The burbot is the only freshwater species of codfish. It has a single barbel on its lower jaw which distinguishes it from all other fish. Burbot have a long, snakelike body with a small tail. The sides of the fish are mottled brown and yellow, and the belly is cream, but often covered with a layer of mud when landed. Burbot from different waters may exhibit a variety of color patterns; for instance burbot from the great lakes may be almost solid yellow-brown, while burbot from Leech Lake and Lake of the Woods in northern Minnesota are spotted like a leopard. At times, the burbot's eyes appear glassy-white. The burbot has a large mouth with lots of small teeth, like a catfish or bass. It is a predator, feeding on minnows, small fishes, crustaceans, and insects.

Burbot live in deep, cold water throughout most of the year. They can be caught in the summertime at great depths, usually over 100 feet. In the winter, they move to shallower areas of the lake where they are much easier to locate and catch. For this reason, most burbot fishing takes place through the ice, in the wintertime. A northern fish, the burbot is found from Alaska south to the Missouri River. European and Russian Burbot also exist. Burbot are top predators, and adult burbot feed mainly on fish and crustaceans. Curiously, the burbot is much more active in the wintertime, so this is when they are generally pursued. I've caught young burbot in the summertime however, and often you can find tiny specimens of this strange fish curled up underneath rocks in the shallows of our larger river systems and their tributaries. The lower reaches of trout streams that flow into the Mississippi are prime burbot nursery areas; the young fish live in the stream until they are about 15 inches long, often hiding in riprap or undercut banks by day, before migrating back to the main river to lvie out the rest of their lives. 

 The best way to catch burbot is through the ice, although at certain times, in certain places, you can find them in open water where they can be taken on conventional or fly tackle. They will take both live bait and artificial lures. Shiners, fatheads, and sucker minnows are good options for bait. Lures such jigging rapalas, buckshot spoons, and swedish pimples work wonders on burbot as well. To find them, look for deep water with a rocky bottom in lakes. In certain rivers, migratory burbot will ascend the river to spawn in January and February. Set yourself up on the edge of the main river channel in 6-14 feet of water to ambush burbot as they make their way upstream to their spawning shoals, or get them on the way downstream when the spawning activity subsides. Burbot are predominantly nocturnal, so concentrate your burbot fishing efforts at night. Large lakes, such as Mille Lacs, Lake of the Woods, and Leech Lake, are all excellent burbot producers. In fact, there is an annual Eelpout Festival in Walker, Minnesota, where the burbot is honored with a big celebration on the frozen surface of Leech Lake. What's so great about burbot? Well, for starters, they get pretty big. Although topping out at about twenty pounds, most burbot you'll catch will be between three and ten pounds. They're also hard fighters when given a chance on light tackle. And I can't talk about burbot without also mentioning that they are excellent table fare.

Burbot are excellent eating, among the best-tasting fish in fresh or salt water - a true gourmet's delight. Although their unique appearance and slimy skin turn many people off to the pleasures of burbot cuisine, learning how to handle and prepare burbot it is well worth your time and effort. To start with, you lay the burbot on its belly and make a cut from the middle of the head, down along the backbone to the end of the ribcage. Then, fillet the "backstraps" away from the ribs, and cut through the skin to the back of the ribcage. Then, fillet the meat off the tail section as you would any other fish. Small burbot (under two pounds) have very little usable meat and so these should be released if possible. Once you have the meat (with the skin still on) seperated, you fillet the skin off as you would any other fish. If you use a little less pressure than normal, and use the lower, thicker portion of the knife, you can leave most of the darker meat on the skin. Otherwise, trim the darker bits of meat off before cooking. You can fry burbot fillets just like any other fish, and they taste great this way, but it doesn't bring out the exquisite taste of burbot like boiling does. Boiled burbot is called "Poor Man's Lobster" because the firm, white, delicately-flavored meat tastes like lobster. Add two tablespoons of salt to a two-quart saucepan half-full of water, and bring it to a rolling boil. Cut the burbot meat into one-inch chunks, taking care to slice off any darker reddish sections of meat. The red meat turns dark gray and soft when cooked and has a strong flavor that masks the delicious taste of the white meat. Drop the chunks into the boiling saltwater, and boil them for two minutes. Scoop out the chunks, apply a little seasoned salt and pepper, and eat them dipped in drawn butter, as you would lobster tail. It is absolutely heavenly. You can also chill the meat and serve it later with cocktail sauce. Another popular burbot recipe is Norwegian Baked Torsk. The Torsk is a saltwater species of codfish found in Scandinavian waters of the north Atlantic. It looks very similar to the burbot, but lives in the ocean. Traditionally, the fish is simply placed in a greased pan, sprinkled with paprika, and baked uncovered for half an hour at 350 degrees. The meat is drizzled with a little butter and lemon juice before serving, and comes out flakier than when boiled. Some torsk recipes call for boiling the fish before baking, to preserve the unique texture of the meat. Treat yourself to a gourmet dish - take a few burbot home from your next trip. Release the rest to fight another day.

Poor Man's Lobster