Burbot in eastern basin

[McWally]

Has anyone dragging gear for Lakers or whatever ever caught a burbot? Can anyone tell me anything about warm season burbot habits? 

Ive caught one ice fishing in Chaumont. I know there is a black river bay ice bite. I know there are some great Henderson late ice spots, but the warm season haunts are a complete mystery to me. Anyone fill in any life history info on east end burbot??
 

 

[finsntins]

charter boat next to me caught one trolling for browns in the spring two years ago in mexico bay.i know a guy that comes couple times a year to fish for salmon and at night he chunks up perch and puts it down on bottom right in the little salmon and catches quite a few of them.

[McWally]

No kidding! What time of the year in the little salmon? Like in the mouth or up the creek?

[finsntins]

july and august,he gets them right in the marina  at mikes

[McWally]

Unbelievable, you sure it’s burbot and not bowfin? 

[Sk8man]

Here is a clear way to distinguish them from bowfin or snakehead:

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/sites/default/files/topic/Fishing/Species_catchsnakehead.pdf

 

 

[GAMBLER]

We get one or two in our intake at work every winter.  I have not caught one laker fishing but I have a customer that has caught two on Erie dragging my rigs.  

[Sk8man]

They spawn in the middle of winter in less than 15 ft or so and once in awhile folks get them through the ice as well. They hit about anything.

Edited January 4, 2022 by Sk8man

[McWally]

I think state record is out of Black River Bay. I would just love to figure them out for the summer as a complete challenge. 
I swear if I can come back to dock with a cooler of them things in July, I’d be the talk of the town. 

 

 

 

[finsntins]

mcwally,i cant be 100% sure if they were burbot or bowfin,im pretty sure the guy said they were burbot,but if you wanna come down this summer to the little salmon to try for them,let me know,ill sit on the dock with ya and see what we can come up with,ill even supplky the beer!!!!!!

[chinook35]

I’ve caught lots of them ice fishing at Oneida lake and at Sandy pond. We would just leave them in the ice as unwanted by catch. One day an old guy told us they were good to eat, just take the meat from the vent back. He lied .  by the way. We called them lings 

[Sk8man]

3 hours ago, chinook35 said:

I’ve caught lots of them ice fishing at Oneida lake and at Sandy pond. We would just leave them in the ice as unwanted by catch. One day an old guy told us they were good to eat, just take the meat from the vent back. He lied .  by the way. We called them lings 

May have been bowfins. They aren't good to eat and are very bony. The ling or ling cod (Burbot) are good eating as they are a member of the Cod family.

[chowder]

2 minutes ago, Sk8man said:

May have been bowfins. They aren't good to eat and are very bony. The ling or ling cod (Burbot) are good eating as they are a member of the Cod family.

Burbot are excellent eating! I picked up 1 trolling off Oswego , wondered if if came from Oneida. We got them there icefishing on and off.

[Gill-T]

Cook and eat burbot like lobster.