Once all the paperwork is done, it looks like Minnesota will have a new state record eelpout. According to local news reports, Brent Getzler, of Roosevelt, Minn., recently caught the 19-pound, 11-ounce fish while fishing through a hole in the ice on the famed walleye fishery Lake of the Woods, which straddles the border of Minnesota and Ontario.
For those unfamiliar with the fish, eelpout—also known as burbot and other names—are a cod-like freshwater fish with an appearance like a cross between a catfish and an eel. They require cold water and inhabit northern rivers and lakes, including the Great Lakes. Eelpout are known as “the poor-man’s lobster,” as they are said to have a taste and texture similar to the crustacean. However, some anglers prefer to cut the line rather than handle the slimy fish. They have a habit of coiling themselves up angler’s arms when caught.
With a length of 33 inches and a girth of almost 24 inches, Getzler’s fish will replace the standing state record of 19-pounds, 8-ounces. The old record was also caught from Lake of the Woods and has stood since February 2012. The world record eelpout is a 25-pound, 2-ounce fish that was caught from Saskatchewan’s Lake Diefenbaker in 2010.