# Very Strange Fish! Tusc.River Burbot



## Tusc.RiverRafter05 (Mar 22, 2005)

I now know of at least 3 burbot which have been caught out of the Tuscarawas River in the Dover/Phila area. If anyone else catches one of these things, please let me know somehow! I am doing a sort of study on these things. For those who aren't familiar with this fish, and I don't know why many would be seeing as it's very rarely found in our area, here is what a burbot looks like. It is also known as "Maria" by some.










That is just a drawing of what a burbot looks like, but a friend of mine hooked one while we were fishing for saugeye near Dover, and he was able to pull it up to the bank so we could look at it. At the time, I had no idea what it was, and I assumed it was a strange mutated eel (haha). The ones in the Tusc. look much more like this:










But they are definitely NOT bowfin and they are NOT snakehead, although they do look quite similar. They may look like these two fish species, but the burbot have barbels hanging from their chin and they also have scaleless skin like a catfish. So any fish without barbels or with scales can be ruled out. 










Burbot are actually a coldwater fish species which live in the Great Lakes and deep glacial lakes in about the same areas where Lake Trout and Whitefish can be found. They actually spawn in winter when the water temps reach about 35F. They are known by a zillion other names like eelpout, lawyerfish, mother eel, cusk, etc. So how is a population of coldwater fish living in the Tusc.? I have no idea. But I'd like to find out. I figure they must have found some underwater springs or something.
Here is some good information on burbot for anyone who is interested.

http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/fish/lota.html

So has anyone seen/caught one of these things within the past few years? Thanks in advance for any information which you may provide!


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## ill be on the water (Jun 5, 2005)

I might have caugt one but I really dont know. It was about 3 years ago, while tightlining there with crawlers, I hooked into some odd fish that weighed about 5 lbs. I didnt have a camera at the time and im not positive that it was one of those but it was really odd. It did resemble the drawing of the fish, but im not sure if it was one or not?? I assumed it was a bowfin but it still didnt have all the qualities of one.


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

does that river flow into lake erie? if so then thats no doubt where it migrated from. im suprised they have survived in an ohio river, they need really cool water to survive. they could have been dumped in there by pay-lakers, a lot of paylakes used to stock them in the winter. man you talk about some good 'eatin! one of the best fish ive ever ate!


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## Tusc.RiverRafter05 (Mar 22, 2005)

No, the Tuscarawas River starts up in Akron around the Portage Lakes area and flows south until it meets the Muskingum River near Coshocton. The Muskingum then flows directly into the Ohio. So there isn't really a direct line from Lake Erie, but it is a possibility that pay-lake people to put them in there.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

I'd guess the same. With all the heavy rains, some burbot might have made it out of a lake somewhere. Caught a monster at the old Medina Fish Hatchery one year. Didn't
know they we're good eating till after I threw it back......
Those guys were fun. Every once in a while, they'd put some eels in the ponds just to see the surprised look on someone's face - they were kinda hard to net....


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## jayb (May 25, 2006)

Yup, that's a Burbot. Excellent eating, caught a few at Conneaut last time I was trying to catch fall Steelhead.​


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## TWD67 (Jun 22, 2006)

Hey jayb what did you catch them on? Dad and I usually hit conneaut in the spring but want to try the fall..do you fish by the covered bridge or rt 7? thanks Terry


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## bgpark1 (Apr 23, 2004)

I looked at the pitcher and i will say it looks a lot like a bowfin.... i am finding bowfin to be numerous in the area and in the canal between Mogadore and 532 as well as below 532 spill way... i have heard others pulling them from smaller streams and rivers.... and if i am correct that you could be talking about a bowfin.... food for thought.


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## jayb (May 25, 2006)

TWD, downtown on the East side of the creek by that nasty little ramp between the railroad trestles. Caught them on redworms on small white floating jigs.


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## elyriacat (May 9, 2006)

my brother caught one last year in sandusky bay, while cat fishing. will try to post pick


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## elyriacat (May 9, 2006)

hope this works


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## TheSonicMarauder (Mar 9, 2006)

^^^ that looks like a bowfin rather then a burbot the bone plates on the head are features of a bowfin but i could be wrong


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## TWD67 (Jun 22, 2006)

Yes I agree, that looks more like a bowfin..but I could be wrong as well..


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## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

yea that is a bowfin.


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

Yea, as peple stated, that is a Bowfin and I can assure you 100% without a doubt it is one. I have caught several including this PR for the species this Spring while Steelheading.


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