BURBOT  (Lota Lota)

Burbot are a strange looking fish (borderline repulsive) that’s extra slimy to the touch, but surprisingly excellent tasting.  They’re found on the bottom of deep lakes and rivers and- even though they look like they eat something vile such as carcasses or algae- are actually voracious predators of other fish.  Burbot are also called eelpout, ling, lingcod, loache, methyl, lush, gudgeon, mud-blower, cusk, mother eel, or lawyer fish.  They are Alaska’s only sport fish species that resembles catfish throughout the Lower 48.

Appearance

Most of a burbot’s body is a dark greenish-yellow and marked with blotches of similar color.  They also have an elongated shape with unusually long dorsal and anal fins that are nearly half its body length.  A single, permanent barbel hangs from the chin and two smaller ones protrude from the nostrils.  Burbot appear to have slick, slimy skin void of scales, however, their scales are tiny and imbedded.

Location

Burbot live only in freshwater and dwell in the deeper water of lakes and rivers throughout Alaska; the only exception being the Aleutians and Southeast.  In large lakes, biologists have found burbot at depths of 698 feet.  In winter, the deeper water becomes oxygen depleted and burbot move to shallower water in search of food.  In summer, the fish may move into shallower water at night to search for prey.

Diet

Burbot eat mostly only other fish; however, they will also consume aquatic insects, plankton, crustaceans and fish eggs.  Juveniles under five years old will mainly eat insects and other invertebrates until they are large enough to be successful predators.  Some populations eat a diet of 90% fish and feast on a variety of 20 different species.

Angling Method

Burbot prefer cold, deep water.  For this reason, lakes and rivers are most productive when they are frozen.  Burbot will seek shallower water in the winter because the deeper water becomes oxygen depleted and offers less food.  Most will move into water 25 feet deep or less; making them perfect for ice fishing.  Standard ice fishing poles, setlines or tip-ups rigged with large hooks and bait works the best.  Also, since you need to fish near the bottom, weights should be added about 18 to 24 inches above the bait.  Cut herring, chicken livers or any type of meat that’s stinky will attract a hungry burbot.  In the summer, the same setup and bait works, but you will be more successful in deeper water.

Life History

Spawning starts under the ice in December and ends in mid-April.  Interior populations aren’t mature until about the age of seven, while more southern populations are capable between two and four years old.  Spawning sites are usually shallow and are have stone or gravel bottoms.  Breeding takes place at night and starts when a group of burbot (up to a dozen) meet and group closely together.  The females that are ready to release eggs, and the males that are ready to fertilize them, press toward the middle of the crowd.  The eggs will rest on the bottom until hatching between 30 and 71 days later (depending on water temperature; the colder, the slower).

Newly hatched burbot are only about .3 centimeters long, are colorless, transparent and without a yolk sac.  They are unrecognizable as a burbot until they are 1 centimeter long, at which time they will have developed their fins and trademark chin barbel.  Many populations will reach this length by early summer.  Typically, burbot living in the northern-half of the state will grow slower and live longer than those in southern regions.  By the age of 10 the average burbot will be about 24 inches in length.  Most individuals do not live beyond the age of 15, at which time they average 28 inches.  On an exciting angling note, biologists have observed burbot in Alaska as large as 74 pounds.

Fish Alaska Magazine