Fish of the Week: Sey Jay with a surprise burbot

Sey Jay’s caught and released an 8-pound-plus burbot to earn FOTW.

Resized/Sun-Times — Sey Jay holds his 8-pound-plus burbot caught near Diversey Harbor.

Sey Jay caught and released a surprise Sunday morning near Diversey Harbor, a burbot topping 8 pounds.

“I was targeting lakers and browns with slip rigged dead gobies on the bottom when this surprise fish hit,’’ he emailed. “Initially I thought it was catfish due to the coloration, but my jaw dropped when I netted it and realized it was a huge burbot.’’

The Illinois-record burbot (9 pounds, 5.6 ounces) was caught Dec. 9, 2018 by Freddie Ray Prebianca while on a duck hunting/fishing trip out of North Point Marina. (He also thought he had a catfish at first).

For Prebianca’s story, click here.

FOTW, the celebration of big fish and their stories (the stories matter) around Chicago fishing, runs Wednesdays in the Sun-Times. Submit nominations by message on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter (@BowmanOutside) and Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com).

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Sey Jay’s surprise burbot earns Fish of the Week

Sey Jay’s caught and released an 8-pound-plus burbot to earn FOTW.