Author Topic: Yester was a good day - Caught my First Burbot! (Read 7312 times)

Alaska · « **on:** Dec 15, 2003, 12:25 PM »

Thank You BarleyDog. Armed with your advice, I went out and set 11 sets saturday morning, sunday morning I had 3 burbot! Two were only 16"/18" but the other was a good 27". I was using strips of shee fish for bait when these guys hit and have sets baited with salmon bellies and two with voles. I will be checking them again today at lunch.

In addition to the burbot, I caught two hares yesterday as well (after a week of trying). So, yesterday was a good day!

Now the questions. =0-)

1) Is 27" good?
2) How can I set up my rigs so I am able to release small burbot?
(The three I caught had swallowed the bait and the hooks were in their stomaches)

Once I find out where they are concentrating, I will spend some time jigging the little buggers. Any advice?

Thanks!

Alaska

Hard_H2O · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 15, 2003, 02:32 PM »

Try circle hooks. They will always be hooked in the corner of the mouth.

fishermanjake · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 15, 2003, 04:54 PM »

A big second on the circle hooks, i've used them on burbot and they work exellent. 27 inches is an average burbot (on the smaller size of average), they do get alot bigger though, ive caught a couple of 39 inchers and many over 30. Me and barleydog went saturday night. he caught 3 and i caught one. Lost a bunch though. his was about 30 inches and weighted 6.5 pounds and mine was probably 25 inches. the other two he caught were small. tryed the aqua-vu on them, but i think the light spooks them. saw a few, but none biting. Anyway your vole idea should work, i have found them in their bellies. tell me how you do on them. Anyway, if you have lots of bait use big baits. big baits = big burbot and not less burbot.

Barleydog · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 16, 2003, 04:02 PM »

Alaska, Good job! You must have picked some good spots! How did you do on your second trip? 27" fish is a nice fish!

Try to get your hands on some circle hooks. They will limit the amount of little shakers that you have to keep do to blood loss. I would go with a thin circle hook. By thin, I mean in hook diameter. This will limit the tearing of your bait and help your hook sets. An example of these hooks are at the following site under the code V7384BN
http://www.vmchooks.com/circlehooks.html (ftp://http://www.vmchooks.com/circlehooks.html)
Jake has the idea on jigging river Burbot. GO BIG! Use the largest jig in your arsenal. I would suggest the more glow the better. Keep us informed how you did!

-Barleydog

grumpymoe · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 16, 2003, 04:09 PM »

barleydog--a little off the subject but just wanted to thank you for posting the beer batter recipe. (i'm trying the cajun one first-well the 1/2 case portion part)---good fishin

Barleydog · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 16, 2003, 04:27 PM »

Your welcome Moe! I did some Burbot this weekend and it turned out pretty good! I'm not a huge fan of the beer battered, but this one is tasty

Save a couple cold ones for me!

grumpymoe · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 16, 2003, 04:48 PM »

barleydog-consider it done

Alaska · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 16, 2003, 05:19 PM »

BarleyDog,

Checked my sets again yesterday and caught another three burbot! The three I caught were about 16", 27" and 30".

So far, the three smaller fish have come at the mouth a river and the three larger fish have come from a recently cut off bend in the river.

I pulled most my sets yesterday due to time constraints and am going to purchase the required equipment for jigging really soon! Thanks for the tip on the glow and large jig.

I think my hooks are too small as the burbot are inhaling the bait. I am finding everyone fish I have caught thus far has the hook in the stomach, so I have to keep every fish.

The only bait I have had luck with so far is the sheefish bellies (though I used some burbot pieces yesterday and haven't checked my sets yet).

