eEdition Subscribe Log in
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
55.0°F
Burbot, known to many anglers as “Kootenai River leopards” for their mottled skin, are seen resting in a holding container during an Idaho Department of Fish and Game sampling effort. The cold‑water fish move into shallower stretches of the Kootenai River in late winter as they prepare to spawn, offering anglers one of the best chances of the year to catch the elusive freshwater cod.

Burbot, known to many anglers as “Kootenai River leopards” for their mottled skin, are seen resting in a holding container during an Idaho Department of Fish and Game sampling effort. The cold‑water fish move into shallower stretches of the Kootenai River in late winter as they prepare to spawn, offering anglers one of the best chances of the year to catch the elusive freshwater cod.

February 21, 2026

Stories this photo appears in:

Burbot fishing is the perfect cure for cabin fever
February 26, 2026 1 a.m.

Burbot fishing is the perfect cure for cabin fever

The region's anglers looking to stave off cabin fever are encouraged to try burbot fishing on the Kootenai River Burbot are shifting from deep pools to shallower areas as winter spawning approaches.