Ice-fishing is coming to an end for the 2015/16 season, but for 18-year-old Landan Brochu, it may be a season he’ll never forget! In the great weather on Sunday, he was out fishing in the little hole in the ice, when the adventure began. He reeled in a fish that may be the new record holder for its category in the province of Ontario.
It’s a Burbot, known locally as a Ling-Cod, and it appears the freshwater cod is now the new Ontario record by about a pound. Brochu’s weighed in at 16.8 pounds. The current Ontario record-burbot weight of 15.8 pounds was caught by Ernie Arpin on March 14, 2003, and measured 36.5 inches by 21 inches around. Brouchu’s catch is recorded at 37 inches in length and 22 inches around.
The Ling King of Ontario
“I’m absolutely ecstatic… I’m shaking like crazy right now. Ling are gorgeous creatures to me, and I’m so, so honoured to maybe have this title!” Brochu said as the measurements were being registered on an official scale at a meat shop in Thunder Bay.
“I thought it was a lake trout at first because it just started rippin’ it. My rod was completely buckled over.” Brochu told CBC Thunder Bay.
Brochu was doing this in just an eight inch hole in the ice, that caused a problem in capturing the fish. When the burbot’s head was finally inside the hole, he really got excited.
“It came up and I saw it and it opened it’s mouth and I couldn’t believe it,” said Brochu. “I started dancing around, I even forgot to grab it and pick it up out of the hole.”
When the fish began slipping back down the hole, Brochu stuck his hand into the water wrist deep and grabbed its gills and pulled it up. “I just looked at it and started jumping again,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Brochu’s giant burbot is being entered for consideration in the OFAH/Ontario Record Fish Registry. Both record fish were caught in Jesse Lake, near Nipigon, Ontario.
Although Brochu loves a meal of fresh burbot, he plans to have the fish professionally mounted by a Thunder Bay taxidermist.
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