Science Name: | Lota lota |
Other Names: | Ling, freshwater cod, dogfish, lush, loche, freshwater eel |
Burbot can really vary in size depending on the waters they are caught from. Some fish can reach lengths of over one meter and can weigh over 60 lbs.. The world, all tackle, angling record weighted 8.27 kg and came from Pickford, Michigan in 1980. The Canadian angling record from Little Athapapuskow Lake, in Manitoba, was caught in April 1994, weighed 10.22 kg, and was caught by Vaughn Kskywiewcki. Most burbot caught in Canada average 3-5 lbs. in weight.
Burbot are found throughout Canada except coastal British Columbia, extreme northeastern N.W.T., the Arctic Islands, the outer coast of Quebec and Labrador, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and Newfoundland. Also in the northern U.S.A. and across all of northern Europe.
Burbot are found in lakes down to 214 m and in large, cool rivers, preferring water colder than 18 degrees Celsius. They have been caught in brackish water. A preferred habitat is under rocks, among roots, or in holes in banks. In the south, deeper water is preferred than in the north. They may move into shallow water at night in the summer months. Young burbot feed on aquatic insects, crayfish, mollusks and other invertebrates. Older burbot eat mostly fishes with some opossum shrimps and other crustaceans. The burbot is a competitor with many fishes for food, especially since it feeds indiscriminately and voraciously on whatever is available. The barbell and the pelvic fins are used to taste food before ingestion, even ejecting a food item from the mouth and passing it back to the pelvics several times before finally consuming it. Young burbot are also eaten by various larger fish. Female burbot grown larger than males, and often mature earlier. Burbot usually attain maturity between 3-4 years of age. Their life span is up to 20 years. Spawning takes place from January to March under the ice. There is a movement into shallower water for spawning, usually at depths less than three meters, over sand or gravel near the shore or on shoals. Males arrive first on the spawning grounds, followed in a few days by the females. Up to 12 fish form a moving, wriggling ball over the bottom at night. Eggs are shed, fertilized and left unattended. Up to 3,000,000 eggs can be produced by one fish.
The most productive time of year to catch burbot is between January and March. Cold water lakes normally fished in the winter for lake trout in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario will produce the most burbot. The best ice fishing technique is to use a tip-up, bait rig outfitted with 10-20 lb. test line. A simple hook and sinker should be fished on the bottom, tipped with a live or dead minnow. During the summer months, drifting along the bottom of a lake with a live or dead minnow in water deeper than 50 feet will be most productive.
Burbot are considered coarse fish and in many provinces, there is no seasons or limits on them. Because burbot are usually caught accidentally by anglers targeting other fish, the tackle used for them varies greatly. Most often ice fishermen mistakenly catch burbot while fishing for whitefish and lake trout near the bottom. These are usually caught on baited, set-lines, or by vertically jigging spoons. Open water fishermen fishing for lake trout and walleye during the summer months in deeper water commonly hook burbot as well. In these situations, anglers are usually trolling spoons just off the bottom, or using bait and jigs right on the bottom.
Tips for Fishing