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The burbot is a freshwater fish, and it is also known as the freshwater ling, Mariah, coney fish, and the lingcod. The species is related to the common ling and the cusk. It is the only member of the Lota genus. The burbot lives under ice, and they need this temperature to breed. The burbot is not present in southeast Alaska. They occupy the glacial rivers and lakes through Alaska.
Types of fish that can be found
The burbot has an appearance that is between an eel and a catfish, and it has a body like a serpent. The singe barbell and its chin is what make it easily distinguishable. The burbot body is laterally compressed and elongated and has a flattened head and a projection like a single tube. The projection comes out of its nostril. It has a wide mouth, and the upper and lower jaws have small teeth.
Type of fishing that can be done at the location
The burbot is a stubborn predator, and it attacks the other fishes of almost the same size as itself. It is a nuisance in the waters where it does not belong natively. In recent discoveries, the burbot has caused trouble in the Green River. The wildlife biologists feel that the burbot could end up killing the present fishing population. It is because the burbot starts to fish on the fish eggs in the lakes. The fish and game division of Utah has instituted a regulation of no release and catch and kill for the burbot.
The burbot grows to a size of 800 mm, but on an average, they are less than 700 mm. They weigh 2.7-3.6 kgs. It reaches an age of approximately 10-15 years.
The burbot has a circumpolar distribution, and its range is from the Bering Strait to the British Isles across Asia and Europe. In the north of America, the burbot ranges from the New Brunswick in Atlantic coast to the Seward Peninsula in Alaska. Burbot is found in the lakes and streams in North America, and in Europe, they are found in Lake Erie and also in the Great Lakes.
The burbot lives in cold rivers, reservoirs; also lakes and they prefer the freshwater habitats. However, the burbot thrives in the brackish environment to spawn. In the summer months, they can be found in the cold water
The burbot feeds on frogs, insects, birds, and snakes. Because they have a bite lure, they are easy to catch. The young burbot mostly eats invertebrate and insects. At the age of five or six, they start to feast on fish exclusively. The adult burbot is a voracious predator, and it feeds mostly during the night time. At times it also eats shrews and mice. The burbot will mainly feed on fish which is dependent on where they live. It may have walleyes and yellow perch. They also eat clams, fish eggs, and crayfish.