Burbot - an overview of the fish, habits, habitat, tips and recommendations on how to catch at different times of the year (100 photos)

• Wild animals
• >>
• Fish

Burbot is the only representative of the order Gadiformes, inhabiting exclusively fresh water bodies. Fishermen rightly call burbot the “little brother” of catfish - despite belonging to different orders, these fish are similar in their lifestyle and behavior. Fishing for burbot is considered “aerobatics” by those who prefer bottom fishing – the burbot shows miracles of resourcefulness, eating the bait and leaving fishermen without a catch.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Burbot

According to the modern classification, the burbot is included in the subfamily Lotinae (in fact, it forms this taxon. Russian ichthyologists classify the burbot as a separate family of burbot. Regarding the species subtypes, here the opinions of scientists differ, because some researchers believe the species is monotypic, others - on the contrary.

There are 2 - 3 subspecies:

• common burbot, inhabiting the waters of Eurasia;
• thin-tailed burbot - a resident of the reservoirs of Alaska and the Far East;
• Lota lota maculosa is a subspecies found in the southern regions of North America.

All subspecies of burbot are exclusively nocturnal - hunting, migration, reproduction and other manifestations of activity occur from approximately 22:00 to 6:00. Accordingly, burbot fishing occurs exclusively at night.

Video: Burbot

Being a purely nocturnal predator, burbot does not sit in ambush, waiting for its prey, but actively stalks and sneaks up on it, determining the location of potential food through hearing, smell and touch. But the burbot does not particularly rely on its visual analyzer - this is quite understandable. Think for yourself - what can you see at night, at the bottom of the river? Therefore, we don’t really hope for the burbot with our own eyes.

Now there is a trend towards a widespread decrease in the average size of individuals and a decrease in the number of this fish due to the systematic deterioration of living conditions (among them, water pollution and overfishing, including poaching, are of greatest importance).

Appearance and features of burbot

Photo: What burbot looks like

The length of the fish rarely exceeds 1 m, body weight - up to 24 kg. Externally, burbot is somewhat reminiscent of another bottom-dwelling fish - catfish. The shape of the body is somewhat elongated, rounded, narrowed posteriorly, and somewhat compressed laterally. The burbot's scales are very small, but they cover the body densely and everywhere - extending onto the head, gill covers and even onto the bases of the fins.

The shape of the head is wide, slightly flattened. The upper jaw is slightly longer than the lower jaw. There are many small bristle-like teeth on the jaws and vomer. There is an unpaired antennae on the chin, and 2 short ones near the nostrils.

The pectoral fins are small and short. The first rays of the pelvic fins are elongated filamentous processes. There are two fins on the back, and the second fin almost reaches the caudal fin, but does not merge with it. The lateral line reaches the end of the anal fin.

There are many color options for burbot. Most often, the back of this fish is greenish or olive-green, with numerous and unevenly distributed black-brown spots, inclusions and stripes.

The throat and belly are usually white. Juveniles always have a dark (almost black) color. Males are slightly darker than females. In addition, the male has a thicker head, while the female has a thicker body. Females are always larger in size.

How to cook better

Sea burbot is popular in cooking and is found in the national dishes of many peoples of the world:

1. In Finland, minka is used in the preparation of fish soups and casseroles, as well as pies made from rye flour - kalakukko. Most often, sea burbot is processed in milk, due to which it becomes very soft and tender.
2. In northern Europe, liver and salted minka caviar are used in cold appetizers for alcoholic drinks.
3. In Norway, Sweden and Denmark, sea burbot is an ingredient for making klops - meatballs with pepper and milk sauce.

Minek goes well with vegetables and spices. It is especially often used with sweet peppers and carrots, tomatoes and onions, potatoes and basil.

Attention! The taste of sea burbot is a bit like squid.

Recipe for sea burbot with vegetables

One of the simple recipes suggests preparing minka with vegetables and peppers. The following ingredients are needed:

• sea ​​burbot - 1.5 kg;
• carrots—2 pcs.;
• onions - 6 pcs.;
• vegetable oil - 200 ml;
• mayonnaise - to taste;
• salt - to taste;
• pepper - to taste.

The cooking algorithm looks like this:

1. The sea fish carcass is cleaned, gutted and the tail part is removed. The fillet is cut into portions of arbitrary thickness and each of them is greased with vegetable oil with the addition of salt and pepper to taste. If desired, you can pre-marinate the fish in lemon juice or pour citrus squeeze on top for greater softness and tenderness.
2. Place minka on a baking sheet greased with oil. The carrots are peeled and grated, and then the resulting straws are sprinkled on each piece of fish. Apply a little mayonnaise on top.
3. The onions are cut into half rings, sprinkled with salt and lightly kneaded with your hands, and then placed on top of the carrots. Add a little more mayonnaise as the last layer.
4. The baking sheet is placed in the oven, preheated to 180 °C. You need to cook sea fish with carrots and onions for about an hour until a golden brown crust appears on the vegetables.

