Burbot action hot and heavy yet?

[Just the tipup]

Anybody know if the burbot action is hot and heavy yet? 

[cdnb]

At what lake?

[amatue]

I was told by Spoxick that it is mid March and with cold water may be later.

[saskarcher]

we've caught a few through out January and February but haven't been out the last few days

[Just the tipup]

I was thinking maybe around Rowans but if the spawn hasn't got going in full swing maybe not worth setting up shop off the point there yet.

[CHRIS4WALLEYE]

Ive never caught one, what does one use to catch em thanks

[anglerbrian]

They will eat just about anything but like minnows. If you have an old rancid tub of minnows throw em down the hole and chum them in. I have also had good luck with crawlers. Real and imitation. You can use spoons or jigs or even a drop shot rig with a couple of stand out hooks and minnows.

[Just the tipup]

I agree.  It seems like the stinkier and older the minnows the better.  We've also had really good luck using a piece of the burbot's stomach that looks like a bunch of little tubes all stuck together.  Sorry that I'm not giving a very good description but I'm not really sure how else to describe it.  Whatever it's called,  this stuff stays on the hook no matter how aggressive you are with your jigging and they really seem to like it too. 

[jignjim]

Where's a good spot to find em on Last Mountain?

[ShawnR]

Ive never caught one, what does one use to catch em thanks

You can literally catch them on anything. A nice heavy jig and any piece of meat (minnows/beef heart/piece of fish) will work good.  Spoons and rattle baits can work well too. 

Where's a good spot to find em on Last Mountain?

You can catch them anywhere and shallow or deep.  Earlier in the year, they tend to be a little deeper.  As we are approaching the spawn, any sand point on last mountain is a good place to start.  Right now they will probably be hanging out a little deeper off the points, but will start moving in shallow to spawn on and around those points.

[ben-lucky]

Ive never caught one, what does one use to catch em thanks

You don't want to ever catch one.  It is a good thing that you have avoided them this far.  Stay away from them and dont target them.

[jackhammer]

Nothing wrong with the burbot. A lot of people target them in March. You may not like the looks of them but they're very good eating. Fresh water cod. Good videos on you tube on how to clean them. Will be going out to target them ourselves.

[ggpr]

Burbot are absolutely delicous!

I have read that how you fillet them is very important...  Article i read suggested that the slime on there skin reacts with the meat to form a foul tasting enzyme.  Which may be why people think they are not good eating (along with there looks).  When i fillet them i generally have two working surfaces, one that i let the skin touch and after i remove the skin i work on the second (clean) surface.  You can peel there skin off like rolling a sock off your foot.  I think the brownish meat near the tail is also perhaps not as tasty.  If its very brown i try to avoid that meat but im not sure if it is actually bad tasting.

Last time i made them i deep fried them in a beer batter... it was like getting fish and chips at joeys only or any seafood restaurant... very tasty!

[jackhammer]

Well said. The brown in the tail fillet will give the meat a fishy taste. Always try to avoid that.

[Just the tipup]

Burbot are absolutely delicous!

I have read that how you fillet them is very important...  Article i read suggested that the slime on there skin reacts with the meat to form a foul tasting enzyme.  Which may be why people think they are not good eating (along with there looks).  When i fillet them i generally have two working surfaces, one that i let the skin touch and after i remove the skin i work on the second (clean) surface.  You can peel there skin off like rolling a sock off your foot.  I think the brownish meat near the tail is also perhaps not as tasty.  If its very brown i try to avoid that meat but im not sure if it is actually bad tasting.

Last time i made them i deep fried them in a beer batter... it was like getting fish and chips at joeys only or any seafood restaurant... very tasty!

i used to fillet them the same way until last year when a guy showed me a differentway.  he started with the tail fillet and his rule was "as soon as the guts end, the tail fillet starts."  he'd take those fillets off just like any other fish and then he would make a cut behind the gills to the rib cage, lay the fish on the board with the backbone facing up, run the tip of the blade down the backbone and peel off the backstrap just like you would butchering a deer.  he'd keep going until everything had been peeled off the skin.  the best part is the fillets don't touch the board.  much quicker than fighting with the skin and less mess. 

in my opinion, they're the best eating fish in our waters.  use the tail fillets for fish and chips or fish tacos and boil the tail fillets for poor man's lobster.  can't beat it

[ran7ger]

 one of my favourite fish, i've cut them both ways but still prefer to skin them before pulling the meat off.  backstraps get deep fried and the rest ends up as fish cakes.  might have to thaw some out for supper tonight.

 oh i also came across a frozen tub of burbot and suckers today out at montreal lake.  rotten and freeze burned.  took some pictures and will be phoning TIPS.  losers.

[canada]

they are a better eating fish than most anything out there imo

Good tips on cleaning them.

I start behind head down spine and over ribs for the backstraps lol
then the tail pieces.  Any pieces that are not white white get trimmed off delicious.

Losers is right, hate seeing signs of netting

[Water Wolf]

X2 on great eating fish, they are tops with my family and I due to the great taste and boneless fillets.

I usually skin them and then take the fillets off of the ribs, the tale section past the vent, and even the belly meat.
The belly meat is very thin and if I pull the skin off too hard it the meat goes with it.

