# Fishing the Gorge for Burbot 12/14/07



## wiperhunter (Nov 1, 2007)

Three of us left for the Gorge at a little after 11am and arrived at Firehole a little after 2pm. There were already three huts on the ice but few had caught any fish, the ones that had, reported catching one rainbow and one burbot so it had been slow to that point. We went around the point to the left were Ryno had reported doing good last weekend. We fished in water that was 31, 26 and 19ft deep and did not catch a fish until 4:30pm. Then it was, as if a switch was turned on and we caught one after another for an hour or so, even one lake trout. Then the switch turned off again and we waited until 8pm before our next fish, we decided to call it quits at 9pm. We caught 15 total and the one mack, we also lost several as we were bringing them up. It must have been below 0* on the lake but as we left and drove down the road temp in the truck had warmed up to 1*. I want to thank Ryno and Fishley for the great info they shared, it sure helped us in catching these fish. WH


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## Nibble Nuts (Sep 12, 2007)

Sounds like a good time. The Gorge is on my hit list for this winter. How thick was the ice?


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## wiperhunter (Nov 1, 2007)

Sorry for taking so long to respond but I just noticed your reply. I'm use to getting a Email when someone replies to my post, I guess I should check that option next time I make a post :wink: . Anyway, the ice was 4.5 inches but it was so cold, I'm sure it is thicker now. I have some pictures I will try and attach. WH[attachment=0:19ccca28]gorgeburbot 00002(1).JPG[/attachment:19ccca28]


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## Poo Pie (Nov 23, 2007)

Hey Wiper, Strong Work!!! Planning a trip there towards the end of Jan. never seen a burbot outside of a pic. let alone caught one. Way excited!!! Did they taste as good as everyone says that they do?


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## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

I've never fished the Gorge, maybe I'll have to! I heard burbot are like cod, is that true?


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## Greenguy88 (Sep 7, 2007)

Nice looking burbot. Ill bet those will be some good eatin from what I hear. Wouldnt mind hittin the gorge, but ill bet it gets pretty thick later on in the season.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

fatbass said:


> They look like tiger trout! Let us know how they taste and how you fixed them!


I was thinking that, myself. I think they're pretty. *\-\*

A little psychedelic to stare at.

Thanks for the pics.


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## wiperhunter (Nov 1, 2007)

Poo Pie said:


> Did they taste as good as everyone says that they do?


I boiled the filets and after 15 minutes I ate them with garlic butter. I thought the filets taste a lot like lobster or crab. The next time I catch some I'll try deep frying them.


JAT83 said:


> I heard burbot are like cod, is that true?


 From the info I've heard, they are in the ling cod family but I'm not sure if they taste the same since I have never eaten ling cod. I can tell you that they are not like regular cod though.


Greenguy88 said:


> Wouldnt mind hittin the gorge, but ill bet it gets pretty thick later on in the season.
> The ice rarely gets over 12 inches thick but it does depend on what area you fish. The lake is just starting to freeze now, so the area around Firehole will be much thicker before the winter is over.
> The burbot is an interesting fish and since that was my first time fishing for them I'm still learning but I'll be interested in giving them another try. One thing I'll have to say about them, they are the slimest fish I've ever caught :shock:


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## skeet4l (Sep 11, 2007)

Kind of like trying to hang on to a greased water balloon aren't they. I'd compare them to northern pike as far as the color, consistency and flavor, they're not flaky like a walleye.


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## americanforkdude (Sep 13, 2007)

Sounds like a riot. I am planning a trip just after new years. I'de love to catch a burbot but I think we'll target some big macs.


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## wiperhunter (Nov 1, 2007)

skeet4l said:


> Kind of like trying to hang on to a greased water balloon aren't they. I'd compare them to northern pike as far as the color, consistency and flavor, they're not flaky like a walleye.


 Yea, they are hard to hang onto, that is for sure. I thought it was bad trying to get the hook out of them but it was even worse when I went to filet them. And the smell is sometime else too, probably from the slime. For as long as the fish are, it was surprising how little meat there was. How did you cook the fish you caught?


americanforkdude said:


> Sounds like a riot. I am planning a trip just after new years. I'de love to catch a burbot but I think we'll target some big macs.


If you want to catch burbot, the best time is after it gets dark or very early in the morning before it gets light. Fishing in rocky areas also helps, also using glow jigs and crawdad scent. The fish I caught were loaded with crawdads and smallmouth, one even had a 7in burbot in it's stomach. Here is a picture of some of their stomach contents.[attachment=0:3kkmz6w6]burbotstomachcontents.JPG[/attachment:3kkmz6w6]
We usually target the macks as well but as many burbot as there are in the lake now, sooner or later you will probably catch one. The new regs that just came out says it is illegal to put burbot back in the lake and there is no limit on them but that is on the Utah side of the lake. WH


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## Greenguy88 (Sep 7, 2007)

Wow it looks like those burbots are feeding pretty good on the other species. Interesting picture. Last year I caught a bow outta east canyon full of little bass.


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## skeet4l (Sep 11, 2007)

I cooked them as I do walleye, rolled in crushed saltines and pan fried in oil. I'm thinkin the smallies are going to be in for a ride because they both hang on the bottom and the colder it gets the deeper they'll go.


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## Nibble Nuts (Sep 12, 2007)

skeet4l said:


> I cooked them as I do walleye, rolled in crushed saltines and pan fried in oil. I'm thinkin the smallies are going to be in for a ride because they both hang on the bottom and the colder it gets the deeper they'll go.


It won't be just the smallmouth that these fish affect. Burbot will raid the spawning beds of all the species in the Gorge. They also bury themselves in the sand during the day so the other fish don't get much of a chance to prey on them. At least this is what I've heard. Hope to see some major burbot elimination by the ice anglers this year.


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## wiperhunter (Nov 1, 2007)

I cooked them as I do walleye, rolled in crushed saltines and pan fried in oil. I'm thinkin the smallies are going to be in for a ride because they both hang on the bottom and the colder it gets the deeper they'll go.[/quote]
Thanks for the info S4L and I agree with you about the smallmouth. Not only are the burbot eating the fry of the year but they are also eating one of their food sources, crayfish. I agree with Nibble Nuts, once the smallmouth and the crawfish are gone those burbot will be eating anything and everything they can find. It won't be long before the little lake trout will be in trouble. Here is a picture of the Firehole area we were fishing at.
[attachment=0:1a8efvy8]firehole.jpg[/attachment:1a8efvy8]


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## Poo Pie (Nov 23, 2007)

Nibble Nuts said:


> At least this is what I've heard. Hope to see some major burbot elimination by the ice anglers this year.


Going to do my part and bash me a bunch of burbots next month!! Thanks for the info WH


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## Nibble Nuts (Sep 12, 2007)

Poo Pie said:


> [quote="Nibble Nuts":3plwbrl6]
> 
> At least this is what I've heard. Hope to see some major burbot elimination by the ice anglers this year.


Going to do my part and bash me a bunch of burbots next month!! Thanks for the info WH[/quote:3plwbrl6]

Bash on brotha!


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