We recommend reading: Mullet fish: benefits and harms, chemical composition, calorie content, photo

The dish turns out very soft and tender, with a pronounced squid flavor.

It is best to combine oven-baked mink with mashed potatoes and fresh herbs.

Sea burbot under narsharab

The taste of mink is well emphasized by the refreshing pomegranate narsharab sauce. The recipe requires the following ingredients:

• minek - 1.2 kg;
• lemon - 1 pc.;
• narsharab sauce - 6 tsp;
• salt - 1 tbsp. l.;
• vegetable oil - 3 tbsp. l.;
• curry - 1/2 tsp;
• Provençal herbs - to taste;
• ground black pepper - to taste.

The algorithm for cooking fish is as follows:

1. The mink is cleaned of scales, the head and tail are cut off, and the carcass is cut into portions. The curry is mixed with black pepper and herbs de Provence, and then each steak is coated with a mixture of spices and salt.
2. In a deep, clean bowl, sea fish is generously poured with fresh juice from half a lemon. Then cover the container with a lid and leave at room temperature for 2-3 hours to marinate.
3. After time, the steaks are greased with vegetable oil and placed on a baking sheet covered with parchment. There should be a small distance between the mink pieces.
4. The baking sheet is placed in the oven at 180 °C for an hour, and then the steaks are removed and served along with the pomegranate sauce.

You can eat sea burbot as a separate dish or in combination with herbs and vegetables.

Narsharab sauce additionally softens mink meat and gives it a piquant taste.

Where does burbot live?

Photo: Burbot in Russia

Burbot prefers cold and clean reservoirs with a rocky bottom. Most often, this fish lives in deep holes with springs, in thickets of reeds and reeds located near the banks, as well as under snags and tree roots that go under water. It is these preferences that explain the fact that burbot most often disappears from rivers where trees growing along the banks are systematically cut down.

In central Russia, after the end of the flood (approximately May-early June), the period of sedentary life begins for burbot. The fish stop in steep ravines or huddle deeper into rocks and coastal burrows. In lakes, burbot is at its maximum depth at this time.

Moreover, he chooses to live either a place near underwater springs, or under floating shores. Burbot eagerly lives under rafts, adjacent to the ruff. Before the heat sets in, it still goes out to fatten at night (especially if there is a ruffe population nearby), but in July the fish huddle deeper into holes and under stones and snags. In the absence of natural shelters, it buries itself in the mud.

Taking into account all the factors listed above, the number of burbots is considered to be relatively small - and in the predominant territory of their range. There is a clear dependence - burbot are always found more often where the spawning grounds are on rocky soils and where nature provides the best shelters for the fry.

Now you know where burbot is found. Let's see what this fish eats.

Distribution area

Sea burbot is an inhabitant of the North Atlantic. The range covers the coasts of some European countries, including:

• Great Britain.
• Norway.
• Ireland.
• Iceland.

In the northwest Atlantic Ocean, lesser fish are distributed from New Jersey to Bell Island Sound in Canada and along the coast of Newfoundland. This species is found in small numbers near the southern tip of Greenland. The range also affects part of the Barents Sea in the area of ​​the polar archipelago of Spitsbergen and the Kola Peninsula.

What does burbot eat?

Photo: Burbot fish

The favorite delicacy of burbot are small minnows and fry of larger fish species that nest closer to the bottom. This fish will readily taste the long-fingered crayfish, but the population of these animals is rapidly declining due to the deterioration of the ecological condition of water bodies.

Burbot is also not averse to eating frogs, tadpoles, dragonfly larvae and other insects inhabiting freshwater bodies. Roach, crucian carp, perch and other freshwater fish that lead a diurnal lifestyle and swim mainly in the upper and middle layers of the reservoir rarely become prey for burbot.

An interesting feature is that the diet of burbot undergoes significant changes throughout the year. For example, in spring and summer, a bottom predator (at any age) gives preference to crayfish and worms that live on the bottom. On hot days, the fish goes hungry, preferring to “sleep off” at depth. Upon entering sexual maturity, burbot becomes a very dangerous predator - its “menu” can include fish that are up to 1/3 the length of its own body.

The predator's appetites increase in direct proportion to the decrease in water temperature and the reduction in daylight hours. In winter, the diet of burbot consists of minnows, ruffes and loaches, which lose their vigilance. But the sensitive crucian carp almost never falls into the mouth of a night predator. The autumn zhor lasts until the beginning of winter (about 3 months), with short intervals. With the onset of winter, the predator's appetite wanes.