I also dislike seeing burbot and other fish left out on the ice.
I see it from time to time at LML, mostly burbot, but have also seen tullibee / ciscos and even an odd perch left as well.
If they don't want the fish why not let the go.
The only good thing is that they are never wasted and do feed the hungry wildlife.

The burbot should start to be heading to their spawning ground very soon.
I think I will check them out very soon and see if I can find some.

Here are 2 facts I learned about burbot, that I though were interesting enough to share.
1 Female burbot do not spawn every year.
They spawn one year and take the other off. I think they do show up though, to keep the other fish out of the spawning area.

2. Burbot makes noises with their swimbladder to communicate with each other, but the sounds are especially important during the the spawn.
Check out the scientific study of the burbot love songs at this radio broadcast -----> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOgVl8b7n6o

Good Fishing to those who go for them as well.

WW

[CHRIS4WALLEYE]

Do they like jigging or just let the hook sit on the bottom?

[LUNKERONZ]

I find they get attracted to falling bait and short jumpy jiggin rit on the bottom.


Jig on

[Gotspooled?]

Best way to get burbot is to chum sucker or minnows just before first light between March 15 and April 15. Fish 40 plus feet on sand flats using a heavy jig bouncing that thing of bottom creating lots of sound and water displacement. Hammer time all day long !! Farther north you go the better the burbot fishing. Athapap lake !!! I'm sure you get out near the mouth of couteau bay in the deeps on deifenbaker probably slam them there but scent is crucial to bringing them in.

[Just the tipup]

Do they like jigging or just let the hook sit on the bottom?

i read somewhere that during the spawn they eat more out of a defensive mindset than due to hunger.  we have had really good luck being really aggressive.  we throw on a regular old jig or a flashy spoon and bang the bottom to stir up some silt and they definitely respond to it and hit the bait hard.

[bite-me7]

You don't want to ever catch one.  It is a good thing that you have avoided them this far.  Stay away from them and dont target them.

Why do you say this???

[Ice Tea]

Well said. The brown in the tail fillet will give the meat a fishy taste. Always try to avoid that.

If you're going keep them to eat, poke a hole in their throat as soon as you land them.  By bleeding them you avoid having brown (blood) in your filets.

[Nightbird]

If you're going keep them to eat, poke a hole in their throat as soon as you land them.  By bleeding them you avoid having brown (blood) in your filets.

I cut down behind the head and behind the rear dorsal fin of both pike and burbot to drain the blood. Better taste, and I much enjoy eating both!

[ran7ger]

 walleye too.  just pull a gill and bonk em, they bleed out and leave a nice clean fillet.

[RD79]

Is there anyone going to be specifically targeting burbot this weekend?  If so where at?  Im really hoping that i can get somewhere yet this season to catch a few as they dont exist in the lakes that i normally fish.  I'm thinking that i will either go to LML on the west side somewhere or else try around elbow on diefenbaker but i havent decided.  Can anyone give me any input whether i should just wait another week for them to get up onto the sandbars or if there would be a good chance for having decent luck this weekend with the weather really turning around.  Thanks for your input

[Dooman]

Is there anyone going to be specifically targeting burbot this weekend?  If so where at?  Im really hoping that i can get somewhere yet this season to catch a few as they dont exist in the lakes that i normally fish.  I'm thinking that i will either go to LML on the west side somewhere or else try around elbow on diefenbaker but i havent decided.  Can anyone give me any input whether i should just wait another week for them to get up onto the sandbars or if there would be a good chance for having decent luck this weekend with the weather really turning around.  Thanks for your input

haven't been there this year but i've had luck in past for burbot in the 8-10 ft deep sandbar just before the drop off at tufts bay(elbow/diefenbaker) around this time of year

[ggpr]

I have caught a few burbot at the sand point coming out of elbow harbor last year during january or february (outside of the spawn i believe).  Could be a good spot during the spawn.  I would agree with the area dooman suggested too.

I havent fished for burbot during what i would consider the spawn at last mountain yet but i was out at rowans 3 days out of the last two weekends and we have mostly caught burbot, although nothing crazy so i dont think the spawn had started as of last weekend.  Guys that were in shallower than us were catching more burbot but i have read that during the spawn it is not uncommon to catch a ton!

I was supposed to be going out Mar 22 but we cant go to my buddies cabin any more, i may still try to make it to LML to try fishing the burbot spawn though... Its just pretty damn far from saskatoon to get anywhere on the lake.  Etters is 175 km, im not sure if you would expect to catch much burbot there??  How is fishing in march at etters generally?  Good walleye and pike action should be expected?  With the slower than average january and february that it seems last mountain is having... is it likely that march will not be so hot this year either?

[Pollock fish]

Just a tip for anyone trying to catch burbot. I caught one and saw Prob a half dozen come through the ice at Buffalo pound last Sunday in Probably the two hours I fished that area. I jus went in there to catch a jack or two and left cause I was after perch and eyes. Just on the northwest side of the causeway. But u can't drive on there, there is a few places to park and u have to treck down to where the three camper shacks are.Nothin but jacks and burbs in the lil section. There's a few camper shacks sitting there. The waters not deep there I'm gonna say like 6 to 8 feet from bottom of ice to the ground but people were catchin em.