Thank you for that info, because after all I've been hearing about them, and that plate of nice looking fish on Jeff's pic, I'd sure like to try it sometime.

Many thanks, bearcat2. I'm surprised they're not thick in the Clark Fork, but I'll certainly defer to Sundance, since that's his back yard. Thanks, guys.

Jack

The same was true on MilleLacs. But, I haven't caught any in the winter in years. When there were a lot of them caught in winter, most folks threw them out on the ice for the scavengers to eat.

Not sure if they still have it, but Leech Lake in MN always had a Eelpout festival every winter. I saw photos of some of them which were in the 8-10 pound catagory.

I can find some articles stating there are burbot in the lower Clark Fork but nothing about where other then one saying they were planted in Cabinet Gorge Reservoir. Nothing about if there is a fishable population but one ice fishing post that says there is. You(me) learn something new every day. If they are in the Clark Fork someday they should be below my house but maybe not in my lifetime.

Ling- bearbutt remains
Make a great draw station.
In Wyoming they are a game fish on the Atlantic side of the continent divide.
On the Pacific side they are considered invasive.
What's interesting is you can't use any game animal parts for bait in Wyoming.
So if you catch Ling- baerbutt on the Pacific side you can use them for bait anywhere in the state.
Atlantic cought fish cant be used.
Go figure.

Actually, I've never heard of people rod-and-reel fishing for them in Alaska in the summer. It's something my wife and I put a lot of time into, and figured it out. I still suspect there are very few people who partake. We would find a back eddy. Park the boat, sit on the bank like catfishing, build a campfire, get out the crib board, and start fishing. Like I said earlier, chunks of lamprey we'd dig out of the mud on the Chena or red-backed vole for bait. I enjoyed watching the rod tips wiggle, and the dogs always had a blast.

Jack

Jack I have fished for burbot in the summer on the Tanana just north of Delta Junction with rod and reel but its been years. We would use hot dogs or parts of grayling for bait. Seemed like the bite would be best late in the evening or early morning. Never thought of using voles and at that time had no idea how to get lampreys or that they spawned in interior river systems. I was used to seeing them on the Gulkana but always assumed they rode along on the kings since we would see the marks from them on them.

I have eaten a few and they are good...........BUT those big nasty brown worms the size of your pinky, makes me shun them these days

The lampreys drop off the salmon when they leave the salt water to enter the freshwater rivers. They dont run themselves until late October and November and mostly under the ice.
They spawn in the mud, its probably how Jack digs them out for fishing.

Seems like they bite at night here.

Where in the copper basin did you live? You must have been working for ADF&G? My wife's mom married a guy who had a farm across from Wengers store. Later she moved to a property below and behind the store. We own that property now. There is a fishwheel basket, axle just like in your pic in our yard. My wife finished high-school in Glanallen in 75. She remembers community fishwheels.
Most of my burbot catches were in fishnets on the Yukon fishing for salmon for winter dog team food.

martentrapper -

In the Copper River country, I lived for a couple years next to Tazlina Glacier Lodge on Smokey Lake. Then I bought a place down on Tazlina Terrace between Glennallen and Copper Center. Yes, I did work for ADF&G at the time, involved in the Susitna studies. Bob Tobey was the Game Division Area Biologist at the time.

Were you around Fog Lakes, Jack? Tsisi Lake?

Yes. I spent some time around Fog Lakes. We were stayting at Watana Camp on the north side of the Su, and a fixed-wing guy dropped me off at one of the Fog Lakes about 1000. At about 1600, I figured he forgot me (or had airplane problems, etc.), and I started putting together a camp for the night. We were collaring grizzlies, and there were two rather belligerent ones with me that I'd just collared. About the time I had a survivable camp put together, in came the plane and picked me up right at dark. You know Fog Lakes?

I do. I hunted in there a few times, spring and fall. I loved the area and remember the camp on the far side of the river from the lakes. We could see the lights at night.

The camp I believe you're talking about would have been at the base of the mountains in the distance behind my hunting partners. And a nice Fog Lakes grizzly.

Thanks Posco. Neat to see those photos. Looks like a good bruin!

Jack

Fresh liver is the best bait I know of for burbot fishing. Early evening until morning is the best time around rocky points. You can also chum these areas ahead of time and increase your catch.