They live up to 11 years. Greenish to olive colored on the top with lots of small black spots on the back and along the fine, they have a distinct reddish stripe on the side and a pure white belly. The Burbot is the only member of the cod family that live in fresh water. They are recognized by 2 dorsal fins, a large head with small eyes, a barbel and a long slender body mottled olive-brown or brown with yellow patches. They spawn in February and March, with female laying 1 to 3 million eggs, and live up to 24 years old.
Adults have irregular rows of yellow shaped spots on the side and back.
Alaska state record is 38 lbs. They live up to 25 years old in calm rivers, lakes and sloughs, and begin to spawn in shallow water after age 3 to 5 years old in early spring right after the ice recedes. Females of 25 to 30 lbs may lay up to 500,000 eggs. This fish can stand long periods of starvation during wintertime by using its liquid and glycogen reserves instead of body proteins. They are whitefish with a large wide mouth where the lower jaw extends past the upper jaw.