Randy Johnson posted on July 15, 2005 23:26 :: 8710 Views
Common names: Eelpout, Maria loch, skin ling, spineless catfish, lawyer.
I can remember the first one I saw - it was late into the evening and the rattle reel was moving ever so slowly. I set the hook and began yelling to my sleeping fishing partner," Got a big one on - get up and give me a hand with this big bad boy!" After rolling out of bed, Jerry walked over to the hole - looked down at the fish swimming under the ice and said " cut the line!" What a horrible thing to say! I was sure he was kidding, but he was not. I managed to pull the fish up and into the fish house. There it was, big and well - not so beautiful, a 5 lb eel pout. Having never seen such a strange fish, I spent time looking him over and came to the same conclusion as many other fishermen - I tossed him back in the lake and reset the line.
Only 2 years later I was fishing the same area with another fishing buddy and sure enough - the same thing happen - late into the night I got another 5 lb eel pout, only difference was that when I went to toss this big bad boy back into the water, Chris flipped out! " Hey - what are you doing? - that's good eating ," he stated! Thinking he was kidding I tossed him in the hole only to have him dive for it and pull it by hand back into the house. He was more than serious about this fish being fine eating as he cut it up on the spot and cooked it up for a late night snack. Now I must admit, he did most of the eating at first, I was still sure he was playing a trick on me. I was unsure of what to expect, as to look at an eel pout - well - lets just say most folks do not salivate like one would looking at a walleye.
One bite and I was hooked! This strange looking fish is a fresh water cod and is like a poor mans lobster! Although there are many ways to cook this fine eating fish, here is RandyMan's favorite on ice recipe - simply good eating! Place the eel pout belly down on the table and cut out the back strap meat ( trace the spine and rib cage ). Place the cuts on the table and fillet the skins off. Cut into 2 or 3 inch hunks of meat. Boil until white and flaky - take out of the boiling water. Now dip these into some melted butter with real garlic! POW - you are hooked!
After this trip, I decided to gather as much information as I could on this strange looking - wonderful eating fish. I found there is little information on the eelpout and after asking lots of fishermen - I realized very few fish for them! Well - OK - in Walker during the Eelpout Festival there are a few folks looking to catch this fish - trust me - if you have never been to the festival it is a must do if you enjoy a wonderful time! Come and join the JustNorth Outdoors staff, this year, at our both on the main drag!
So here is what I know after reading, talking to a few people that fish them and spending time fishing for them myself. They get big- Real big - 15 lbs big! Something that most folks do not realize is - tossing them on the ice ( and not eating them ) is ILLEGAL. The best thing about this fish is that it is most active when others are not, in the dead calm of the midnight hours when most fish are fast asleep.
This fine fish is out on the prowl looking for something to eat and it eats the same things a walleye does! They spawn around February and March. When most fish species are slowing down, they are just getting going. This makes them a perfect fish for late season ice, during this time most fishermen enter the mid-winter funk and are looking for a sure thing. For the most part, eelpout are fishes of larger lakes. They're also contained to the upper states and Canada, with the Lake of the Woods growing numbers of obnoxiously large 'pout. Eelpout are found in water depths of 30, 40, 50-feet and beyond, they are most often found in deep and hard-bottomed places.
My favorite being holes that are covered with sand or gravel even rock. Keep in mind that the base of the drop is the best bottom structure to fish, right were the depth levels off to a flat. The tops of humps ( providing they are hard sand, gravel or rock ) also produce large numbers of these beautiful fish. Fishing for eel pout is pretty close to going for walleye, I recommend bringing jigs along that glow. I also use the same jigging techniques when fishing these fine fish, A smooth slow jigging pattern has produced a large number of pout on my table. I will tip this jig with the same bait I use for walleye fishing and will often keep one line set up with the classic slip bobber, hook and minnow. Take care and good luck!
So next time the family wants lobster for supper - catch some eel pout - cook them up and enjoy!
Enjoy the Experience
Randy "RandyMan" Johnson
JustNorth Outdoors Columnist
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