'Pout talk

[hogsucker]

Burbot(eelpout) have become one of my favorite targets during the winter months. My best luck has come after dark on glow buckshot spoons tipped with a shiner head. Largest specimen from last year went maybe 7 pounds, and I would love to tangle with one twice that size!

Anyone have any 'Pouting experience they would like to share? ~hogsucker

[Fishin Beast]

What depth and structure are you looking for with eelpout? Everyone catches the random eelpout but where do you go for that exact location?

I have always caught them in some of the normal walleye locations, but never hook into more than one or 2 an outing. Always nice to get a big fight out of a giant eelpout.

[hogsucker]

Most of the locational information I have found has come from walleye anglers who complain about catching Pout. It seems like classic Walleye structure is good for them, and I guess it makes sense since they eat the same things and they both tend to be more active after sundown. Spawning runs of Eelpout up Lake Superior tributaries exist, and may be the most predictable bite around. That's really the best thing I've got going right now.

However, I know that there are some hardcore Pout fishermen out there who make consistent catches in larger lakes. Any former Eelpout Festival Champions out there that want to give us some tips? ~hogsucker

[Gissert]

There are some areas in the NW Angle area of LOW where the fishing can be fast and furious. If you can locate a spawning area, it can be a lot of fun. One spot I know of has a fair amount of current, so being careful is paramount.

One one trip, we were off a small rock reef with no appreciable current. It was just off Lunatic Island (One of the 4 blocks series of islands)We were in portable fish houses, and two guys caught about 25 in the course of an afternoon. There were three other houses in the general area, and they only managed a couple 'pouts. I had never seen such a furious 'pout bite, and the walleye fishing was pretty good that day as well.

On another trip to the Angle, I latched onto what was a huge 'pout in a rental house. There was an adhesive ruler on a shelf that went to 30 inches. This thing hung off either end of the shelf a couple inches. I'll never forget that it scrubbed the sides of an 8 inch hole coming up. Neither me or my partner wanted to fillet one that big, so I let it go.

When the guide came back that afternoon I told him of the big 'pout. I pointed to the shelf and showed him how long it was. He just shook his head and told me it could have been close to a state record. It probably was not, but I would guess the weight at about 14 pounds. This fish also came from the 4 blocks area, just off O'Dell Island.

If you want to go for a 'pout trip, this is one of the better spots to go. Get ahold of some of the resorts on Oak Island, and they can steer you to the late February 'pout bite, or maybe even put a house on the 'pout hole should there be safe ice in that spot.

[Jim Hudson]

The 'pout... Awesome fish for the fight they give you!! Here in Lake Superior, I have seen some big specimens of this fish, including the state record that was caught near me while ice fishing a few years ago.

Last year, my biggest 'pout was in the 15lb range out of a 110FOW. Quite the battle while jigging lakers.

And in the bay itself, if you do any night fishing, you will catch your share of nice lawyers (what we like to call em).

[Catfishunter]

st. louis river has a nice run in the winter. i think the colder water of the big lake keeps them a little smaller then the big lakes in the center of the state, but that is just my thought.

[Roughfisher]

Quote:

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st. louis river has a nice run in the winter. i think the colder water of the big lake keeps them a little smaller then the big lakes in the center of the state, but that is just my thought.

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Winnibigoshish? Nemadji? Chequamegon Bay? Leech? Mille Lacs? Where are the most and biggest Lawyers to be found?

[Bobb-o]

I think LOW would prob have the biggest Pout in the state, Bemidji has a great run in february into march, lots of quality fish every night.

[Jim Hudson]

Rough

The biggest 'pout I have consistanly seen caught come from areas we fish for lake trout here in the Apostles. I had two pout over 12lbs last season in this deep water and seen quite a few more caught this big as well.

Chequamegon Bay has a lot of em, but I havent seen nor have caught the size...

[MuskieJunkie]

A friend of mine and I were just talking about why pout are caught so often in the winter and rarely in the summer.

Here is my theory, it's not the fish that is different it is the angler. In the winter we have dead stick lines in the water over night, you almost never do that in the summer. Another theory is that the days are shorter in the winter which would point to more activity for the nocturnal creature.

What say you?

[chris63]

Im no pout guy but I have caught quite a few of them on Millelacs,Leech,and LOW I would say the largest size would be on Low.I just read somewhere that these fish are Very tasty.I have skinned many a bullhead/catfish in my day but never tried a Lawyer.I think this year we will keep a small one and try it!c63

[iland99]

This past weekend I had the honor of watching a nice pout attack my jigging spoon on an underwater camera. It was awesome to see how they slither through the water, and how aggressively they strike! I actually whiffed a couple times before I hooked it, and it kept coming back for more. I wish we would have had a video recorder.

