Freshwater · Summer; river runs build from June through September

Sheefish (Inconnu)

Stenodus leucichthys

The tarpon of the north — sheefish are giant predatory whitefish that run Alaska and Arctic rivers in summer and crush big spoons with salmon-like power. Remote water, huge silver fish and almost no crowds define the fishery.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sheefish (Inconnu) — Photo: Dr. Leonid Kozlov, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons (Nelma — the Eurasian form of Stenodus leucichthys (sheefish) — on a market display; a printed label card sits in front of the fish and neighbouring fish edge into the bottom of the frame. The only freely licensed whole-fish photo of this species on Commons.)

Identifying features

The giant of the whitefish family: a long, silvery, salmon-like body that commonly reaches 10-20 lb
Strongly underslung lower jaw that juts forward past the upper jaw
Large, obvious scales, a forked tail and a small adipose fin like its salmon relatives
Back is greenish-blue to dark silver; sides and belly are bright silver-white
Look-alike: lake whitefish are far smaller with a small, downturned mouth and a blunt snout; sheefish have a jutting lower jaw and a predatory mouth

Habits

A true predator among whitefish — eats other fish almost exclusively, including young whitefish and salmon smolts
Runs up big northern rivers in summer to feed and spawn, wintering in estuaries, deltas and large lakes
Feeds in schools along current seams, slough mouths and deep river bends
Hits large lures hard and fights with long runs — the tarpon of the north nickname is earned

Distribution

Anchorage, AK · Alaska★ Primary

Fairbanks, AK · AlaskaCommon

Yellowknife, NT · Northwest Territories & NunavutOccasional

Where to find them

The Kobuk and Selawik rivers of northwest Alaska — the most famous sheefish water in the world
Yukon River tributaries and sloughs in interior Alaska
Kuskokwim River bends and deep pools in summer
Great Slave Lake and Mackenzie River margins in the Canadian Arctic

Where they live

Big northern river bendsSlough and tributary mouthsEstuaries and large northern lakes

How to catch them

Casting spoons in river bends

Rig: Medium-heavy spinning outfit, large spoon cast across current seams and deep bends

Bait/lure: 3/4-1 oz spoons in silver, gold and chartreuse

Key tip: Work the seam where fast water meets the slough mouth. Sheefish sit on the slow edge and ambush smolts crossing it.

Trolling large lakes and deltas

Rig: Spoons or swimbaits trolled along drop-offs and delta edges

Bait/lure: Large spoons, 5-6 in swimbaits

Key tip: Follow bait schools on the sounder. Sheefish push bait against the delta edge at dawn and dusk.

Best baits & lures

Large spoons in silver, gold and chartreuseBig spinners and soft swimbaitsJigs worked along current seams

Techniques Academy →

Baseline setup

Rod: 8-9 ft medium-heavy spinning rod
Line: 20-30 lb braid, 20 lb fluorocarbon leader
Terminal: Large spoons, big spinners, swimbaits

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

9' 5-weight fly rod outfit

≈ US$180-260

Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.

Flies · Budget

Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)

≈ US$25-40

Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.

Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 5-15 lb; large specimens 30-50 lb and up

On the table

Very good — rich, white, flaky flesh, prized fresh and smoked; a staple food fish in northern communities.

Similar species

Lake WhitefishLake whitefish are much smaller with a small, downturned mouth for bottom feeding; sheefish are big predators with a jutting lower jaw

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

Plan a trip for Sheefish (Inconnu)

Build today's plan