Northwest Fishing Reports

The burbot (Lota lota) is the only gadiform (cod-like) fish inhabiting freshwaters. It is also known as mariah, the lawyer, and (misleadingly) eelpout. It is closely related to the marine common ling and the cusk. It is the only member of the genus Lota.

The genus and species name "lota" comes from the old French[1] "lotte", fish named also "barbot" in this language. The Inuktitut–Iñupiaq word for burbot was used to name the recently discovered extinct transitional species Tiktaalik.

It is most common in streams and lakes of North America and Europe above 40°N latitude. They are fairly common in Lake Erie but are also found in the other Great Lakes.

The burbot is edible. In Finland, its roe is sold as caviar. There is an annual spearfishing tournament held near Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada. One of the highlights of the tournament is the fish-fry where the day's catch is served up deep-fried. When cooked, burbot meat tastes very similar to American lobster, leading to the burbot's nickname of "poor man's lobster."

On Lake Superior we would also call them "losh" and "mullet" (like the bad haircut). They are pretty good to eat, but a pain to clean.

Catch the fresh water lings on Palmer Lake, here in WA, through the ice in the winter.

They're not a pain to clean if you do it this way: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?ad ... ion.burbot" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pull the skin off like a tube sock. Remove the dorsal and anal fins. And then take three giant fillets. You don't have to gut them or bone them. It's a cinch.

Just though I'd post a pic of a burbot I caught a couple weeks ago. It was a first for me. I had seen one before come in as by-catch in a derby, but never had contact with one myself. I was jigging on the bottom in 100+ ft. of water. Jig was tipped with night crawler. Fish was 18" very strange fish indeed. It was very much like what I used to keep in my aquarium, an African Lungfish. Very eel-like, with couple of prehistoric-throw back legs below the gill area.

Bet that made a tasty meal! Where did you find that one?

The Quadfather wrote:

image1.jpeg

Just though I'd post a pic of a burbot I caught a couple weeks ago. It was a first for me. I had seen one before come in as by-catch in a derby, but never had contact with one myself. I was jigging on the bottom in 100+ ft. of water. Jig was tipped with night crawler. Fish was 18" very strange fish indeed. It was very much like what I used to keep in my aquarium, an African Lungfish. Very eel-like, with couple of prehistoric-throw back legs below the gill area.

Was that caught upstream from your rotting king?

Bodofish wrote:

The Quadfather wrote:

image1.jpeg

Just though I'd post a pic of a burbot I caught a couple weeks ago. It was a first for me. I had seen one before come in as by-catch in a derby, but never had contact with one myself. I was jigging on the bottom in 100+ ft. of water. Jig was tipped with night crawler. Fish was 18" very strange fish indeed. It was very much like what I used to keep in my aquarium, an African Lungfish. Very eel-like, with couple of prehistoric-throw back legs below the gill area.

Was that caught upstream from your rotting king?

Yup.

I've been targeting them this year with good success.


Bottom fish that eats other fish to about 8"

Now thats a box-a-burbots!

This is something I definitely want to get into. Once my boat is up to speed that is. Time to start researching as I have zero knowledge.