Otter in the lake...
 

I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf ponds/lakes
in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and otter or two in the
waters. Questions are, will otters eat the larger bass and can they
clean out the lake of fish? Thanks.

--
To email, erase "forgetit"

"Flycaster" wrote in message
...
I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf ponds/lakes in
my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and otter or two in the
waters. Questions are, will otters eat the larger bass

Yes.

and can they clean out the lake of fish?

Yes.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

Wolfgang

"Flycaster" wrote in message
...
I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf ponds/lakes
in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and otter or two in the
waters. Questions are, will otters eat the larger bass and can they
clean out the lake of fish? Thanks.
------------
If my memory serves me, isn't Florida one of those areas of the world where
the bass grow particularly large and perhaps the otters may need to be
fearful of the bass? G Up here in the Pacific NW, I have seen a quite a
few otters over the years, and I have yet to see one with a fish in his/her
(Politically Correct) mouth bigger than a six or so inches. I imagine a
google search will provide you with the data you seek.

By the way, don't the alligators help control the otter population some?

Chris

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 18:28:38 -0500, Flycaster
wrote:

I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf ponds/lakes
in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and otter or two in the
waters. Questions are, will otters eat the larger bass

If they can catch them or find them injured or dead, yes.

and can they
clean out the lake of fish?

No. By the time the fish got hard to catch, the otters would move on.
(my silly remark for the day. Please ignore it if you're serious.)

They don't eat that much in way of fish. You might have to worry
about the crawfish and the bivalves if you're of a mind to be worrying
about something.

They might also eat smaller bass, particularly the fingerling sizes.
They may be quick and agile, but they like to eat things that don't
move to quickly and won't turn around and bite them.

Lots of things eat large bass. Larger bass, pike, legitimate
fishermen, poachers, just for a few examples. Save your worries for
poachers. They don't stop just because they have enough to eat, the
way otters do.

I find lots of otter dining rooms (they tend to take stuff back to
certain places to eat it) and seldom see anything resembling fish
bones or scales around there.



Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
email: lid (strip the .invalid to email)

Flycaster wrote:

I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf ponds/lakes
in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and otter or two in
the waters. Questions are, will otters eat the larger bass and can
they clean out the lake of fish? Thanks.

Thank you all for your enlightment about my present otter "problem."



--
To email, erase "forgetit"

Padishar Creel wrote:

------------
If my memory serves me, isn't Florida one of those areas of the world where
the bass grow particularly large and perhaps the otters may need to be
fearful of the bass? G Up here in the Pacific NW, I have seen a quite a
few otters over the years, and I have yet to see one with a fish in his/her
(Politically Correct) mouth bigger than a six or so inches. I imagine a
google search will provide you with the data you seek.

They commonly kill and eat spawning steelhead and salmon around here.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

"rw" wrote in message
k.net...
Padishar Creel wrote:

------------
If my memory serves me, isn't Florida one of those areas of the world
where
the bass grow particularly large and perhaps the otters may need to be
fearful of the bass? G Up here in the Pacific NW, I have seen a
quite a
few otters over the years, and I have yet to see one with a fish in
his/her
(Politically Correct) mouth bigger than a six or so inches. I imagine a
google search will provide you with the data you seek.

They commonly kill and eat spawning steelhead and salmon around here.
------------
I really didn't know that! Until just know, I always thought of them as
cute little critters. Now were did I put my otter gun?

Chris

Padishar Creel wrote:
"rw" wrote in message
k.net...


They commonly kill and eat spawning steelhead and salmon around here.

------------
I really didn't know that! Until just know, I always thought of them as
cute little critters. Now were did I put my otter gun?

A full grown river otter is about four feet long. Regardless of what
Cyli says, they mainly eat fish.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Flycaster wrote:
I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf ponds/lakes
in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and otter or two in the
waters. Questions are, will otters eat the larger bass and can they
clean out the lake of fish? Thanks.

The real question is "Why do you want to know?"

And the answer is "Leave the otters alone."

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 20:05:04 -0800, JR
wrote:

Flycaster wrote:
I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf ponds/lakes
in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and otter or two in the
waters. Questions are, will otters eat the larger bass and can they
clean out the lake of fish? Thanks.

The real question is "Why do you want to know?"

And the answer is "Leave the otters alone."

Ward, don't you think you're being a little hard on the Beaver?

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 18:28:38 -0500, Flycaster
wrote:

I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf ponds/lakes
in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and otter or two in the
waters. Questions are, will otters eat the larger bass and can they
clean out the lake of fish? Thanks.

