Mission accomplished Ling at Clark Canyon

[windriver]

This ice fishing season I have obsessed with the strange looking fish known as burbot or ling. I first planned on hitting flaming gorge but that plan fell through, so when a friend said his dad knew how to catch ling at Clark Canyon I jumped at the opportunity.

The ling were not especially cooperative for us but their is always a learning curve when working with a new species of fish and a new body of water.

Rob, the guy who took us was on the score board quick so we got to see one of these fish up close and personal. Then it was quite a while before we got into them again. I missed a couple because I didn't let them munch on the jig long enough. Then a jawjacker went off. It didn't hook the burbot but I could feel the fish munching so I let it do its thing for a while before setting the hook as hard as I could. Fish on....

Steelfisher caught a couple in a row as evening was setting in. I didn't get another one until it was dark. I started to pound the jig and carp meat on the bottom really aggresivly. One came in and pounded it so I must have got its attention.

My son missed a couple using the same method. He never got one, but that just gives us a reason to go back again some day.

Windriver
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[AverysAdventure]

Very cool WD! I've been wanting to knock the ling off my list of uncaught fish as well. Really wanted to hit the Burbot Bash this year and swing by Bear Lake and get a bucket of Cisco to mark them off also. Plus that would make one great fish fry!!! Couldn't get anyone to go so it didn't happen this year. Maybe better planning next year and I can get it done.
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[TheGrovBone]

Awesome fish! I've been wanting to get out for those also - but I doubt I'll knock that species off this year. Congrats on a couple awesome fish!
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[curt69]

Good job WR . I am thinking about entering the Bash next year also . Curt G.
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[Tazasorus]

Planning a trip up there myself next week. I am in the same boat, never have fished for ling before. Could you share some tips? Where do you think I should fish at? Thanks.
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[jigs]

Windriver did you try eating them? I have heard they are good and horrid. Depending who you ask. I fished a stream in billings montana when i was a kid and caught one after another but was so freaked out by them I would just cut the line and kick them back in.
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[Mules]

When I was in college 40 years ago we fished Clark Canyon for trout. My roomates folks lived in Dillon. So we would fish it for 2 days as we had access to a Ice shack.

Then ling had no limits. We used to throw them out on the Ice for the birds to eat. Looking back it wasn't a good idea to that. However everybody did it as it was classified as a trash fish like suckers. This over the years has had limits put on how many ling you can keep.

As to eating of ling they are great. We used to catch them on the river east of Billings. We would keep them alive in a water trough that had spring water flowing thru it. Once we had enough of them to feed all us we would clean them and skin them. The my aunt would cook them up for lunch. Ling is a great fish to eat.
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[windriver]

I wish i could help. I am no expert. I just followed the guy who took me. We used big glow jigs tipped with sucker and nightcrawler in 25' of water we tried other depths but just didn't find them deeper or more shallow. We were keying in on rocky points. A lot of people went out to the islands. I don't know if they were any better.

Windriver
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[cpierce]

Awesome! On the list too, along with Tenkara this summer.
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[windriver]

I just had the ling for dinner. I can say they were really great. I thought they were much like perch just bigger fillets. Very light and flakey. I can't think of any fish I've liked better and I eat a lot of fish.

Windriver
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[BOWFISH]

Hard to beat them boiled in salt water and dipped in garlic butter. They are great tasting fish. I just wish I could find some of the bigger ones.

[MMDon]

The meat is better if you bleed them by cutting around the tail.

Try boiling some ginger ale or 7up. Toss in 1" chunks and when they float they are done. Eat like lobster with lemon and butter.
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