Cisco vs Lake Whitefish Identification

Cisco and lake whitefish are found in the Missouri River System in North Dakota, including Lake Audubon.

Both species are identifiable as members of the trout/salmon family by general body shape and presence of an adipose fin.

However, many anglers have a difficult time identifying these species.

Cisco, also called lake herring or tullibee, do not grow as large as lake whitefish.

Anglers often think they have caught a new state record cisco when in fact they have landed an average lake whitefish.

The easiest way to identify each of these species is by the position of the mouth in relation to the snout.

North Dakota anglers are more likely to catch a cisco than a lake whitefish.

The mouth of lake whitefish is subterminal, meaning the snout overhangs the mouth.

By contrast, the mouth of a cisco is located terminally on the head, meaning it extends up to or slightly beyond the tip of the snout.