Naw, the 'gators will keep them in check...and no, I'm not kidding - one
morning, a bit hung over and half-asleep, I jumped into my father's pool
(he was a Martian diplomat, hence, his station was in S. FL.), and got a
whole new appreciation for the phrase, "Up to one's ass in
alligators"...

"rw" wrote in message
k.net...
Padishar Creel wrote:
"rw" wrote in message
k.net...


They commonly kill and eat spawning steelhead and salmon around here.

------------
I really didn't know that! Until just know, I always thought of them as
cute little critters. Now were did I put my otter gun?

A full grown river otter is about four feet long. Regardless of what
Cyli says, they mainly eat fish.


And smell of fishy ****. And they love to use their **** as a lubricant on
their slides. Around here (Island in Puget Sound) tales of Otters under a
house are like a curse, and are replete with fantastically disgusting
descriptions of the smell.

Dave

David Snedeker wrote:
"rw" wrote in message
k.net...

Padishar Creel wrote:

"rw" wrote in message
link.net...


They commonly kill and eat spawning steelhead and salmon around here.

------------
I really didn't know that! Until just know, I always thought of them as
cute little critters. Now were did I put my otter gun?

A full grown river otter is about four feet long. Regardless of what
Cyli says, they mainly eat fish.



And smell of fishy ****. And they love to use their **** as a lubricant on
their slides. Around here (Island in Puget Sound) tales of Otters under a
house are like a curse, and are replete with fantastically disgusting
descriptions of the smell.

Last year I was fishing a hole on the Salmon River when I heard a
"tweet, tweet" sound I'd never heard before. I looked around for the
bird, but it turned out to be an otter. He was warning his buddies of my
presence. There were three of them. I stopped fishing, because there
wasn't any point in continuing. They decided I wasn't a threat and
resumed their playing, chasing each other around the pool and sliding
over rocks for maybe 15 minutes. It was extremely cool.

One time on the Middle Fork I was changing flies, standing behind a
rock, when an otter surfaced right at my feet. The surprised look on his
face was priceless before he shot off like a torpedo.

I recall seeing a family of otters at Henry's Fork, pigging out on small
fish at the outlet of a small lake. I think I was with Willi and Bruiser
and Warren.

I've seen them several other times, but those are the memories that
stand out. They may smell bad, Dave, but they're damn cute.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

JR wrote:

Flycaster wrote:

I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf
ponds/lakes in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and otter
or two in the waters. Questions are, will otters eat the larger bass
and can they clean out the lake of fish? Thanks.


The real question is "Why do you want to know?"

And the answer is "Leave the otters alone."

Hey, man, I certainly like otters and think they are the coolest, and
mean them no harm...if that's what you are getting at. Anyway, my
interest is as the places I fish are not all that big, and if otters DO
reduce the fish population significantly, then I don't want to be
wasting my time in their lakes.

--
To email, erase "forgetit"

JR wrote:

Flycaster wrote:

I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf
ponds/lakes in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and otter
or two in the waters. Questions are, will otters eat the larger bass
and can they clean out the lake of fish? Thanks.


The real question is "Why do you want to know?"

And the answer is "Leave the otters alone."

Hey, man, I certainly like otters and think they are the coolest, and
mean them no harm...if that's what you are getting at. Anyway, my
interest is as the places I fish are not all that big, and if otters DO
reduce the fish population significantly, then I don't want to be
wasting my time in their lakes.

--
To email, erase "forgetit"

JR wrote:
Flycaster wrote:
I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf
ponds/lakes in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and
otter or two in the waters. Questions are, will otters eat the
larger bass and can they clean out the lake of fish? Thanks.

The real question is "Why do you want to know?"

Herb Roasted Otter

1/4 cup snipped fresh herbs (such as basil, rosemary, marjoram, or sage)
or 4 teaspoons dried mixed herbs, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 3-pound whole otter
2 cups 1/2-inch-long carrot pieces
1 cup pearl onions, peeled
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
Fresh rosemary (optional)

For herb rub, combine the herbs, salt, and pepper. Remove fur and rinse
otter; pat dry with paper towels. Loosen skin on otter breast. Using
your fingers, carefully spread half of the herb rub under the skin.
Skewer neck skin to back; tie legs to tail. Twist front legs under back.

