I've got burbot fever and the only perscription is more burbot

[Fish-Taco]

So for some reason or another my brain has decided that i need to catch burbot and it wont let it go. Ive done a bunch of reading on how to catch them, ie: bait, depth and bottom conditions. My problem is that the closest lake to me is rattlesnake aka sauder res, and i have no idea where to look for them. I dont know what the bottom of the lake is like and where the bottom tranisitons from sand to rock/gravel. Any general area i should be looking for them?

Not looking for a honey hole by any means, just a general area of the lake to start punching holes.

Thanks in advance.

[The Fisherman Guy]

Burbot are pretty simple fish. They can be found deeper than 50ft, or right up in the shallows of 6ft. They like noise, and they really like a bait thumping bottom.

Using my camera, I have learned a lot about Burbs and how they act. Sometimes, they are completely disinterested in any bait presentation. They stroll past the bait like a zombie. Others, they will stay until they eat it. I noticed that they home in on the thumping, with their lateral line. The thumping vibration brings them in like a homing beacon.

If I were you, I would try one of the holes first. Thump bottom with a 3/8 glow jig head and a big dirty smelt or minnow. Thump it three times, then pause. They most always hit on the pause.

[pinelakeperch]

I can't help you during the hard water season but I do have a bit of a honey hole for you in Crawling Valley during the late spring and summer. I can vouch for the large smelt/jig and jigging it off of the bottom then leaving it motionless for a moment or two.

[aulrich]

If I understand correctly Burbs spawn in march, and they come up on to sandy /mud bays?

And if there are whites in the system they follow them up.

[Fish-Taco]

Burbot are pretty simple fish. They can be found deeper than 50ft, or right up in the shallows of 6ft. They like noise, and they really like a bait thumping bottom.

Using my camera, I have learned a lot about Burbs and how they act. Sometimes, they are completely disinterested in any bait presentation. They stroll past the bait like a zombie. Others, they will stay until they eat it. I noticed that they home in on the thumping, with their lateral line. The thumping vibration brings them in like a homing beacon.

If I were you, I would try one of the holes first. Thump bottom with a 3/8 glow jig head and a big dirty smelt or minnow. Thump it three times, then pause. They most always hit on the pause.



Thanks for the info. I picked up sme smelts, chicken livers and some weird fish strip things from superstore today and with some luck (and permission from the wife) ill try a couple deeper spots tonight.

[kevinhits]

Thanks for the info. I picked up sme smelts, chicken livers and some weird fish strip things from superstore today and with some luck (and permission from the wife) ill try a couple deeper spots tonight.

Leave your bait at room temp and make it stinky...LOL

[Duster]

Burbs are fun fish. I like to use a 1 ounce glow white jig head that i make my self. Heavier the jig head the louder the thump on the bottom and almost everytime im at my shack i manage to get at least one.

[winger7mm]

So earlier in the season, say up untill the last couple weekends I have done awesome for catching them, average of 10-20 fish a night. However last 2 times out not 1 bite!! Not even a sniff!!, WTH is up with that??? This is my second season targeting these fish so I dont overly know to much about them. Anyone have experience with a hot bite time after time for quite a few weeks then absolutly nothing???