BEWARE THIEVES AT WORK

[Gronk]

I couldn't believe how brazen the thief was. This morning I had just pulled into the dock at Schooner Cove beside the cleaning station and was tying up with the motor still running, when a noise made me look towards the stern.

At first my brain couldn't make sense of what I was seeing, one of the fish I had caught this morning was half ways over my transom and was jerking to and fro. Impossible I was thinking as I had smacked it hard a a couple of times 30 minutes previous, it can't be still alive.[:0]

Then I realized it was being pulled by a young otter who was not happy when I claimed ownership. I had to threaten him with the gaff and I don't speak otter but I'm sure he was swearing at me!!!

Even after I removed my fish and was cleaning them he was in my boat searching for his fish. I'm sure this is probably not the first time this has happened nor will it be the last time.

So if you are using Schooner Cove watch out for the otters, you have been warned

 

[Peahead]

River Otters and Mink have been a problem in West Van as well as seals coming right up on the dock to get fish from your boat or cleanning station.

I have had a couple of fish dragged off the dock ( almost right out of the boat too) and into the water by an otter. I have also had a tug of war with a Mink, I won but I had the advantage of having the salmon's head end. The Mink was amazingly strong and bold putting up a very good tugging war !! The fish can be only a couple feet away and be stolen ! I now protect my fish !! I put a "lifejacket" on my fish. If I must put them on the dock I now simply use a heavy fish bag with lots of air and tied tight to form a floating bag or "lifejacket" to slow down the process of otter/mink theft. Once a otter did take a fish I had protected this way and when the animal tried to dive with the fish he couldn't get it under the water so relesed it ( I also shot hose water at him then got my boat hook and floated the fish back to me!)

Eventually the bag will get enough teeth and claw holes that it will sink but it gives you time to get the fish back! A gaff, paddle, boat hook, yelling and a powerful water hose ( or other handy tool I will not mention [:0]) all help to assist in getting that animal away from your fish.

 

[Copper Moon]

They're pretty bad and brazen at the cleaning station. You can't look away for a minute or they will get your fish. No consequences so no fear

 

[Copper Moon]

They're pretty bad and brazen at the cleaning station. You can't look away for a minute or they will get your fish. No consequences so no fear

 

[cammer]

my buddy told me a story once, he was awaken at night to a noise in the back of his boat, stark naked he grabs a large flashlight and investigates, over the transom came whiskers who just made the noise of a tongue sticking out at him, he laughed it off and went back to sleep only to find the next day he and his GF had been raided of 2 springs. the bugger was able to open his cooler, intelligent lil buggers

 

[cammer]

my buddy told me a story once, he was awaken at night to a noise in the back of his boat, stark naked he grabs a large flashlight and investigates, over the transom came whiskers who just made the noise of a tongue sticking out at him, he laughed it off and went back to sleep only to find the next day he and his GF had been raided of 2 springs. the bugger was able to open his cooler, intelligent lil buggers

 

[fishspoon]

I have seen a kingfisher bird takin' bait out of the baitboxes in boats at the marina at the crack of dawn. [:0]

 

[fishspoon]

I have seen a kingfisher bird takin' bait out of the baitboxes in boats at the marina at the crack of dawn. [:0]

 

[Halilogger]

otter versus fisherman, that would have been awesome video, I can picture watching that LOL.

 

[El Pescador]

This story of the otters stealing fish sounds familiar. [B)]

http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9393