My 1st burbot

gprime27 · #1 11-07-2009, 08:18 PM

I was shocked to catch one after years of trying today but, here's the kicker after I caught one... I got three more

munyee4321 · #2 11-07-2009, 08:19 PM

nicely done! looks decent size?

gprime27 · #3 11-07-2009, 08:22 PM

all three of them where about the same size.. I've never kept one.. I really only fish for fun and in competition with my buddy but, they feel like a laker when you pull them in (IE Log) and they are ugly to boot

fish-man · #4 11-07-2009, 08:42 PM

North Saskatchewan river?

gprime27 · #5 11-07-2009, 09:03 PM

nah.. pine coulee

slingshotz · #6 11-07-2009, 09:13 PM

Wow good to see that they do get large in there. All I ever get in PCR are the little 1-2 pounders. I've never managed to get one during the day, did you use a smelt near the bottom?

gprime27 · #7 11-07-2009, 10:08 PM

I honestly couldn't tell you.. like I said, this was my first one ever but, all 4 were the same size .. One thing I've never caught out of pcr is pike.. I've caught about 400 walleye this year and well obviously the 4 burbot.. We were using Minnons / shinners on a pickerel rig.. bottom hook only. we believe in using one hook only!

ghostguy6 · #8 11-08-2009, 01:46 AM

Nice, Ive always wanted to catch one but I always get suckers when Im targeting them, I hear they tast quite good. Hopefully Ill get one this winter. Do they put up a good fight?

Geezle · #9 11-08-2009, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostguy6

Nice, Ive always wanted to catch one but I always get suckers when Im targeting them, I hear they tast quite good. Hopefully Ill get one this winter. Do they put up a good fight?

The couple times I've had a chance to try them, they were surprisingly tasty. You just have to get yourself past how ugly the bloody things are.

Cleaning them is a little trickier than most other fish as well.

e40water12 · #10 11-08-2009, 08:13 AM

Very nice catch Good Job.

WayneChristie · #11 11-08-2009, 10:14 AM

Ive caught them up to 8 pounds in the Bow in Calgary, I found they put up a good fight in the strong current. And tasted even better than fish and chips in any shop Ive been in.

gprime27 · #12 11-08-2009, 10:32 AM

Yea, now I'm kind of sorry we didn't keep any of them.. Everyone is telling me they make the best fish and chips.. now I'm angry.. might have to go try to catch some more..

slingshotz · #13 11-08-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geezle

The couple times I've had a chance to try them, they were surprisingly tasty. You just have to get yourself past how ugly the bloody things are.

Cleaning them is a little trickier than most other fish as well.

I actually find them the easiest to clean. Peel the skin off like a sock, fillet the tail pieces, cut the loins on the back, and if they are big enough, fillet off the belly meat from the rib cage. Peeling off the skin is the best part, no messy scaling, it's like peeling the skin off perch with the 10 second method.

Guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I find the skin markings of the fish really gorgeous when they are alive, almost like tiger stripes sometimes.

fish-man · #14 11-08-2009, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostguy6

Nice, Ive always wanted to catch one but I always get suckers when Im targeting them, I hear they tast quite good. Hopefully Ill get one this winter. Do they put up a good fight?

What are you using for bait? In my experience suckers aren't too eager to hit larger sized fish baits (minnows or smelts) but burbots sure will.

ghostguy6 · #15 11-08-2009, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fish-man

What are you using for bait? In my experience suckers aren't too eager to hit larger sized fish baits (minnows or smelts) but burbots sure will.

I usually use cheese, bacon fat, worms or minnows. Once the ice hits Ill try sticking with minnows on my tip up. hopefully Ill get lucky.

jriad · #16 11-08-2009, 04:51 PM

not to hijack but in the bow what do they hit for lures?

WayneChristie · #17 11-08-2009, 05:45 PM

never caught one on a lure. They do like smelts on spoons thru the ice tho. And I caught mine in the Bow a long long time ago. even caught one on my stringer, swallowed a whitefish I had on it and wouldnt let go so I got a 2 for one deal.

gprime27 · #18 11-08-2009, 07:16 PM

I'm gonna try to get some in two weeks and make some fish and chips now

blackmamba · #19 11-08-2009, 08:17 PM

they are poormans lobster ....mmmmm so tasty .. cant wait to spank a bunch through the ice at CVR..

slingshotz · #20 11-08-2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jriad

not to hijack but in the bow what do they hit for lures?

The only one I've ever gotten in the Bow was on a Len Thompson classic white with red stripe.

Geezle · #21 11-09-2009, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slingshotz

I actually find them the easiest to clean. Peel the skin off like a sock, fillet the tail pieces, cut the loins on the back, and if they are big enough, fillet off the belly meat from the rib cage. Peeling off the skin is the best part, no messy scaling, it's like peeling the skin off perch with the 10 second method.

Guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I find the skin markings of the fish really gorgeous when they are alive, almost like tiger stripes sometimes.

Well honestly, I've only ever kept one.

Back when I was a kid in SK whenever we caught burbot we'd usually just toss 'em on the ice (bad, I know) since they were just ugly bottom feeders and NOBODY ever kept them.

Then we had anglers from the states starting to come up and fish specifically for burbot...we though they were crazy.

Then we decided to keep that one to see what all the fuss was about. It spent a while flopping on the ice until the dog started to get a little too interested in it, so I thumped it a couple times til it stopped moving. Took it home a couple hours later, spiked it on to a board and started to clean it...and the bloody thing was still moving! That creeped me out a bit!

