Burbot Pics

[Brookie2]

Lets see some freshwater gadiform (Burbot) pics........anybody caught one?

[reevesr1]

I caught a couple on The Bow this year I think. Here's one:

 

 

 

Not the best shot, but they are difficult to handle!

[monger]

What did you catch it on Rick? I've caught some on the worm before.

[Nick0Danger]

Can you keep the ones out of the BOW? They are tasty so tasty i would eat it out of the bow.

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

Roach got one a few days ago

[COZNUTS]

got a nice one last year ....

[seby]

Never caught a Burb, do they fight well? I presume they like deep holes and other fishes. I have caught a sucker though on the bow last year on a streamer, it was a bit strange but a nice change. Lol that rhymes.

 

Cheers.

[maxwell]

burbs just roll around.. kinda like a sucker i suppose.... ive pulled a few out of the bow.. will post a few pics tommorow! cool too see on the end of your line when your expecting something else!they have very poor vision ive read and mainly feed at night (useto slay em afterdark icefishing) and i think they depend on smell more than there eyes too find food! BUT a buddy who frequents fishcreek slays a dozen or more a year easy on the leech pattern in the frogwater!

[Mudflap]

There is an interesting method to preparing these fish. A buddy nails the head to a board slices the skin around the "neck" area and then peels the whole thing back over the tail with pliers. They did taste very good.

[reevesr1]

What did you catch it on Rick? I've caught some on the worm before.

Rob,

Don't remember. Remembering the time of year, it would have been worm/stonefly/something smaller. I don't think I got it on the worm though. Stonefly maybe? Edit: and it could have been a leech as well-I do dead drift them lots in the spring.

 

Funny part of that is that in 4 consecutive fish (it was over 2 days) I caught:

Burbot, sucker, whitie, pike.

[Brookie2]

Thanks for posting the pics....they are odd looking creatures.

[flyfishfairwx]

Found this guy/girl in a low tree, well I should qualify that My Golden Retriever Thor found it. I have seen numerous Bald and Golden Eagles in the area, so that's what I figure got it..

 

 

And yes I am 99.987777777% sure it is a Burbot..

 

 

 

Note: yes it is a dead fish , that is a fact, but and there is always a but.. I did not kill or catch and kill it.. Another wild creature did, I am presuming.

[SteveM]

 

 

 

[alhuger]

There is an interesting method to preparing these fish. A buddy nails the head to a board slices the skin around the "neck" area and then peels the whole thing back over the tail with pliers. They did taste very good.

 

I remember my grandfather doing that so I suspect it's common (or was) here in AB. I know gear guys catch them at night on the Shuswap all the time too, rather large ones in there. I suspect they use scented bait for them there which makes me think Max is right about them hunting at least in part by smell.

 

al

[brownonbow]

Thanks for posting the pics....they are odd looking creatures.

 

 

Kinda makes you wonder if the first guy to eat one did it on a dare from his buddy!!!

 

 

[eatsleapfishrepeat]

supposidly you can't let the skin touch the meat for some reason? dont know if its true or not.

[jksnijders]

There is an interesting method to preparing these fish. A buddy nails the head to a board slices the skin around the "neck" area and then peels the whole thing back over the tail with pliers. They did taste very good.

 

 

 

Seen it done many times. Right in front of the old ferryman's house near Steveville the old cottonwoods were littered with big old ling skeletons. They're tough SOB's too, we caught one when I was a kid, tossed it in the truck, drove a solid 45 minutes home, planning to clean it (without the help of a tree, but a 2 x 4) and found the thing still very much alive. Tossed it in the pond in the backyard, and be damned if it didn't swim away....

[birchy]

Seen it done many times. Right in front of the old ferryman's house near Steveville the old cottonwoods were littered with big old ling skeletons. They're tough SOB's too, we caught one when I was a kid, tossed it in the truck, drove a solid 45 minutes home, planning to clean it (without the help of a tree, but a 2 x 4) and found the thing still very much alive. Tossed it in the pond in the backyard, and be damned if it didn't swim away....

 

That's insane!

 

Was talking to esleech at Wholesale a bit ago and he was telling me they got some crazy bite pressure too! Said he's broken more than a few hooks off after the burb has bitten down on it and while trying to pry it out with pliers! The moral of the story was.. "I wouldn't put your fingers anywhere near their mouth!"

[BBBrownie]

Burbot primarily use barbels for feeding. Barbels are sensory organs that look like tentacles or whiskers below the maxillary. They have something similar to taste buds on the end of the barbels, swim near the bottom feeling around with the barbels for food, this is why they often take bait off the bottom. Similar setup to catfish. Interestingly, burbot are most active in the winter during the day, and in the summer and at night. As far as I know they are the only fish species in Alberta that actually gains more mass in the winter than in the summer. This is why you generally will see more burbot in the winter icefishing than in the summer. They are trying to gain weight for spawning, which occurs late in the winter.

[dennyd]

Those are great eating fish but uglier than than a 2 rearended dog! LOL caught a nice one at Ghost about 4years ago. Right off the beach with boats cruising by, black leach.