In general, its colouration is greenish brown over the back shading to silver on the sides and silvery white below. It has large scales and a deeply forked tail. Average-sized whitefish in the commercial catch measure 40 to 50 cm in length and weigh 0.9 to 1.8 kg. The largest individual on record was an 18.9 kg heavyweight taken from Lake Superior in 1918. In Canada, lake whitefish inhabit cold lakes across the continent from Alaska to Labrador and south to the Great Lakes.
Largest producers are the lakes of the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
Commercial fishing is carried out by means of gillnets set in open water during the summer and below the ice in winter. Trapnets and poundnets are also used in some areas. While not noted as a game fish, in recent years the lake whitefish has been the object of an active sport fishery in many parts of its range. Anglers catch it on a small hook usually baited with a salted or fresh minnow or shiner. Commercially caught whitefish are sold fresh and frozen in the round, headed and dressed, and as fillets.