Ling Cod, "Burbots" on the Gorge

[WaveWolf]

Do any of you fish intentionally for Burbots on the Gorge?
I understand they are trying to get rid of them. Where are they at and what bait do they hit? I know that if you catch a ling cod on a charter in the ocean, you have to fight the boat captain for it
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[moby_dick]

I am told that they taste fantastic, but as far as catching them, I dunno....I think they're bottom dwellers though.
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[DonInDenver]

They're not the same fish as the saltwater "ling cod".
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]While the burbot is also known as a "ling", it is a totally different critter than the "ling cod" of salt water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Burbots are actually fairly closely related to the "true" cod of both the north Atlantic and Pacific. They have similar large white flaky flesh...very mild and firm.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]These fish are a potential problem in the Green River watershed because they eat a lot and they live on small fish. Without a forage base of chubs, shiners or other small fish, that leaves baby trout and sockeye. While nobody is filling a boat with them at this point, I have heard of a couple taken in nets that were chuck full of troutlets.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There will be times of the year when the burbot come into shallower water, to spawn, but most of the year they stay on the bottom, in deeper water. They also feed at night, making them not as available for most anglers. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Lots of folks in the upper midwest and Montana fish them through the ice, at night, on whole minnows. Wherever they are found and catchable, they develop a following. They are ugly but good eating and they get pretty big.[/#0000ff]
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[daffy]

Last saturday 03/25 we ice fished Fontenelle Reservoir we saw a ling that a gal from Idaho caught, only like 13" but the game and fish lady wanted it, to have it tested, see what it had been eating and the like, I never even knew they were in there, wish they werent but we will have to deal with it. My brother lives in Riverton WY and fished Boysen and Pilot Butte Reservoir, and has caught many ling. when we go for them we fish deep water at night with live minnows (leagle there and NOT at the Gorge) maybe the game and fish will consider allowing the bait shops to sell and allow us fishermen to use live Utah Chubs! That is the only way you can catch ling up there! And could you imagine using live minnows to catch macks! heh later LBD
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