Ling Hole!
For the past few years, I tried relentlessly to catch Mr. Burbot & Lota lota, the Ling, Lingcod, Eelpout, Cusk, Lawyer fish, Gudgeon, Lush, Maria, Mud Blowers ~ the list goes on and on.
Whatever you decide to call this awesome creature, don’t overlook him. With similar resemblance to an eel or snake, the Burbot is often thought of as a fish of low significance ~Wrong. After many, many outings, I was finally able to catch one earlier this year.
Fishing for Burbot can be difficult due to the fact that they are most active at night and when they spawn, which happens to be in the middle of winter when conditions are sometimes at their worst. They group up in deep holes in large rivers, and under the ice in lakes and reservoirs. When Burbot spawn, they form what appears as a big mass of snakey fish, wiggling and squirming around in the frigid water. Many people call it the "Ball of Burbot."
About a month ago I headed out to the Mighty Mo’ in my endless quest for Mr. Burbot. The first time out was like all trips past in the Billings and Miles City areas: nothing. Caught a lot of nice 'bows, but nothing else. The second trip the same. And then~ the third time was a charm!
I was catching quite a few nicer trout, but no Burbot. Then I caught a sucker. I was told by a few people that, "Ling really love them suckers," so I tried it. I cut a silver-dollar sized chunk of meat off, threw it on a hook, and cast it into the Missouri. Within about ten minutes the rod tip was bouncing ever so slightly, not like a trout, but like the real light-biting Burbot. I fed some line, gave him a little time, and set the hook. Sure enough, I brought my first Burbot to hand. Mission finally accomplished.
After learning how well sucker meat worked for these snakey little buggers, I went back again to my Ling Hole, this time with a dozen good sized suckers, a buddy of mine from Helena and my fiancé, Julie.
With three rods in the water and luck on our side (or maybe just good timing) we had an absolute blast. Long story short we limited out on Mr. Burbot. I spent the whole night re-tying lines, re-baiting hooks, and re-stoking the fire. It was incredible fishing. The biggest fish I caught was a good 22 inches long, not a monster Burbot by any means, but a good fish none the less. And to top it off, they make the best table fare! Many people call it "Poor-mans-Lobster" and I have to agree, it’s one of the best fish out there.
- A quick easy way to prepare Burbot is as follows:
- 1 pound of fish cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 quart of water
- 1/4 cup of vinegar
- 2 tsp salt
- Add salt to water in a saucepan and stir well. Bring to a full boil. Add vinegar. Let it come to a full boil again. Slowly add burbot chunks. Let it come to a full boil and boil for 5 minutes. Drain, serve with melted butter and lemon juice, and enjoy!
The only real challenge is finding the right water. You want to look for the deepest place you can find, and it needs to be relatively slow, like a big eddy or outside bend. The best bait has without doubt been sucker meat, although I’ve seen Burbot caught on minnows and crawlers as well. Use small chunks and watch close or better yet, hold on to your rod because they bite very, very light.
They’re native, delicious, and a fish like no other! Here’s to the Burbot!