Cold water lover

Burbot prefers cool waters and spawns from December to February. These fish can lead a sedentary lifestyle and be semi-anadromous. Moreover, the latter are usually larger and can migrate over distances of up to 1 thousand kilometers.

These are active predators and saprotrophs. Invertebrates, small fish, organic remains - this is what burbot and catfish eat. This is precisely what makes these even outwardly similar species related. And, like catfish, burbot feeds on the corpses of other animals that end up in the water.

Burbots live in their natural environment for up to 25 years.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Burbot in winter

Summer heat depresses this fish - burbot becomes inactive. But when the water temperature cools down to 12°C, burbot begins to become active, goes hunting and spends the whole night searching for prey. But as soon as the water warms up above 15°C, the fish immediately hides in holes, bottom holes, as well as under stones, snags and shelters in steep banks, as well as in other secluded places that hide it from the heat. And he leaves them only to search for food necessary to maintain life.

Burbot goes hunting in hot weather only in cloudy weather, and only at night. In July-August, when the heat is highest, burbot goes into hibernation and practically stops feeding. The fish becomes so lethargic and defenseless that during this period you can catch it with your hands without much difficulty! The easiest way to do this is at the moment when the burbot gets into a hole (which, contrary to a false stereotype, it never digs). And it’s also quite easy to catch hibernating burbot under snags, stones and other “shelters”.

Indeed, at the moment when they begin to take it, the fish does not even try to turn around and escape, swimming as far as possible. On the contrary, he makes a fundamentally wrong decision, looking for salvation in his refuge, but only deeper. The only difficulty is to hold the burbot, because it is very slippery. Winter, autumn and early spring are the most active times for burbot. With the onset of cold weather, this fish begins to lead a wandering lifestyle. There is a clear dependence - the colder the water becomes, the higher the activity and gluttony of the burbot becomes (it eats countless small fish).

Tips for beginners

There is no bite immediately before spawning and from February to March. Experienced fishermen, when advising on how to catch burbot in winter, emphasize that hunting is appropriate in the shallows or in medium depths using jigs, spoons, jigs, and balancers.

• Prey is attracted by initial tapping on the bottom.
• They go fishing at 10 pm or 2.5 am at a temperature of -15.
• Holes are drilled at a distance of 80 cm, and the scales of the live bait are torn off from the side, which promises mobility.
• You don’t have to control the donkey; the fish won’t leave because it swallows the victim deeply.
• They take it out by picking it up under the gills. Summer fishing is justified only in spring reservoirs and from the shore.

The bait may look like chicken, offal, meat pieces, or crayfish. Happy fishing!

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Burbot in the water

Sexual maturity in burbot begins at the age of 3-4 years, when a body weight reaches 400-500 g. But under favorable living conditions, it often happens that males mature somewhat earlier.

In November - December (depending on the climatic conditions of the region), after the reservoirs are covered with an ice crust, burbots begin their migrations - massive movements of burbots to spawning grounds (and in the direction against the current). These fish go to spawn in small schools, which include one large female and 4-5 males. From floodplain reservoirs, burbots enter river beds. In large and deep lakes with cold water, burbot does not leave, moving from the depths closer to the surface, where there is shallow water and a rocky bottom.

The spawning time is from the last ten days of December to the end of February. The process almost always occurs under ice, at water temperatures in the region of 1-3ºС. Burbot loves the cold, so during maximum frosts spawning occurs more actively than during thaws - in the latter case, the spawning process is extended. The eggs with a fat drop (their diameter is 0.8-1 mm) are washed into shallow water with a rocky bottom and fast current. The development of fry occurs in the bottom layer of the reservoir. One of the features of the life activity of burbot is its colossal fertility - large females lay more than a million eggs.

The duration of incubation of eggs varies from 28 days to 2.5 months - the duration of this process determines the water temperature in the reservoir. The length of the fry that have seen the light is 3-4 mm. The fry hatch shortly before the start of ice drift or during high water. This feature has an extremely negative impact on the survival of the fry, because when the river floods, the fry are often carried to the floodplain, where, after the water level drops, they quickly dry out and die.

Beneficial features

Meat with amazing taste is rich in vitamins, microelements, proteins and is perfectly absorbed by the human body. With regular use, you can strengthen the heart, blood vessels, immunity, lower blood cholesterol and improve vision. A positive effect on the condition of the skin and nervous system was noted.

Contains:

• Phosphorus and iron.
• Potassium and magnesium.
• Molybdenum and zinc.
• Nickel and fluorine.

