Burbot

[dlj01260]

Looking to cross the burbot off my bucket list to catch and eat. Does anyone have any suggestions where to try for them around the St. Albans area??

[thefishingweatherman]

Looking to cross the burbot off my bucket list to catch and eat. Does anyone have any suggestions where to try for them around the St. Albans area??

Not sure about the St. Albans area, but I have heard people catch them in Burlington Harbor at night with dead bait on bottom. Not much help right now though, since there's no ice there!

[shiveringjoe]

Not sure about the St. Albans area, but I have heard people catch them in Burlington Harbor at night with dead bait on bottom. Not much help right now though, since there's no ice there!

I’ve tried that twice and had absolutely no luck. Several hours with no flags and nothing on the flasher, and it was stupid cold and windy both times. That said... I really want to catch a burbot.

[cbice]

I haven't actually fished for them in Champlain but have caught them by accident.   Always in the Isle La Motte Passage area just before dark.  Usually I was just pike fishing and landed a few just before dark as I was pulling tip ups.  I typically have caught them on Magog and Seymour when fishing for Lakers or by accident.   Always a nice bonus fish though as they are quite tasty.

[WVBoy]

Inland sea by the cowbanks. Find the deep humps. Ive even caught multiples the same day in Miss bay on tip-ups which I assume was staging up for spawning. I dont have any other explanation for that one.

[LimpFin]

Bays around the northern end of Alburgh Passage has them. Cut bait on the bottom - they seem to like the head especially. Typically I have found them in 20+ feet of water near drop offs

[dunphy11]

In NH we can use dead set lines anchored on bottom with 1 oz lead weight. Live yellow perch where allowed are best bait, hook through nose. Dead ones work also. Mostly night feeding fish but really active in March staging for spawn .

[flagfishon]

I caught this one at the cowbanks on a tipup set for pike.  5 1/2 pounds.  During the day.

[DirtyDan23]

Nice one!!

[Island_Viking]

I caught one off of north hero state park on a tip up rigged for pike. It was march, which is when they typically come up shallower to spawn.

[aquarium234]

I catch a lot of burbot off hog island point, usually when trying there for walleye, I end up with mostly burbot, good size though :-)

[dunphy11]

Here’s some from Saturday night on Winnipesaukee on set lines overnight . The stick is 17" long just for perspective. 6.7 lbs , 5.4 lbs , 3.9 lbs

[keithm87]

I catch a lot of burbot off hog island point, usually when trying there for walleye, I end up with mostly burbot, good size though :-)

I have tried there with no luck. do they tend to be closer to the drop off? I have usually stuck fairly close to the launch in 5-10ft of water and have never ventured very far to the south in that area. Also tried north along hog island with no luck.

[varmonter]

i've caught them in montys bay.

[aquarium234]

we usually fish 15 to 20 feet when we get them off hog island later in February

[Pike Panther]

I used to catch a lot of them when I was a kid at the Cow Banks and off Van Everest/Georgia Shore.  They like deep water 50'+.  Take a regular hand line with a 2 oz sinker, 18" mono leader with a 2/0 hook.  Bait the hood with a piece of perch cut bait, smelt if you have it or even a dead minnow.  Pound bottom with the sinker then hold your sinker off the bottom and wait 30 seconds to a minute.  They usually pick it up slow but sometimes they smash it.  Repeat the process.   They bite way better at night but you can catch them during the day.  We would sometimes get 20 or more fish at night doing this.  I actually found them to be pretty good eating.  Good luck.

[fishy1]

many years ago on champlain my father used to bring us fishing at night for burbot back then the called them skin lings. we fished deeper water through the with perch heads put on the bottom. i remember catching lots back then. now i catch them accidently through the ice never on open water. this was back in the 60,s . i beleive they sold them to restauraunts at the time as i never remember eating any.

[Crayfish2]

I remember catching them on Willoughby as a kid and was told they were trash fish.  Used to leave them on the ice for the crows, etc.  One day a guy in his Sunday-best yelled down from the road ... "You got any ling?".  My Dad told him he a big one on the ice.  Guy came over the guard rails and down the bank in his dress shoes to get it, wrapped it up in the Sunday paper.  Said they were the best eating fish in the lake. 

My son and I have kept a few out of Willo since then and I would agree that they are way better eating than lake trout!  We've caught them jigging with a spoon and minnow head, but mostly on tip-ups.  Of course, half the time you don't know they are on there until you go to pick up at the end of the day.  Darned things just sit there, which is why my Dad hated them so much.