11-08-2012, 03:05 AM
Location is not important, generally. They really like crawdads so rocky areas are prime. (The whole lake is rocky area w/ crawdads). There are more important factors than location. Once you have all the other factors dialed in and you are not doing very good - just move around and you'll find them. (Usually you can just move 50-100 yards).
Points are good, ledges are good, etc.
Depth can be an important factor depending on time of year. 10-15ft is best general depth but they do move shallower during spawn and you can always find some deeper too.
You can use 6 rods or lines per person. So spread them out, put some shallow and taper them off deep until you figure out where they seem to be cruising.
Baits: Think big. I like using tube jigs, twister tails and spoons for my active rods. I usually use a piece of sucker that is about a half inch wide and up to 3-4" long. When you add that to a 4-5" tube or spoon your bait is about 7-8" long in some cases... and even the smaller burbot will eat this size bait. I don't know how they get it in their mouth but they do.
Burbot like to stay very close to the bottom. It's hard to use flashers to locate them at the Gorge because most places the bank is so steep the cone angle does not give you a good reading of the bottom. (many of you have seen this - where you drop your lure down to the "bottom" indicated by the flasher and it keeps going another 6 feet and you can't see whats going on).
When jigging keep your jigs fairly subtle and slow, lift 6-12" off the bottom. Bouncing your rig off the bottom seems to work good - creates enough sound and vibration that it calls them in I believe.
Hmm what else? For your deadstick rods just use jigheads or hooks / sinkers and you want to set your bait anywhere from a few inches off the bottom to a foot or so up off the bottom. (on the bottom works sometimes too).
Stay away from the crowds. Some places get fished hard all winter and there is definitely an impact on fishing. Also I doubt you'll be able to fish for them much in Utah? The Northern portions of the Wyoming side get ice first and most years the southern portion of the lake does not even ice up?
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Points are good, ledges are good, etc.
Depth can be an important factor depending on time of year. 10-15ft is best general depth but they do move shallower during spawn and you can always find some deeper too.
You can use 6 rods or lines per person. So spread them out, put some shallow and taper them off deep until you figure out where they seem to be cruising.
Baits: Think big. I like using tube jigs, twister tails and spoons for my active rods. I usually use a piece of sucker that is about a half inch wide and up to 3-4" long. When you add that to a 4-5" tube or spoon your bait is about 7-8" long in some cases... and even the smaller burbot will eat this size bait. I don't know how they get it in their mouth but they do.
Burbot like to stay very close to the bottom. It's hard to use flashers to locate them at the Gorge because most places the bank is so steep the cone angle does not give you a good reading of the bottom. (many of you have seen this - where you drop your lure down to the "bottom" indicated by the flasher and it keeps going another 6 feet and you can't see whats going on).
When jigging keep your jigs fairly subtle and slow, lift 6-12" off the bottom. Bouncing your rig off the bottom seems to work good - creates enough sound and vibration that it calls them in I believe.
Hmm what else? For your deadstick rods just use jigheads or hooks / sinkers and you want to set your bait anywhere from a few inches off the bottom to a foot or so up off the bottom. (on the bottom works sometimes too).
Stay away from the crowds. Some places get fished hard all winter and there is definitely an impact on fishing. Also I doubt you'll be able to fish for them much in Utah? The Northern portions of the Wyoming side get ice first and most years the southern portion of the lake does not even ice up?
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