Burbot Ice Fishing Is Booming — From Overlooked to Late-Ice Target

The heavy thump on my rod startled me. The bottom on my Vexilar screen had flickered only for a second before the fish committed. Now, it made powerful runs, peeling line off my reel. It had to be a nice walleye!

The fish made several runs before tiring and gradually approaching my ice hole. But instead of a white eye, the hole filled up with an oversized head and a slippery, leopard-print body.

Eelpout!

Eelpout (or burbot, lawyers or whatever you want to call them) have gained a sort of counter-culture following in recent years.

What Is a Burbot (Eelpout)?

an eelpout caught while ice fishing likes to curl up — Burbot have a salamander-like head and barbels under the chin. This fish is curling up in typical eelpout fashion. | Joe Shead

Technically, burbot are freshwater cod, and they taste like it. They are the only freshwater member of the cod family in North America and are native to northern lakes and reservoirs.

Eelpout have an ancient, almost prehistoric look. They aren’t likely to win any beauty pageants, with their salamander-like head, scale-less bodies, barbels under the chin, and long dorsal and anal fins. Plus, they have a tendency to wrap their eel-like bodies around your arms like a snake.

Despite their presence in lakes across the north, a lot of folks have never caught an eelpout. That may be because they are most active at night, scouring the bottom for anything they can scavenge.

Why Burbot Are Gaining Popularity

An ice angler holds an eelpout on the ice — The author displays an eelpout he found lying on the ice after it was discarded by another angler. For years, people have despised eelpout because of their looks. But they are finally gaining respect from some anglers. | Joe Shead

Like carp, another once-overlooked species, increasing number of people appreciate eelpout and target this misunderstood species. They fight hard, can grow large and are tops on the table.

Minnesota just proved the state's love for eelpout, recently enacting a four-fish daily bag limit to prevent overharvest, especially during the spawn when they are most vulnerable. This shows respect for a fish that in the past has often been treated as a trash fish and left on the ice to die.

But this native fish serves an important purpose, cleaning up dead fish off the bottom and even eating invasive species like rusty crayfish.

In many states, traditional gamefish seasons close in February or March, leaving anglers searching for options. But burbot season remains open.

Eelpout spawn in late winter, when ice still covers the water. Once fish start spawning, they become more active during the day, making them one of the few reliable targets at a time when ice fishing opportunities shrink. Numerous eelpout ball up in a spawning frenzy you can actually see down your hole if the water is clear enough and shallow enough. It makes for some memorable fishing!

How to Catch Burbot Through the Ice

If you want to try your hand at these unique fish, nighttime is the right time.

Where to Find Burbot

Eelpout feed heavily on crayfish, so look for rock piles with some sand mixed in. Seek out shallow flats adjacent to deep holes.

Eelpout are often found deep. Start in 30 to 40 feet of water, working both shallower and deeper. Sometimes the fish are in 50 or 60 feet of water. At night, they may move to 5 feet or less.

Eelpout stay tight to the bottom, so they can be hard to see on your electronics, but they will move up when you lift your lure off bottom.

Best Burbot Lures and Tackle

You'll want a medium-heavy ice rod and a spinning reel with 10-pound braid.

Eelpout have poor vision, so help them find your lure by using glow paint and rattles.

A 1-ounce glow jig with rattles tipped with several live or dead minnows works well.

Pound this presentation on the bottom to stir up a cloud, then raise it.

Eelpout clobber the lure and usually surprise you when they hit. Often, they travel in schools and it's not uncommon to catch several fish in an evening.

With their long, thick tails, eelpout won't come in easily. And they like to twist like trout on steroids, so use a swivel to prevent line twist.

The fight doesn't stop at the hole, either. They writhe around and their smooth skin makes them hard to grab. You can grab them behind the gills or if the hook isn't in the way, you can even lip them like bass.

Are Burbot Good to Eat?

An ice angler holds an eelpout he caught while ice fishing — Ryan Bybee holds an eelpout he caught while ice fishing on Lake Superior. | Joe Shead

Filleting an eelpout is similar to taking the backstraps off a deer. Most of the meat is concentrated near the back.

As you fillet down the side, you'll find eelpout have very wide ribcages, and by the time you reach the bottom of the ribs, there's only skin covering the ribs. Unfortunately, despite the large average size of the fish, there's not a lot of meat. You'll get a strip on either side of the backbone.

But the meat you do get is delicious. You can cook it like any cod recipe. Or cut it into chunks and boil it in saltwater or 7Up, until it floats (about 3 minutes), then dip it in melted butter and enjoy.

Despite their looks, you'll find eelpout to be strong fighters when hooked and they are unmatched table fare.

From Misunderstood “Trash Fish” to Late-Ice Target

Late ice and closing traditional seasons doesn’t have to mean your ice season is over. For anglers excited to fish after dark, burbot offer solid fights, good eating and a chance to target a species that’s finally earning the respect it deserves.