Burbot Fishing Guide

The burbot (Lota lota) is the only member of the cod family (Gadidae) living entirely in freshwater — a true freshwater cod with all of the texture and flavor characteristics of its saltwater relatives. It has a singular appearance among North American freshwater fish: an elongated, soft-skinned body with two dorsal fins, a single chin barbel, and a mottled brown-and-yellow pattern that perfectly resembles the rocky or sandy bottom it inhabits. Burbot spawn in the dead of winter under ice, gathering in large spawning balls in shallow water — their only period of predictable shallow-water presence. Liver oil from burbot is exceptionally rich in vitamins A and D, historically an important nutritional supplement for northern indigenous peoples. The flesh has a texture and sweetness that has given burbot the nickname poor man's lobster, which it fully deserves.

Burbot is a freshwater species.

Habitat

Cold, deep lakes and rivers of the Great Lakes basin, northern New England, and the northern Great Plains; also abundant in Canada and Alaska. Requires cold, well-oxygenated water year-round — spends summer in deep, cold water below the thermocline. Uniquely accessible through ice in winter when spawning activity brings fish to shallow water.

Diet

Fish-dominated diet (cisco, smelt, perch, and smaller burbot) supplemented by crayfish and aquatic invertebrates. Primarily a nocturnal bottom-hunter that uses its barbel and lateral line to locate prey in cold, dark water.

Fishing Techniques

• Tip-ups with small fish through ice
• Jigging blade baits at night
• Bottom rigs with cut bait after dark

Best Seasons

Winter

Size & Records

Average weight: 3 lbs. World record: 24.27 lbs (Lake Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan, Canada (2010)).