Select a state to find fishing and boating information:
Get A Fishing License
Get started fishing today, purchase your fishing license online, check regulations and more.
Register A Boat
Register your boat today. Learn how to register your vessel, boating laws and more.
Home > Learn to Fish & Boat > Fish Species > Burbot
While it is both a good sport fish and a good quality food fish, the burbot is not generally popular.
This is an unusually distinctive fish with its long, almost eel-like body; single, slender, and cod-like barbel under the chin; rounded paddle-like tail; large rounded pectoral fins; small, short first dorsal fin; and long second dorsal fin. The anal fin starts near the middle of the body and runs all the way back to the tail. The body is yellow, light brown, or tan with a mottled appearance. Some individuals, noticeably adults from deep lakes in the far north, may be entirely dark brown or black.
Widely distributed around the world above 40 degrees north, the burbot is common throughout Canada, the northern U.S.A., and Europe within this range, with the notable exceptions of Scotland and Ireland, the Kamchatka Peninsula, the west coast of Norway, extreme western British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and the Atlantic Islands. It commonly occurs in deep, cold waters (up to 116 fathoms, almost 700 feet), and is one of the few fishes that spawn in midwinter under the ice. The following list includes additional details on where to catch this fish:
It is most frequently caught incidentally by anglers who are ice-fishing for lake trout. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish:
The following are lures, tackle or bait that can be used to catch this fish:
Finding Your Best Self on the Water: Why Downtime is Essential
Read More
Paddle Boarding for Beginners: Simple Tips to Get Started
National Catfish Day Is Coming - Get Ready for Good Eats!
Do you like this content? Subscribe to our Newsletter and get all the information you need to learn, plan, and equip for your next fishing and boating adventure.
NEWSLETTER SIGNUP
Sign-up to receive our monthly newsletter with interesting blogs about fishing and boating. Get fishing tips and tricks and read personal stories from anglers who live and breathe fishing and boating. Learn new fishing skills, boating resources, fishing etiquette, conservation and more.
Please complete the following fields to subscribe to our newsletter.
SUBSCRIBERS PREFERENCES
What information would you like?