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Old 06-18-2018, 08:40 PM
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Question Burbot

To anyone who has ever caught a burbot in the spring/summer: How did you do it??

I have read everything I can find on these fish, and have never been able to catch one of them. I've tried glow-in-the-dark lures, different baits, added scents, different locations (i.e. muddy/sandy bottoms), etc. Is it possible to catch them in the spring/summer??

Thanks for any advice on how to up my odds of catching one.
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Old 06-18-2018, 08:44 PM
Bushleague Bushleague is offline
 
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Oddly enough, any burbot Ive caught in the summer was out of a river, usually on a twister tail jig. If I was to make a recommendation it would be to fish below a weir or other impoundment in mid summer.
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Old 06-18-2018, 08:48 PM
goldscud goldscud is offline
 
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Nymphed out of the Bow river with a San Juan worm while trout fishing
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Old 06-18-2018, 11:53 PM
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Default Burbot

I’ve seen them caught in a reservoir in summer by accident. I’ve also seen them in 12” inches of water. Maybe they go real shallow? Maybe they slither back to hell where they swam up from, lol. Tasty but nasty things they are.
For some reason I think of Gollum when I catch one. GOLLUM! GOLLUM!
They have to eat, yet with plenty to choose from on the bottom, your lure is a needle in a haystack to a lazy fish. Their quite likely nocturnal also.
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Old 06-19-2018, 06:15 AM
PerchBuster PerchBuster is offline
 
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Fish at night with same tactics and gear as in winter for higher success rate
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Old 06-19-2018, 06:54 AM
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Thanks for all the tips so far. Any other suggestions to increase my odds of success?
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Old 06-19-2018, 07:04 AM
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Caught many in the summer in the Peace River at the mouth of the Heart River, Pat's Creek mouth or in a back eddy. Bait was the ticket as the water is usually pretty murky. We'd usually use a chunk of red meat or if the red meat was low, used it to catch a chub or two and cut them up for bait. Weight on the end of your line and a snelled hook or two a foot or two above the weight. Sling swing and cast by hand. Tied to a willow pole pushed into the bank. It'll bounce down the current until it catches on the bottom. When a fish hits, downstream it goes. You could use a more refined rig, but this method always worked, especially at night with a nice bonfire on the shore.
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Old 06-19-2018, 08:48 AM
kouleerunner kouleerunner is offline
 
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I went out with my Dad a couple weeks ago, we caught 20+ over 2 nights, fishing until 1 or 2 am. Fishing at night is the key! We were catching steady Walleye until the sun went down, then it was steady Burbot. Same location, same bait. We cut open their stomachs, found a few things, including a yellow grub on an uncolored jighead, and mostly crayfish, with some baitfish. Fish at night, use glow jigs with baitfish. Look for rocky structure, where the crayfish would hang out, if they exist in the lake you are fishing. The bite was super soft, so use sensitive line, like braid.
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Old 06-19-2018, 09:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kouleerunner View Post
I went out with my Dad a couple weeks ago, we caught 20+ over 2 nights, fishing until 1 or 2 am. Fishing at night is the key! We were catching steady Walleye until the sun went down, then it was steady Burbot. Same location, same bait. We cut open their stomachs, found a few things, including a yellow grub on an uncolored jighead, and mostly crayfish, with some baitfish. Fish at night, use glow jigs with baitfish. Look for rocky structure, where the crayfish would hang out, if they exist in the lake you are fishing. The bite was super soft, so use sensitive line, like braid.
I caught one with a 3 foot garter snake in his belly, others with ducklings and one with the tail of a pike still sticking out of his mouth and half digested in his stomach.
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Old 06-19-2018, 09:20 AM
kouleerunner kouleerunner is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Okotok View Post
I caught one with a 3 foot garter snake in his belly, others with ducklings and one with the tail of a pike still sticking out of his mouth and half digested in his stomach.
We don't often consider the burbot as an apex predator but they really are!
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Old 06-19-2018, 11:10 AM
muzzy muzzy is offline
 
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When I lived in Atikokan we used to catch them in august in the deep holes along with lake trout. Jig and chub or sucker minnow on bottom. 70-80 feet
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Old 06-19-2018, 12:19 PM
ponokajoe ponokajoe is offline
 
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We used to catch them at the narrows at Buffalo lake on smelts back in the early 70,s. No one wanted them then and locals would just throw them on the bank. Also caught them in the canal at the Brazeau dam. Same bait. Used to get some big ones there. I haven,t checked the regs re: bait in those places. But bait was always the answer. Chip lake is full of them.
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Old 06-19-2018, 06:17 PM
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Thanks again for the suggestions! I'm going to take an assortment of baits, some glow jigs and change up my location to be near some rocky structure where the crayfish hideout. Any other advice?
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Old 06-19-2018, 09:03 PM
PerchBuster PerchBuster is offline
 
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Don’t be afraid to really gob up your hook with lots of bait. I use 3 or 4 minnows impaled randomly on the jig or hook with belly’s cut open revealing entrails. This puts out a lot of scent in the water column. Baited like this on a glow in the dark is pretty foolproof if they are in the mood. You can cut minnows in half with same technique for a more compact offering. Catch them until the sun peaks over the horizon
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Old 06-19-2018, 09:08 PM
PerchBuster PerchBuster is offline
 
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Oh ya, if shore fishing at night in calm waters for added fun factor try using a lighted/glow slip bobber rigged such that your bait is resting on bottom and your float is slack enough to barely sort of lay on its side. When they gulp it and run off with it it goes under in a hurry and it’s a fun way to visualize the strike
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Old 06-19-2018, 09:13 PM
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Who Da Fisherman Who Da Fisherman is offline
 
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Default Yrs ago

An old old wise lady showed me her secret, a few days old chicken skin 😳
She always out fished everyone. Winter was just a red & white spoon bounced off the bottom and summer just a treble, small weight and a bobber sitting on the bottom. All during the day.
WDF
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Old 06-20-2018, 09:45 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtnhunter View Post
To anyone who has ever caught a burbot in the spring/summer: How did you do it??

I have read everything I can find on these fish, and have never been able to catch one of them. I've tried glow-in-the-dark lures, different baits, added scents, different locations (i.e. muddy/sandy bottoms), etc. Is it possible to catch them in the spring/summer??

Thanks for any advice on how to up my odds of catching one.
Used to catch tons in the spring during the spawn in the river. ( I now no longer target fish during their spawn, but that's me)

If your lake has a sunken island go to it when the sun is setting and use large jigs or spoons with bait and pound the bottom every so often. You may have to stay until after dark but if they are in the lake this should find you burbot.
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Old 06-20-2018, 10:23 PM
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I'll give all the advice here a try. Fingers crossed!
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