Ling cod, eelpout, lota, lawyer, mud shark — these are all wonderful names associated with the Ice Belt’s most misunderstood fish, the burbot.
Don’t let the goofy names or the stories of eelpout wrapping around your grandfather’s arm scare you — burbot are ferocious fighters and delicious table fare.
About Burbot
The burbot is a long-body fish that looks like a mix between a catfish, an eel and a salamander. With a dorsal fin that stops just shy of the tail, and an anal fin that does the same, it gives the appearance of an eel (hence the nickname, eelpout). Its circular tail makes the burbot a powerful swimmer and fighter. Its lone whisker is unique, distinguishing, and is called a barbel. The barbel helps the eelpout navigate and find food.
Color varies depending on water clarity, depth of the fish and time of year. The main colors can be anything from tan to dark brown, usually with yellow blotches scattered about the body. I’ve seen burbot that were nearly colorless, with black spots all over the body. I’ve also seen them look so vibrant with yellow that they appeared to jump straight off a painter’s palette.
Habits
Burbot are the only member of the cod family to live in freshwater lakes and rivers. They like cool waters and are most active in the winter. During late February to mid-March, while ice still covers the lakes in the North, burbot move up onto humps or near shorelines in search of a good area to form their “spawning ball.” Picture this: Hundreds of burbot have been observed intertwined and curled into a single ball while spawning. A single female can lay up to 1 million eggs. Those eggs are often prey to swarms of perch and tullibees, and the success rate of egg survival isn’t as high as one would think. Once spawning ends, the fish become a bit harder to find and target, and as the water warms in the spring, the fish become even more scarce. By summer, they are almost impossible to find in any decent numbers.
Like many fish, the burbot is an opportunistic feeder. They’ve been known to eat anything from small invertebrates to mice and shrews. Their main forage is fish, and the burbot is a ferocious feeder in the darkness. Like the walleye, the eelpout relates most often to the lake bottom, however, when chasing food, the burbot often rides high in the water column, even breaking the surface. Young-of-the-year perch, tullibees, crawfish and various baitfish are the primary forage for bloated-belly burbs.
The Old Days
As a kid growing up in the ’80s, fishing Lake of the Woods primarily, burbot were common sights when heading out ice fishing. They littered the outside of ice houses, as anglers would toss them on the ice and leave them. They were considered trash fish and were often left for dead. Stories of “slimy eelpout” wrapping around an angler’s arm or flopping around in the shanty, knocking over coffee cups and making a mess, were common. People seemed to despise them.
The Start of Something
I recall online fishing forums making waves in the fishing community. Forums and chat rooms were filled with people talking about their favorite tactics, patterns, types of fish, recipes and bragging about their catches.
It was the early 2000s, and people were learning more about fish and their habits. I recall posting pictures of burbot and talking about how well they fought, and how great they tasted. At first, most of us who showed love for burbs were blasted with comments about how gross burbot are and questioned about why in the world we would ever intentionally chase them. Within five years, trends changed, and suddenly people were posting their own stories of burbot catches and awesome nights on a burbot hole. Things were changing, and burbot were gaining respect. A large factor in the change was the taste of the burbot, the only freshwater cod. People quickly learned that they fought better than most fish through the ice, and that they tasted fantastic.
Jump ahead 20 years, and everyone seems to be on the bandwagon. Swarms of anglers come north to chase the cold-water leopards of the deep. Serious tournaments now exist, with large cash prizes. New records are being broken every winter, as people target them more often, and recognize them as trophies. The burbot is no longer a trash fish, but a treasure for many anglers across the Ice Belt.
Catching the Cod
Since burbot are most active in the winter while packing on pounds to get ready for spawning, this is also the most common time of year to catch the delicious urchins. Through the ice I’ve caught burbot in depths ranging from 2 feet all the way down to 60 feet. Researchers have found burbot as deep as 1,000 feet in the Great Lakes. Depth isn’t the key, structure is. Shallow flats or deep holes that hold large pods of bait during the day can be productive, while shallow bars, breaks or humps adjacent to deep water reign supreme after dark.
Simple walleye gear is sufficient for burbot. A 32- to 40-inch medium-powered ice rod teamed up with an ultra-light reel is perfect for the midwinter beasts. For line, 6- to 8-pound-test monofilament is usually sufficient, but many hard-core burbot enthusiasts tie on braid and tip the setup with a swivel and a fluorocarbon leader. Large jigging baits such as the Salmo Chubby Darter, Clam Leech Flutter Spoon or a Big Nasty Trout-N-Pout Spoon are great choices if you’re targeting them after dark. The amazing water movement and vibration made by these big baits teamed with the weight to help stir the bottom makes them deadly. Adding in the fact that you can get the baits in a mega glow color makes them even deadlier. Tipping your baits with shiner minnows on each treble is a proven tactic. Any extra scent you can get down to the bottom is a huge plus.
Electronics are a major advantage when chasing ‘pout. While the majority of the eelpout you’re going to encounter are close to the bottom, some of the larger fish come through suspended. I don’t know how many times my Vexilar FLX-28 has shown me suspended ‘pout that I would’ve missed if I hadn’t been using electronics. The 28 is sensitive enough that it can aid you in telling when your bait comes dislodged from your hooks, as well.
Jig often and be aggressive. Calling in one burbot with aggressive jigging often leads to small flurries. Banging the bottom to stir things up and make some noise is a good way to call their attention. When you mark a fish on your Vexilar, slowly lift your bait and keep it moving. Most of the ‘pout you mark are going to smack your bait, and when they do, hold on. Others may hit when you’re tapping bottom, and you won’t know you’ve hooked one until you start to jig and feel their mass. In other words, it’ll feel as if you’ve snagged the bottom.
Preparing ‘Pout
After reading the description of an eelpout, I realize that you’re not jazzed about eating one. However, I assure you, they’re one of the tastiest fish swimming. They’re also one of the most nutritious.
Cutting out the backstraps of the ‘pout and boiling them in water and lobster boil is one of the easiest methods. For something different, boil them in a mix of water and Mountain Dew or 7Up. This is a great way to enjoy “poor man’s lobster.” Once boiled, you can dip the flaky white meat in sweet butter and enjoy. The tail section is best when breaded and fried, sprinkled with lemon and dipped in tartar sauce.
Plus, the over-sized liver of the burbot contains huge amounts of vitamins A and D, however, I don’t have a recipe for that …
Remember the Resource
A good burbot population is the sign of a healthy fishery. As the burbot’s popularity grows, the fish is more susceptible to overharvest. Be conscious of the fish so your kids or friends new to the sport can enjoy the great fishing we’ve had available to us.
Next time you’re on the lake and you hook into a “pesky” burbot, don’t throw it on the ice — throw it back for another angler to enjoy, or throw it in your bucket and give one of the aforementioned recipes a try.
Matthew J. Breuer runs Northcountry Guide Service & Promotions in Bemidji, Minnesota.
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