Place otter, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. If
desired, insert a meat thermometer into center of an inside thigh
muscle. Roast, uncovered, in a 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

In a 1-1/2-quart casserole combine carrots and onions. Toss with the
remaining herb rub and the olive oil. Cover; place in oven. Roast about
45 minutes more or until otter is no longer pink, juices run clear (the
meat thermometer, if using, should register 180 degrees F), and
vegetables are tender, adding peas to the casserole the last 15 minutes
of roasting. If desired, garnish with fresh rosemary. Makes 6 servings.
Tastes like chicken/iguana.
--
TL,
Tim
(well, this *IS* roff, after all...)
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

JR wrote:
Flycaster wrote:
I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf
ponds/lakes in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and
otter or two in the waters. Questions are, will otters eat the
larger bass and can they clean out the lake of fish? Thanks.

The real question is "Why do you want to know?"

Herb Roasted Otter

1/4 cup snipped fresh herbs (such as basil, rosemary, marjoram, or sage)
or 4 teaspoons dried mixed herbs, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 3-pound whole otter
2 cups 1/2-inch-long carrot pieces
1 cup pearl onions, peeled
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
Fresh rosemary (optional)

For herb rub, combine the herbs, salt, and pepper. Remove fur and rinse
otter; pat dry with paper towels. Loosen skin on otter breast. Using
your fingers, carefully spread half of the herb rub under the skin.
Skewer neck skin to back; tie legs to tail. Twist front legs under back.

Place otter, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. If
desired, insert a meat thermometer into center of an inside thigh
muscle. Roast, uncovered, in a 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

In a 1-1/2-quart casserole combine carrots and onions. Toss with the
remaining herb rub and the olive oil. Cover; place in oven. Roast about
45 minutes more or until otter is no longer pink, juices run clear (the
meat thermometer, if using, should register 180 degrees F), and
vegetables are tender, adding peas to the casserole the last 15 minutes
of roasting. If desired, garnish with fresh rosemary. Makes 6 servings.
Tastes like chicken/iguana.
--
TL,
Tim
(well, this *IS* roff, after all...)
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

On 2/16/05 1:40 AM, in article
t, "rw"
wrote:


I've seen them several other times, but those are the memories that
stand out. They may smell bad, Dave, but they're damn cute.

They are indeed, fuzzy mammals that they are. There are a pair of rehab
otters at the Museum of Natural History here and the kids and I can spend a
good chunk of time just watching the two of them swim and play. The otter
they've had the longest, Lucy, was alone for a while until they brought in
Randy. Randy doesn't like Lucy at all- yet- and screams a funny scream any
time she gets anywhere near him. Pretty humorous to watch.

Couldn't help but think, as I read your post RW, that otters also put the
fish down in a big way. So if it is all about the fishing for you, why
would you hang around and watch the otters? The romance of watching otters
on a trout river seems to me (in RW think) would be akin to the romance of
fishing cane, no?

Just half yanking your chain,
Bill

William Claspy wrote:

Couldn't help but think, as I read your post RW, that otters also put the
fish down in a big way. So if it is all about the fishing for you, why
would you hang around and watch the otters? The romance of watching otters
on a trout river seems to me (in RW think) would be akin to the romance of
fishing cane, no?

No, unless perhaps you're watching them through WWI-era binoculars.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

William Claspy wrote:

Couldn't help but think, as I read your post RW, that otters also put the
fish down in a big way. So if it is all about the fishing for you, why
would you hang around and watch the otters? The romance of watching otters
on a trout river seems to me (in RW think) would be akin to the romance of
fishing cane, no?

No, unless perhaps you're watching them through WWI-era binoculars.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

"Tim J." wrote in message
...
JR wrote:
Flycaster wrote:
I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf
ponds/lakes in my area of southern FL. Occasionally, I see and
otter or two in the waters. Questions are, will otters eat the
larger bass and can they clean out the lake of fish? Thanks.

The real question is "Why do you want to know?"

Herb Roasted Otter

1/4 cup snipped fresh herbs (such as basil, rosemary, marjoram, or sage)
or 4 teaspoons dried mixed herbs, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 3-pound whole otter
2 cups 1/2-inch-long carrot pieces
1 cup pearl onions, peeled
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
Fresh rosemary (optional)

For herb rub, combine the herbs, salt, and pepper. Remove fur and rinse
otter; pat dry with paper towels. Loosen skin on otter breast. Using
your fingers, carefully spread half of the herb rub under the skin.
Skewer neck skin to back; tie legs to tail. Twist front legs under back.

