How to catch burbot

[Snochuk]

Like the title says looking for information on hooks, bait and fishing technique to catch burbots. Caught one on a spoon about 30 years ago. They are in the lake (Long Lake) but would like some info on how to catch them.

[idaman]

Open water your best bet is on a river during the night time, bang a minnow on bottom for a bit on a small jig head and then wait, and wait some more...open water on a lake burbot are quite rare. Winter, through the ice is your best bet.

[TROLLER]

Caught them on more than one occasion while bottom bouncing for walleye.

I know one guy who fished Crawling Valley all summer for burbot. Anchors off in 50 plus FOW and stays put with the odd jig but mainly just dead sticking.

[wildbill]

We catch them the same spots we catch walleye while night fishing, here's a picture of the Warden's (wife's) she caught last August while night fishing at Keho.123518

[Talking moose]

We catch them the same spots we catch walleye while night fishing, here's a picture of the Warden's (wife's) she caught last August while night fishing at Keho.123518

Cute wife! Any sisters?:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[wildbill]

Cute wife! Any sisters?:sHa_sarcasticlol:

Ya, you should see her with out makeup!

[KegRiver]

Here they are hit and miss. I can go months without catching one and then catch ten in an hour. But I don't target them any more, haven't in a lot of years.

I have only ever caught them in the River, with bait.

We used to set night lines for them, when it was legal. They do seem to bite more after dark, but now that night lines are illegal I catch them when targeting Walleye during the day. But only when I'm using bait.

I use red meat, parts from fish I have caught and minnows when legal. Chicken gizzards are a favorite bait.

The most productive spots here are the back eddies along the river. They seem to prefer still water or water with very little current.

[waterninja]

Cute wife! Any sisters?:sHa_sarcasticlol:
Moose, at your age? .have you know shame? Anyways, at this time of year deep water at night. good luck.

[zhunter11]

Deep water, smelts that are crushed up and a little beaten usually work better, I don't jig much just every now and then to get the attention of them ugly beasts. Good luck. Might want to try Lac St anne. I have pulled about 15 from there this summer..

[Talking moose]

Wizard lake has a good burb population, as does Buffalo lake, besides large rivers.

[Imagehunter]

This is how we fished for them (or other nocturnals like eel or catfish) home in Europe where I grew up, so if anything I say is against regulations here please don't understand it as a suggestion to get in trouble, just describing how we fish them there :)

They are nocturnal and most active during winter, best chances were the hours until midnight and a little after. Others like eel we caught until later, these not.

When arriving at spots a hand full of chopped up earth worms in the water to attract them (since they use smell a lot at night), fished with basic ground lead and bait.

Once the fish finaly bites after a couple of beers time, get it in or at least away from the ground quick so it won't go into weeds, logs or rocks which they often try. Leads were depending on the water strength, usually 50-60 grams, the lead (?, line from swivel to hook) 2-3' and size 2-6 hook, baited with big, long earth worm.

Hope it might help and good luck.

[idaman]

This is how we fished for them (or other nocturnals like eel or catfish) home in Europe where I grew up, so if anything I say is against regulations here please don't understand it as a suggestion to get in trouble, just describing how we fish them there :)

They are nocturnal and most active during winter, best chances were the hours until midnight and a little after. Others like eel we caught until later, these not.

When arriving at spots a hand full of chopped up earth worms in the water to attract them (since they use smell a lot at night), fished with basic ground lead and bait.

Once the fish finaly bites after a couple of beers time, get it in or at least away from the ground quick so it won't go into weeds, logs or rocks which they often try. Leads were depending on the water strength, usually 50-60 grams, the lead (?, line from swivel to hook) 2-3' and size 2-6 hook, baited with big, long earth worm.

Hope it might help and good luck.

You are correct chumming like that would be illegal in AB waters.

[Joe Quiroga]

Never caught any in a reservoir buy I can catch them fairly succesfuly in rivers.

After 8 pm to midnight is best. Cool and overcast days, especially just after rainfall are best.

I use a bottom rig with pyramid sinker, size 2/0 octopus circle hook on a 2 foot 50 pound dacron leader. Insert the shank of the hook in a quarter piece of dew worm and half a salted minnow on the tip.

If they are around they'll bite.

[buckman]

Caught lots on the Peace river using bear meat as bait,fished on the bottom at night during a full moon

[Talking moose]

Caught lots on the Peace river using bear meat as bait,fished on the bottom at night during a full moon

Yup, caught hundreds in the peace. Any time of day. Mouth of the codotte, whitemud, notikewan and wolverine in carcajou. Pickeral rig with bacon until a flathead chub was caught, then preices of chub for bait. Caught everything in the river.

[KegRiver]

Yup, caught hundreds in the peace. Any time of day. Mouth of the codotte, whitemud, notikewan and wolverine in carcajou. Pickeral rig with bacon until a flathead chub was caught, then preices of chub for bait. Caught everything in the river.

You fished most of the same spots I have/do. I grew up in Carcajou.

BTW, the Chub population is way down. Not sure why, but they are almost non existent these days.

They used to me a major nuisance when bait fishing, now I hardly ever catch one.

[Snochuk]

Thanks for all the tips everyone.
I see one or two beached dead ones every year at Long Lake so was thinking of giving it a whirl.
Caught one about 40 years ago......long dry spell haha.
Going back out Saturday depending how much I get done at farm.
Thanks Again.