I came home from the weekend with 3 kinds of fresh fillets for my wife to choose from for dinner that night: walleyes, perch, and pout. She chose the pout over the other two. It was excellent!

[chris63]

Just wondering did you fry it or boiled?I hear that it is great boiled with carrots and taters!c63.hmmmm Im getting hungry!c63

[iland99]

I cubed the pout, boiled it in Mountain Dew for 5 minutes, then dipped the chunks in garlic butter.

I've never heard of cooking it with potatos and carrots, but I bet pout would be the perfect candidate for fish chowder. I might have to try that some time.

[Lake Trout]

Every time I attended the Leech Lake Eelpout Festival, we just parked on top of one of the many humps in Walker Bay. Tied a white airplane jig on with a large shiner and kept the rod jigging. The humps are 30-50 feet or so down. We would get there a couple of nights before the tournament and that's when we had the best luck. As soon as the noisy "crazys" arrived, the 'pout disappeared. I would cut off the back straps and broil them. Dipped in melted butter, you would think you were eating lobster. My wife and kids are disappointed if I don't bring any home after an ice fishing trip.

[Northlander]

The pout are just starting in the St.Louis River. Got 4 a few nights ago and could have caught more but the ice is only 3" where I was and it was moving pretty good. Im guessing by New Years they will be in full swing.

On most nights you can nbang quite a few with a buckshot or just a plain glow white jighead tipped with a smelt piece or gob of minnow parts.

If you do head out on the river be very careful and stay off the current areas and channel edges til we get more good ice!

[Cooter]

I'd love to fish a pout hotspot!! I've caught 3 - all from a sleeper out of Baudette. Two on rattle reels in the wee hours of the morning - I think I was the only 'light' sleeper in the group and pulled two of em up with a chorus of snores going on! The third I caught on a jig pole and it was an awesome fight thru the ice! We kept two and strapped and boiled em....good stuff! The one I caught on the rod/reel I figured deserved a release. Later.

[Northlander]

Cooter keep a eye on the Duluth forum and when it gets hot Ill let everyone know and you should come up. Im guessing by new years we should be into them pretty good. I hit a few tonight but its not "HOT" yet.

[Cooter]

Thanks, I'll be watchin!

[tunrevir]

Hey, Northlander,

I'd like to get in on the pout bite too! Can't catch any that are large enough to look into eating on Mille Lacs as a rule, I'd love to come up and fish a few of the darkwater denziens of the deep! I had thought that y0u might have been sending code to your Northern brethern about the "pout" bite like some of us have been known to do with a good eye bite towards the cities! Honestly though, I'd love to tie into a bunch of them, I get a kick out of cooking them up for folks and listening to them oooh and aaaahh and then tell them they have just eaten a "POUT!" I am serious though, if, I can make it up for a night fishing foray for pout, I can be there in an hour and some odd minutes! I do love to "POUT" or so my wife says! HEEE HEEE! I will be out on Mille Lacs this Saturday and have the weekend of the 20-21st off from home duties but plan to be on Winnie or Mille Lacs so the weekend in between might work or a weeknight too! If not, good luck fishing!

Tunrevir~

[leechpouter]

Th is is the true gamefish. It puts pike and panfish and walleye to shame. It puts up a better fight and takes much more skill to catch. I prefer steep drops onto sand bars. The steeper the drop the better. Pouting really gets hot near march. It's true that they stop biting in the festival when there is so much comotion so the secret is to find a spot away from the crowds. Starting the day before the festival the pout bite will greatly decline. Just a little tip from someone who has fished it for many years.

[MuskyBug85]

i agree with pouter. My brother was the Champ in '03 with a fish i think just over 11 lbs. the trick is to find rock in deep water that no one knows about. at least thats what we have found. had a good spot but after he won it the spot got discovered and people have been on it ever since. Jonah

[DARK30]

I simply can't understand it but here ya go.....

Ish

[wasssit]

Nice pout video, the sound of ice crackin even scared me, here at home. WOW

[troyfideldy]

My roommate Thomas Berscheid and I had a good weekend of pout fishing. We were able to catch 40 pouts. we caught 21 in one nite. We missed a few other pouts. we also caught a couple walleyes and snot rockets while fishing. We were trying to get in on the last weekend walleye fishing but couldnt stop pounding the pout. Sure was a blast, hard hitting and even harder fighter.