Low calorie content allows inclusion in the diet. The product helps in the fight against alcoholism and frostbite, treats hernia and cataracts. Fish oil found in the liver is a source of Omega 3 and other polyunsaturated fatty acids. Northern peoples have a tradition of freezing liver and eating it raw.

Specimens from contaminated pools may pose a risk of internal parasites. It is important to properly thermally process the catch. Diagnosis of cholelithiasis or urolithiasis, excess calcium requires caution in use.

There are no small bones in the skeleton, which facilitates the cutting process to obtain a soft, tender fillet.

The only thing is that it is advisable to cook the fish immediately; during storage it loses its exclusive qualities.

Natural enemies of burbot

Photo: River fish burbot

The highest fertility of burbot does not make this fish breed numerous. In addition to the death of most fry during floods, a countless number of eggs are carried away by the current. In addition, other fish are not averse to eating burbot caviar (the main “baby killers” are perch, ruffe, roach, and, to a greater extent, the burbot’s “favorite” gudgeon). Ironically, part of the eggs remains in the bottom depressions and is eaten by the burbot itself. As a result, by the end of winter, no more than 10-20% of the countless eggs remain.

If you take an adult, sexually mature burbot, then it has a minimum of natural enemies. Few people dare to attack a fish 1 m long. The only thing is that in the summer (during the heat, which burbot, being a typical northern fish, cannot tolerate at all), when even adult burbot do not show much activity, it can become food for a catfish significantly larger in size.

The main danger lies in the hands of small and unborn burbots. It is for this reason that only a few burbots survive to the age of sexual maturity. Burbot caviar, by the way, is a “delicacy” for fish even in winter. But ruffes, silver bream and perches, as well as other fish that serve as food for mature burbots, like to feast on the fry.

Basic diet

The menu includes inhabitants of the bottom layer, as well as:

• Minnows;
• Loaches;
• Perches;
• Snetki;
• Frogs and crustaceans.

My favorite dish is ruff. The wide mouth and throat make it possible to swallow large food whole. Scavengers do not disdain dead bait. The fry feed on zooplankton, worms, crustaceans, and mollusks.

On the eve of spawning, which occurs in December-January, individuals go hungry, and during the spawning period they become hungry, so catching burbot in winter is most effective.

Population and species status

Photo: What burbot looks like

The range of burbot is quite wide - the fish is found in freshwater bodies of the northern regions of Europe, Asia and North America. In Europe, burbot is caught in New England (the fish is practically not found in Scotland and Ireland), in France (mainly in the Rhone River basin, somewhat less often in the upper reaches of the Seine and Loire), in Italy (mainly in the Po River), and also in the western cantons of Switzerland, in the Danube basin (almost everywhere) and in reservoirs belonging to the Baltic Sea basin. Not found (since the middle of the last century) on the west coast of the Scandinavian countries, as well as on the Iberian, Apennine and Balkan peninsulas.

In Russia, burbot is distributed everywhere - in reservoirs flowing in the Arctic and temperate zones, as well as in the river basins of Siberia - from the Ob to Anadyr, and throughout their entire length. In the European part of Russia, burbot is not found in the Crimea, Transcaucasia (with the exception of the lower reaches of the Kura and Sefidrud), sometimes this fish is caught in the North Caucasus - in the river basin. Kuban. The northern boundary of the range is the coast of the Arctic Ocean.

In the south, burbot is found in the Ob-Irtysh basin, and occupies a fairly wide range - starting from the upper reaches (Lake Teletskoye and Zaisan) and up to the Ob Bay. This fish is not found in Central Asia, although in the century before last this fish was actively fished in the Aral Sea basin. In the Yenisei and Baikal, burbot is caught almost everywhere. In the Selenga basin, the range descends to the south, all the way to Mongolia. Burbot is found throughout the river basin. The Amur River with its main tributaries - the Ussuri and Sungari. Found in the upper reaches of the Yalu River.

Regarding the Pacific coast, burbot is found on Sakhalin and the Shantar Islands, and even ends up in desalinated areas of the seas (where the water salinity does not exceed 12).

Legendary fish

The Evenks, the indigenous inhabitants of the Arctic region, have a legend about the insidious and cunning burbot, who managed to outwit the fox. And in the legends of the Khanty, there was a flying beast called Burbot, which ravaged settlements and destroyed herds. As punishment, the gods turned him into a fish, which itself became the object of human hunting.

And for Stepan Pisakhov, the hero of the fairy tale was a simple man from Arkhangelsk, Sena Malina. It was thanks to this character, who often found himself in comical situations while fishing, that a tournament for winter fishing enthusiasts, “Nalim Malinich,” appeared in Arkhangelsk.