Zero dark burbot
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:43 am
Michael and I, along with my buddy Matt and his family, spent the weekend on a lake up north searching for the elusive Burbot (Lota lota). We were given some very good information, but it seems the timing was still a little off, or our location was a little off, or conditions was a little off.
Michael and I camped overnight on the ice. Even with the heater on full (3000 BTU), it was still a bit cold in the wee hours of the morning. Burbot fishing is best after dark so we were trying to maximize our opportunities, plus we were too thrifty to spend extra money on the hotel room
I was lucky enough to lost one and caught one. Otherwise, burbot fishing was slow to dead. The whitefish were also largely absent aside from one that came unbuttoned at the hole for Michael, and one that Matt landed.
There is a lot of narrative, as well as a couple of burbot cleaning tips on my blog. Otherwise here are some pictures.
http://muskiebaitadventures.blogspot.ca ... urbot.html
~~~
Here are some more fishing pictures from my icefishing season. It started off very slow but progressively got better.
I'll be brief here. For the full story, you can read about it on my blog.
http://muskiebaitadventures.blogspot.ca ... p-now.html
Compared this slow icefishing season with my trip to Florida, it was day and night. I caught some fish, but couldn't get out often enough...and when I do get out fishing, it always seems to be the slow day...
I did run into a massive school of Cisco one day. I love the chrome side and iridescent purple back. They remind me of Ladyfish a lot. Just as aggressive and they form big schools as well.
I made a new friend who was from France and he had never experienced icefishing. So we went out one Saturday and he caught his first fish icefishing. It is not the biggest pike in the world, but at least we got a rod bent.
In February, my luck finally turned and I got into a couple of great days. Most of the Lake Trout were small...but the action was fast and furious and the trout tasted great.
Most of them were around this size.
Some had brilliant reddish fins!
Michael and I camped overnight on the ice. Even with the heater on full (3000 BTU), it was still a bit cold in the wee hours of the morning. Burbot fishing is best after dark so we were trying to maximize our opportunities, plus we were too thrifty to spend extra money on the hotel room
I was lucky enough to lost one and caught one. Otherwise, burbot fishing was slow to dead. The whitefish were also largely absent aside from one that came unbuttoned at the hole for Michael, and one that Matt landed.
There is a lot of narrative, as well as a couple of burbot cleaning tips on my blog. Otherwise here are some pictures.
http://muskiebaitadventures.blogspot.ca ... urbot.html
~~~
Here are some more fishing pictures from my icefishing season. It started off very slow but progressively got better.
I'll be brief here. For the full story, you can read about it on my blog.
http://muskiebaitadventures.blogspot.ca ... p-now.html
Compared this slow icefishing season with my trip to Florida, it was day and night. I caught some fish, but couldn't get out often enough...and when I do get out fishing, it always seems to be the slow day...
I did run into a massive school of Cisco one day. I love the chrome side and iridescent purple back. They remind me of Ladyfish a lot. Just as aggressive and they form big schools as well.
I made a new friend who was from France and he had never experienced icefishing. So we went out one Saturday and he caught his first fish icefishing. It is not the biggest pike in the world, but at least we got a rod bent.
In February, my luck finally turned and I got into a couple of great days. Most of the Lake Trout were small...but the action was fast and furious and the trout tasted great.
Most of them were around this size.
Some had brilliant reddish fins!