Burbot Animal Information
Burbot (Lota lota) - A.K.A. Lawyer, Eelpout, Mudshark. The burbot, the only freshwater relative of the cod family in North America, is known for its repulsive ugliness rather than its tenacity as a fighter. Beneath the slimy eel-like skin of this ugly duckling lies a beautiful swan in disguise. A common misconception about the burbot is that it is too ugly to waste time fishing for. However, the burbot is one of the best eating fish found anywhere in the world with white delicate and vaguely sweet flesh. The liver of the burbot also contains oil with four times more vitamin A and D then “good grades” of cod oil. The burbot seems scaleless, but the scales are so small they are almost microscopic. Its skin can be a mottled olive green, black, or brown with yellow patches. The body of the fish is thin and elongated tapering to a point. The dorsal and anal fins start in the middle of the body and stop short of the rounded tail. The burbot’s mouth is large with numerous rows of inwardly slanted teeth; once it latches onto its prey it rarely lets it go. Even though adults seem sluggish, they are voracious predators that feed at night. They feed mostly on fish after five years of age, and occasionally on mice and shrews. A long-lived fish, the burbot can live up to 20 years old, weigh up to 25 pounds and measure 3.5 feet long.
