Salmonidae family and share characteristics with trout, such as an adipose fin, but have larger scales, smaller mouths, and weaker teeth. They typically feed on insect larvae and other small aquatic animals, spawning in the fall.2

The lake whitefish is a deep-bodied form of whitefish, with the species found in the Great Lakes region averaging about 4.5 pounds. Other related fish include ciscoes (lake herring), bloaters, chubs, and round whitefish like the Rocky Mountain whitefish. Some whitefish species are ecologically similar to ocean herrings, filtering small organisms from the water using specialized gill rakers.23

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protacanthopterygian
Ecology
…of the Northern Hemisphere, several whitefish species (Coregonus) are comparable, ecologically, to the herrings in the ocean. Such whitefishes, which are often called freshwater herrings, cruise the open water of lakes, filtering out minute organisms by straining the water through a fine mesh of gill rakers—minute bony elements attached to…
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…of the Northern Hemisphere, several whitefish species (Coregonus) are comparable, ecologically, to the herrings in the ocean. Such whitefishes, which are often called freshwater herrings, cruise the open water of lakes, filtering out minute organisms by straining the water through a fine mesh of gill rakers—minute bony elements attached to…
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whitefish
Lake whitefishes (Coregonus) are deep-bodied forms. The largest and most valuable, C. clupeaformis of the Great Lakes region, is known by such other names as Lake Superior whitefish, whiting, and shad. It averages about 2 kg (4.5 pounds) in weight.
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Lake whitefishes (Coregonus) are deep-bodied forms. The largest and most valuable, C. clupeaformis of the Great Lakes region, is known by such other names as Lake Superior whitefish, whiting, and shad. It averages about 2 kg (4.5 pounds) in weight.
Read More