How long does Burbot fishing last on the piers? I'm considering coming back up again in 2-3 weeks to try some bay fishing (done with Tribs for the year) but I probably won't if the Burbot fishing is done by then.

Also does anyone have any pictures of fish from this year? I can only seem to find one picture on the Internet of Erie Burbot from an article.

It is a cold water bite but it's cold enough right now. The weather will be shutting down the piers soon enough. We are supposed to hit 60s this weekend. That's the best burbot fishing weather you will ever get. 

Is Burbot an eel or a fish ?

Zelie Sam .. we have caught them in May water temp in mid 50s crazy but true

Lawyer Fish.
 
 
Nice catch

an eel is a fish.
 

Treesparrow - Those are some pigs.  Nice catch.  looks like some good eats.

This may not be the correct forum to ask this question but here it goes. I was thinking of going tomorrow evening to try and harvest a few Burbot. I am wondering if there is any ice floating around that could give an angler problems?
Sure appreciate prior warning as it is a 60 mile drive. 
Last trip up I had on an ~ 8lb Eye that latched on to a mud puppy that I was reeling in. When I got it up to surface and another angler put his spotlight on it there was no question what it was and it took a run and let go. I then reeled in my mud puppy. That was something I did not expect at all. As Gomer Pyle would say "surprise-surprise!"

Three of us fishing together last night till ~ 9:00 and we caught 2 burbot. There was one other fella fishing and he left a little early.

eyedreamn
Whats a burbot?

Burbot's (aka Eelpout/Lawyer) scientific name is Lota lota (meaning codfish) and is the only freshwater member of the otherwise all saltwater family of Cods (Gadidae). They live in deep water during the summer (70-210' in Erie) and seldom feed during this period. November through December they start coming in to shallower water in preparation to spawn under the ice in the bay anywhere from January to March.

Porktown
Dive,
You ever dive in Erie? I think burbot can be taken with spear. My cousin is really big into spear fishing in FL (just south of Daytona). His shark stories don't make it sound as fun as it might be in fresh water. Burbot diving sounds like fun. Would be pretty hard to pass on a 30" walleye though (don't think legal).

Yeah, I did a lot of shallow water diving this past summer on wrecks in the 8-60' range, all sorts of fish there (rock bass, smallies, huge drum (24-40"+), perch, walleye, white bass, channel cats, and even suckers, plus the thousands of 2-14" gobies that infest them). Burbot tend to hang around the deeper wrecks like the Indiana which are generally at least 80' and unfortunately I didn't get any dives in on such wrecks last year, I plan on it this year though so hopefully I can photograph and film some burbs, Steelies, and lakers for YouTube. My friend that I dive with up in the big pond often spear fishes for Burbot, which sounds really fun as you're not allowed any spring loaded spears so you actually have to sneak up within striking distance of the fish and stab it, much like fish would be naturally preyed upon. No minimum size to my knowledge and the season is June though September so I'd definitely like to get a spear fishing dive or two in this summer. Haha, you should see how thick the 'eye schools can be when they're really piled up, sometimes there's so many they look like minnows, perch schools too!

What the hells a burbot?

Lawyer Fish, mariah, freshwater ling, coney-fish, lingcod, eelpout   aaaaaaaaaaaannnd,  "poor man's lobster".
 
https://youtu.be/aEf5q9FVuMI?t=4  

eyedreamn
I think we should probably come together as anglers and try to create a c.r. program for those burbots. It would be ashame to deplete the fishery.

Say no to yellow ropes and eelpots!

Everyone get 'yer picket boards and sharpies!

That being said, I do feel that the PFBC pays very little attention to a large growing (potentially 20+ lbs) sport fish that tastes exactly like cod. There's not even a spot for a state record!? Which is ridiculous as there are many sources that claim Erie to be one of the best Burbot fisheries in the world. Forget Walleye, Perch, and Smallies, I want Eelpout, White Bass, and Drum! (As funny as that probably sounds to people here, I do like catching and targeting roughfish more than the average angler).

Divemaster
Any predictions for how next weekend (23rd/24th) will be? I've been dying to get a trip up lately and my schedule hasn't worked out yet, maybe next weekend though. I'm willing to make the trip if they should still be biting as long as the water is still liquid.

Let me look into my eelpout crystal ball!