Fried it up and it was good eating, and I certainly won't turn up my nose to a burbot again

calgarygringo · #22 11-09-2009, 07:26 AM

Will is right they are a great fish. Get by the looks of them and learn how to catch and filet them properly and you will change your mind. We wait for the winter and target them. They are just as good tasting as a good walleye, especially deep fried beer battered fish and chips. You can also fry them up and boil then dip in butter like lobster as well. Just remember there is not a lot of meat on them unless you get bigger size. There are a couple good you tube videos on how to skin them. Once you get the idea down they are one of the easiest to clean as there is no mess at all. For Calgary guys Pine Coulee just in front of the Campground/boat launch is good, Clear lake I hear, and we sometimes go to Crawling Valley out by the islands as well. Crawling has some nice ones there. We have caught many between 8-10 lbs. They are fun to try to get up the hole in the shack. At this rate we will be putting the boat back on the water not the shack for the winter. Looked this morning at the long range and no winter weather for the next week in sight. might have to try shore fishing them soon.

Fishfinder · #23 11-09-2009, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgarygringo

Will is right they are a great fish. Get by the looks of them and learn how to catch and filet them properly and you will change your mind. We wait for the winter and target them. They are just as good tasting as a good walleye, especially deep fried beer battered fish and chips. You can also fry them up and boil then dip in butter like lobster as well. Just remember there is not a lot of meat on them unless you get bigger size. There are a couple good you tube videos on how to skin them. Once you get the idea down they are one of the easiest to clean as there is no mess at all. For Calgary guys Pine Coulee just in front of the Campground/boat launch is good, Clear lake I hear, and we sometimes go to Crawling Valley out by the islands as well. Crawling has some nice ones there. We have caught many between 8-10 lbs. They are fun to try to get up the hole in the shack. At this rate we will be putting the boat back on the water not the shack for the winter. Looked this morning at the long range and no winter weather for the next week in sight. might have to try shore fishing them soon.

What do u generally target them with, I have only caught them with minnows n worms n by pure fluke. And is it true - Night fishing is the way to go with these fishies? Thx.

calgarygringo · #24 11-09-2009, 07:55 AM

Not much secret to catching them. Put a smelt, minnow, or any old smelly bait on your line and hang just off the bottom and wait. We usually catch them in the same places we usually catch walleyes. The big secret is to start fishing when everyone else is packing up and heading home. People laugh at us in the winter when we pull up in our shack at 2 p.m. in the afternoon. They think we missed most of the fishing. They usually start biting really good from just before the sun disappears on into the evening. We usually catch lots and are leaving by 9:30-10 but I have talked to some who fish into the wee hours. Just remember the biggest secret is the time of day and the rest is not rocket science. You also can catch the odd one during the day if you are lucky as well.

Fishfinder · #25 11-09-2009, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgarygringo

Not much secret to catching them. Put a smelt, minnow, or any old smelly bait on your line and hang just off the bottom and wait. We usually catch them in the same places we usually catch walleyes. The big secret is to start fishing when everyone else is packing up and heading home. People laugh at us in the winter when we pull up in our shack at 2 p.m. in the afternoon. They think we missed most of the fishing. They usually start biting really good from just before the sun disappears on into the evening. We usually catch lots and are leaving by 9:30-10 but I have talked to some who fish into the wee hours. Just remember the biggest secret is the time of day and the rest is not rocket science. You also can catch the odd one during the day if you are lucky as well.

Cool, thx. Plan on fishn for about 12 hrs tomorrow, hopefully I wrangle a couple. Really wanna try eatin em now!

Jack&7 · #26 11-09-2009, 11:19 AM

Gringo...

Was that not you that put on the Burbot cleaning demo for us at PCR this past summer when we all got together for the AO gathering? I still think about that. That was my first experience with Burbot and I was so impressed. Ease of cleaning and the TAASTE...out of this world!

I am waiting for some hard water so I can get out and try to target them. Thanks for the tips on where/when...if you are going to CVR sometime, let me know. I wouldn't mind seeing how it is done out there and hooking some of the bigger ones.

calgarygringo · #27 11-09-2009, 11:30 AM

Yes that was me doing the demo. I have modified my own little rig for doing burbs since we do so many every winter. I have a 3/4 inch plywood piece and have a 4 inch screw coming up from the bottom. I push the head of the Burb over the screw to hold him there. I then cut a small slit all around his neck nott too deep only the skin. Then take a good pair of pliers and pull his coat off. Then just carve around his backbone and ribs leaving only his bones and carcass. No bones no blood guts or anything, nice and clean and very fast. I can find a video link I have somewhere that I took most of the idea from. I know some hang them from a nail and other ways but find in the shack I can filet them on my table pretty quick this way. I do like CV for the big Burbs. We just got a bit turned off there last year as the snow was real deep everywhere to get on the lake. Kind of got caught up in catching more at PC just like the walleyes. Every time we went out we caught our limit but all were smaller. Nice thing at CV there are lots of the just keeper size pike that are good eating as well. Makes for a great day and even the odd monster walleye there as well. I will post if we ever get some ice....

clarki · #28 11-09-2009, 11:35 AM

I would also recommend pounding the bottom with your jig or spoon. lift it up a foot and then let it fall to the bottom. I find this really helps.

M

goober · #29 11-09-2009, 11:41 AM

Congrats!!! Kind of makes me crave one now!!

The Fisherman Guy · #30 11-09-2009, 11:51 AM

If you are gutting them, watch out for jigheads in their bellies! That is an unsuspecting zap to the finger when you are pulling the guts out!