Something has been digging perfect circles at the bottom of Lake Chelan, and the mystery is now solved.
Scientists Finally Catch Fish Digging Mysterious Holes at Lake Chelan
The mystery of these mysterious holes goes all the way back to 2024, when scientists discovered these strangely perfect holes carved into the sediment of underwater landslides
Underwater Camera Captures Look at Lake Chelan’s Mysterious Hole-Digging Fish
The mystery had Washington State scientists baffled, but they did have their suspicions, and they just needed some proof of how these holes were being dug (almost like crop circles).
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Luckily, a local Lake Chelan fisherman had the answer, and that’s when the mystery was solved and caught on camera.
The fish making those perfectly dug holes is the Burbot, the only freshwater member of the cod family.
In 2025, the mystery was finally solved as an ROV on the bottom of Lake Chelan spotted the Burbot digging one of those holes.
Why they dig is still unknown. It could be nesting, resting, shelter, or something else entirely
There has only been one ROV dive so far in Lake Chelan, so there are plenty of dives needed to discover why the Burbot does this, but at least one part of the mystery has been solved.
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Gallery Credit: Rik Mikals