Whitefish ( Powan / Gwyniad / Vendace / Schelly ) species guide • Game fish • Moderate (6/10)

Whitefish ( Powan / Gwyniad / Vendace / Schelly ) junior fishing guide

Coregonus lavaretus group

A clear, plain-English guide to whitefish ( powan / gwyniad / vendace / schelly ) for parents, coaches and juniors. See where they live, the best starter tackle, simple bait choices and a three-step plan to help young anglers catch their first one safely.

🎣 View starter tackle setups 📋 Log a Whitefish ( Powan / Gwyniad / Vendace / Schelly ) catch
Junior-first & welfare-aware • 3-step beginner plan • UK venues & seasons
Skill & size • Seasons • Beginner baits

Skill level

Moderate (6/10)

Best with some experience or support from a coach.

Best time

Spring–Autumn

Pick mild, settled days for junior sessions.

Typical size

Usually under 2 lb; some fish slightly larger.

Always match hooks, nets & lines to expected fish size.

🐟

Beginner baits

Caster, Lobworm, Pinkie …

Keep it simple — small hook baits, little-and-often feeding.

Typical venues: Deep, cold
Scroll down for detailed tackle setups, methods and parent-friendly guidance.
Catch your first whitefish ( powan / gwyniad / vendace / schelly ) with confidence

Catch your first Whitefish ( Powan / Gwyniad / Vendace / Schelly ) in 3 steps

A simple, repeatable plan juniors can follow with help from a parent, coach or older angler.

  1. Step 1

    Treat as conservation case studies

    These rare whitefish live in a handful of deep, cold lakes. Juniors are very unlikely to fish specifically for them and should mainly learn about them through talks or displays.

  2. Step 2

    If encountered, handle with great care

    Any accidental capture should be unhooked quickly with wet hands or in the net. Follow local conservation advice immediately.

  3. Step 3

    Link to wider habitat protection

    Use whitefish to teach about water quality, invasive species and the importance of protecting unique lake ecosystems.

Tackle setups that work

Designed with juniors and fish welfare in mind. Start with an IDEAL or GOOD setup for easier casting and safe unhooking.

We don’t have tackle recommendations for this species yet. Ask your club coach for a simple, junior-friendly rig and check back soon.

About the Whitefish ( Powan / Gwyniad / Vendace / Schelly )

Powan, Gwyniad, Vendace and Schelly are names for rare native whitefish found in a few deep, cold lakes. They are salmon family fish that feed on plankton in midwater and are much more important for conservation than for day to day angling.

Junior tip

Use these species mainly as an educational example. Explain that some special fish live only in one or two lakes, so moving fish or bait between waters can be a real biosecurity risk. Most juniors will never fish for them directly.

Logged a Whitefish ( Powan / Gwyniad / Vendace / Schelly ) recently?

Add a catch report so juniors can see where they’re being caught, which baits work and how your tackle was set up.

Submit a catch report

Want to discover more species? Browse the full species guide.

← Back to all species

Your experience on this site will be improved by allowing cookies.