Thanks again,

Alaska

Hard_H2O · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 17, 2003, 08:14 AM »

Try some circle hooks. They are designed so that no matter how deep they suck in a bait and no matter how deep the hook goes it can't get a hookset until it comes back out. THen it turns and hooks them in the corner of the mouth. If you try to set the hook with a circle hook it will not work. You have to let the fish take it or reel in slowly. They are perfect for set lines that are left unattended.

fish_slayer · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 28, 2003, 02:19 AM »

By reading everything so far, I am sure someone can anwer my question, what is a set, I will be moving to fairbanks next year, we use tip ups in wisconsin, and jig for fish, the way it sounds, its a tip up just left for a while with a special hook called the circle hook, to make a good hook, then they are checked, etc. = catch fish. just wondering, maybe its somehting I should add to my arsenal. thanks alot

Barleydog · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 28, 2003, 02:39 PM »

fishslayer, Were are you coming from in Wisconsin?? Yeah the sets are basically either tip-ups, (if you stay out with them) or 2x2's cut 3 ft. long and wrapped with strong dacron line and baited circle hook. No rocket science for this fish eh!

-Barleydog

fish_slayer · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 29, 2003, 01:59 AM »

Barleydog
I am coming from Chippewa Falls WI, next to Eau Claire (Eau Claire is the bigger city in this part of the state so its easier to find on a map) If there is Leinie's beer up there, this is where it comes from. Die hard hunter fisher trapper, like to live off the land, so I think Alaska will be better.

Barleydog · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 29, 2003, 01:05 PM »

Well welcome when you get here! Be prepared for the cold, not Wisconsin cold, REAL cold! I grew up in the Fond du Lac area, can't say I miss it much, well some things. No Lienies up here, so bring plenty when you come up.

gazoo7401 · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 30, 2003, 01:12 AM »

What kind of fish do you catch and where are you located?

fish_slayer · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 01:07 PM »

Barleydog I'll bring some up when I come- gazoo who are you asking what kind of fish they catch?

fish_slayer · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 01, 2004, 01:11 PM »

either way, I'll tell everyone what I catch down in Wisconsin - panfish-which include bluegills, pumpkinseed, crappie, perch, then the bigger fish- Pike, muskie, walleye, there are salmon and whitefish here but they are a couple hours north of where I am, there are trout, smelt, largemouth, and smallmouth bass, burbot, pickerel, those are the main ones hope thats interesting

fishinnutinwis · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 08, 2004, 09:19 PM »

i to am from wisconsin-park falls-anyway ive caught burbot once in awhile...never tried eating tho--have heard they are good ttho..was wondering whats your favorite recipe and how their cleaned and cooked -if you dont mind?

Barleydog · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 10, 2004, 01:01 AM »

Alaska- Did you get any circle hooks? Did you get the IM post on the hooks?

fishinnutinwis- We like burbot fried or just steam with some garlic, pepper, salt etc. Take out the hunks of fish and dip in melted butter. AKA poormans lobster. Don't overcook it! They are pretty firm and light in texture.

Hope your not eatin' Burbot out of the Winnebago chain of lakes? Could be kinda "murky" tasting! -Barleydog

Alaska · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 12, 2004, 04:33 PM »

BarleyDog,

I picked up all the ice fishing gear I needed while I was in Anchorage last including gamatsu circle hooks, jig heads (2 and 4 oz. but no glow), dacron line and glow in the dark worms. I haven't had a chance to get out to set more lines (broken snowmachine, dull auger and no time). I did try to jig for them one night, but didn't have any luck... guess I will have to try again. I am currently trying to get a blackfish trap in the ice for bait (for burbot and pike).

Thanks for everything,
Alaska

icy mike · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 13, 2004, 02:40 PM »

Is it legal to use live blackfish for bait?

Icy Mike

Alaska · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 13, 2004, 04:14 PM »

Icy Mike,

Live bait is illegal in the state of Alaska (including Blackfish). I am going to catch them, freeze them and use them. I don't know if you are required to make sure they are dead (as blackfish will unfreeze and live for a while) or what the regs state. Can only assume a frozen fish is dead and it isn't your fault if they unthaw in the water (and come alive)?

Alaska

News:

Author Topic: Yester was a good day - Caught my First Burbot! (Read 7312 times)

Alaska

grumpymoe

grumpymoe

Alaska

fish_slayer

fish_slayer

gazoo7401

fish_slayer

fish_slayer

fishinnutinwis

Alaska

Alaska