If you’re looking for a new taste in your diet without lowering your standards, here’s a meal worth fishing for that’s guaranteed to lower nothing but your fishing line. It’s called cusk.

I agree it’s a downright ugly fish – with it’s hornpout-shaped head attached to the tail of an eel – and may never draw a crowd of viewers on the ice like a 3-pound squaretail or a landlocked salmon. But when this scary monster hits the fry pan, and the aroma from its flaky white meat eases though that crack in the door, the entire neighborhood wants a dinner date.

This bottom feeder often doesn’t receive much air time around the coffee pot with fishermen, probably due to its scary figure giving it an unpopular name. But there are a few benefits for fishermen pursuing this despicable-looking fish.

Due to its late-night feeding habits, it entirely erases the risk of oversleeping and the need to apologize to your buddy after he burned a quarter tank of gas through his truck while he waited in your driveway. Another perk of cusk fishing is the high rate of success. The chances of coming home with fish will be almost as certain as finding filets on ice at the local supermarket.

Now if all that hasn’t yet interested you enough to change your fishing schedule, don’t overlook the extra excuse it gives to spend another Saturday on the ice when it comes time to justify your fifth straight weekend of fishing to your spouse. Just explain that the purchase of expensive bait isn’t necessary for this outing because you’ve been saving injured bait all season for a trip that offers such a high yield rate on your ice time.

Here’s a tip from regional fisheries biologist Paul Johnson for fishermen planning to pursue this fish. Strip four or five feet of line from your spool and tie it off; this eliminates the need to spend unnecessary time on the lake retrieving line with the night air penetrating your clothing. Just be aware one of those occasional bruisers may not appreciate your shortcut and take offense at being hooked on a short leash. But don’t let that scare you, at worst he’ll only take your trap.

Lunker lakers live in large lake

Just a couple of weeks ago, catching togue in Sebago Lake almost came to a standstill, and many fishermen were left scratching their heads wondering if these lakers had entered a weight-loss program. But just a few days into their diets, these fish were back on fast foods.

Over in East Sebago, Carroll Cutting, owner of Jordan’s General Store, got a firsthand look at a few of these overweight fish.

“Last week alone Sebago Lake produced three lakers that showed handsome figures on the scales, starting at 12 pounds, 16.9 pounds, and peaking at 17.2 pounds,” said Cutting.

The 17.2-pound togue was a beauty and took up 15 minutes of the angler’s time before he iced it, but the real prize is still swimming. This same sport battled a second one for almost 30 minutes, but lost the fight when he snapped his line trying to bring it through the hole, said Cutting.

Tagged togue tells tales

Here’s an interesting bit of information provided by regional fisheries biologist Jim Stahlnecker. Monday he received a phone call from a fisherman who recently iced a togue from the waters of Swan Lake in Swanville. The fish was carrying a metal jaw tag, which had been attached to the fish by biologists while trap netting at Swan Lake in the fall of 1994.

The tag revealed at the time the fish had been released back to the lake in 1994 that it weighted 61/2 pounds and measured almost 25 inches long. But in the past six-plus years, this male togue added a couple of pounds to its figure, finishing its tour of duty at 9.1 pounds and measuring 29 inches in length.

Big brown leaves Highland

Over in southwestern Maine this past week, assistant regional fisheries biologist Francis Brautigam checked on anglers fishing Highland Lake in North Bridgton. The results revealed the majority of anglers experienced slow action in the brown trout category.

“Although one patient fisherman did prevail through last week’s drought at Highland Lake, icing a healthy 4-pound brown trout,” said Brautigam.

Highland Lake doesn’t receive a lot of fishing pressure, but every year it delivers a few hefty brown trout, along with a fair supply of large humpbacks (white perch).

Question of the week

What’s the weight of the state record cusk, and where was it caught?

Answer to last week’s question: The state-record landlocked salmon weighed 221/2 pounds and was caught in Sebago Lake.

Outdoor Calendar

Here’s something that will break the winter boredom: a visit to the Hermon Trap & Skeet Club. It’s located on the Black Stream Road in Hermon, and equipped with trap, skeet and five-stand sporting clays. Their shooting hours are Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon. Wednesday, their doors open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Mark your calendar, the 63rd Annual Sportsmen’s Show is fast approaching. The event opens for business, March 23, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., March 24, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m., March 25, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Terry Farren’s Outdoor Report is published each Friday in the NEWS Sports section. He can be reached at 990-8067 or by e-mail: outdoor report@bangordailynews.net