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[cool][#0000ff]There has been a lot of publicity lately on the increasing population of burbot in Flaming Gorge. Reese Stein recently did a short segment, showing the results of a netting survey and today there is an article by Brett Prettyman in the Tribune. [url "http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_4792406"]LINK TO ARTICLE[/url][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Gotta poke fun at Brett though. Like a lot of folks he read that they are also known as "lings"...and that they are members of the cod family...and connected the dots. He called them "ling cod". Of course that is an entirely different species, a large toothy predator from the cold deep waters off the Pacific coast.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Otherwise a good article, including a pic from BFT member TarponJim. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Oh yeah, don't know if anyone else watched the Reese Stein program. At the end they had some guy showing how to prepare burbot. He actually first cleaned the fish...gill and guts...trout style...and then skinned it. I couldn't believe it. They have a simple bony structure and you can fillet and skin them (the normal way) faster than this guy took just to skin the fish. Oh well. At least he got some "face time" on TV.[/#0000ff]
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[size 2] He's not the only one to call them ling cod. This is cut and paste from the new proc...
Burbot, or ling cod, were illegally-introduced into Flaming Gorge Reservoir, where the population is rapidly expanding. Burbot are a slender, smooth-skinned fish with a large barbel in the middle of the chin and two dorsal fins, the second of which is half the length of the body and matched by an anal fin of about the same length. The coloring ranges from yellow to light brown with a wavy pattern of dark brown or black. Despite the odd, eel-like appearance, burbot have flaky white flesh that tastes excellent. All burbot caught from Flaming Gorge must be immediately killed (see the Rules for Specific Waters section on page 16).[/size]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Being originally from the west coast and having caught lots of salt water ling cod growing up, I was surprised when I first heard of fresh water ling cod. That was several years ago. In fact, since then I've heard them called ling cod much more than burbot. [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Can't say I wouldn't mind catching a few to try as tablefare plus as large as they get, it could be fun![/size][/black][/font]
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From the article: "Burbot are also showing up on the menu in the Gorge. Lake trout are feeding on the eel-like creatures. That may sound like a good thing, but extra forage in the fish form might help push a large population of juvenile lake trout into the stage where they eat nothing but fish."
Now we're talkin! "Extra forage"
Time will tell, but since burbot taste good, and provide forage, it may not be the end of the world at the Gorge. And you can't tell me that the prolific population of bass, carp, and other fish including lake trout don't already eat their share of eggs. With my camera, I see carp on the lake trout spawning beds thick every year. Yet, the lake trout are reproducing. What's done is done, but I suspect that those terrible, vicious, all-fish-eating, lake-destrying, nasty predators called mackinaw will find a way to survive. Their biggest threat is still man, many of whom still continue to stupidly kill 20 and 30 and 40-year-old fish.
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Although calling Burbot "ling cod" is technically wrong, it is very common. In fact, it is the same thing as calling a brookie a "trout" or a laker a "trout"...technically, they are not trout but char. wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/fishfacts/burbot.pdf
Although nobody knows the ultimate effect these fish will have on the Gorge, I think fishermen should be very concerned. Adding yet another extremely voracious predator to the mix can't be a good thing...the Gorge is already forage starved. My guess is that the burbot will eat more forage fish than what they provide...
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[cool][#4040ff]Well, they are a new "non-trout" species...and it was a rush job...and nobody ever accused DWR of being perfect.[/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]Kinda harkens me back to the "good old days" in Utah when all of the Provo area goobers called walleyes "pike". They were ready to go to battle whenever I "discreetly" suggested that they were walleyes...not "pike". [/#4040ff]
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[#4040ff]Still some of them down there. Every once in a while one will drive up and look at my catch, and then try to tell me about the 20 pound pike they "used to catch" down there. Of course they usually also tell me that I am fishing all wrong for them. My refined tackle and custom lures ain't gonna do nearly as well as their "Provo River dry flies"...weighted treble hooks.[/#4040ff]
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Hey in the Minnesota waters aren't they called eelpout. They have big fishing contest and cook outs in the winter out on the ice. Its a hoot for the hearty souls you know.
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[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, eelpout is one of many names they go by in different parts of the country. According to the writeup in the [url "http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteer/janfeb00/burbot_profile.html"]MINNESOTA DNR PAGES[/url] (link) they are also known as "lawyers". Don't know whether that is a slam against the fish...or the lawyers. [/#0000ff]
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I've caught them thru the ice in Canada where they are also known as Lawyers. And the names just keep comming. I really didn't care for the way they would try to wrap themselves around your arm when you were trying to unhook them. They said they were good eating but I never tried one. They kind of reminded me of the dang Lamphrey eels that use to attach themselves to the fish in certain lakes in Northern Wis. when I was a young strapper growing up.[unsure]
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I heard from a friend from the UP of Michigan that they're called "Lawyers" because they are ugly, slimy, and will try to wrap around your arm when caught. In that a lawyer will hold tight to clients for every ounce they can squeeze from you.
Hope that doesn't offend any burbot!
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Hope that doesn't offend any burbot! [/reply]
thats just too funny
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I hope some of you lawyer bashers really need a good lawyer some day. And then I hope none of the good ones will take your case so you can slowly twist in the wind!
Now that would be JUSTICE! [cool]
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Not trying to bash any lawyers, just telling you what they were called.
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PACKFAN-
My remark wasn't directed at you. And I don't usually mind lawyer jokes. Guess I'm just cranky cuz I had to call off tomorrow's lake trout trip to Granby because it's now too frozen to launch a boat, but too thin to ice fish!
I hate this in-between time!
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Don, there is a reason lakes freeze this time of year but are not solid enough to ice fish on. It's so that all of us can do a little christmas shopping and keep the marriage together for another year.
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Huh. So that's the problem!
I was just trying to stretch it into one last open water weekend. Should have known better. It was -7 when I launched last Saturday and I had to chain up my 4WD to get up the ramp. Oh well. Just 5 months till open water again!
Maybe the Gorge will stay open!
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Don must be a lawyer.
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Thanks kokeking, I would not have caught onto that.
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey ol' buddy, hope we didn't ruffle your feathers...errrr fins. Ya gotta have a thick skin on this forum sometimes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]For you other guys, just remember the rules for lawyer jokes. Write slow and use simple words so the lawyers can get it too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff](Sorry Don)[/#0000ff]
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I always figgered they were called lawyers because of the old joke: If all the lawyers were at the bottom of the lake.... It would be a good start. Well, that's where all of "these" lawyers hang out. On the bottom.
Fishrmn
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