Place otter, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. If
desired, insert a meat thermometer into center of an inside thigh
muscle. Roast, uncovered, in a 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

In a 1-1/2-quart casserole combine carrots and onions. Toss with the
remaining herb rub and the olive oil. Cover; place in oven. Roast about
45 minutes more or until otter is no longer pink, juices run clear (the
meat thermometer, if using, should register 180 degrees F), and
vegetables are tender, adding peas to the casserole the last 15 minutes
of roasting. If desired, garnish with fresh rosemary. Makes 6 servings.
Tastes like chicken/iguana.
--
TL,
Tim
(well, this *IS* roff, after all...)
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

There's a good recipe in this book for Lutra Mole. It easy because it uses
10-15 envelopes of Nestle instant cocoa for the Mole sauce. It says it
serves 12 or more prople so it must be for one of those big central/south
amreican river otters. If you need to serve more add a couple of cotton
tails but be aware some folks don't like hair in their food.
http://www.davidscooking.com/cookboo...evs/mayan.html
Taste like Mew Mix with chocloate milk.

FWIW every otter I have ever seen eating was eating a sucker or squawfish
type fish. It easy to tell what their eating because they eat fish tail
first. If you don't happen on their leftovers fast the gulls and crows pack
it away. I think they would eat the rough fish in a lake before taking on
the bass. When they get to the point of having to eat bass they'll move on.
I am curious to see how they adopt to Northern Snakehead.

Flycaster wrote:

Hey, man, I certainly like otters and think they are the coolest, and
mean them no harm...if that's what you are getting at. Anyway, my
interest is as the places I fish are not all that big, and if otters DO
reduce the fish population significantly, then I don't want to be
wasting my time in their lakes.

Fair enough. Keep in mind that they can get around on land
reasonably well (and quickly), especially at night. The otters you see
may be circulating between many golf course lakes, and even other
neighboring waters as well. It's very possible they fish the same lakes
you're interested in without depleting them much. One way to find
out..... ;)

JR

Flycaster wrote:

Hey, man, I certainly like otters and think they are the coolest, and
mean them no harm...if that's what you are getting at. Anyway, my
interest is as the places I fish are not all that big, and if otters DO
reduce the fish population significantly, then I don't want to be
wasting my time in their lakes.

Fair enough. Keep in mind that they can get around on land
reasonably well (and quickly), especially at night. The otters you see
may be circulating between many golf course lakes, and even other
neighboring waters as well. It's very possible they fish the same lakes
you're interested in without depleting them much. One way to find
out..... ;)

JR

JR wrote:

Flycaster wrote:


Hey, man, I certainly like otters and think they are the coolest, and
mean them no harm...if that's what you are getting at. Anyway, my
interest is as the places I fish are not all that big, and if otters
DO reduce the fish population significantly, then I don't want to be
wasting my time in their lakes.


Fair enough. Keep in mind that they can get around on land
reasonably well (and quickly), especially at night. The otters you see
may be circulating between many golf course lakes, and even other
neighboring waters as well. It's very possible they fish the same
lakes you're interested in without depleting them much. One way to
find out..... ;)

JR



Yeah, I think you are right. I've seen them in the adjacent canals and
in other pond/lakes on the course. Although I can't identify if it is
the same otters that I see, they do get around. So far, there really
doesn't seem to be a consensus as to whether or not the otters will
deplete a lake. My personal opinion is that if Nature acts like Nature,
that the otters may do some fishing damage, but would probably move on
before they eliminated a food source.

--
To email, erase "forgetit"

"Flycaster" wrote in message
...
...So far, there really doesn't seem to be a consensus as to whether or
not the otters will deplete a lake.

Ah! Well, "will" is entirely different puddle of fish than "can."

My personal opinion is that if Nature acts like Nature, that the otters
may do some fishing damage, but would probably move on before they
eliminated a food source.

Correct.

Wolfgang
you knew it all along. :)

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 00:10:28 GMT, rw
wrote:

Padishar Creel wrote:
"rw" wrote in message
k.net...


They commonly kill and eat spawning steelhead and salmon around here.

------------
I really didn't know that! Until just know, I always thought of them as
cute little critters. Now were did I put my otter gun?

A full grown river otter is about four feet long. Regardless of what
Cyli says, they mainly eat fish.


I suppose it depends on what's most available in the way of flesh to
eat. While the places I see them have plenty of fish, they've got
more of bivalves.

They are cute little critters. Trade on it, too. I once had one come
up to me being all Disney and then seemed to try to get in my kayak.
I said a firm no, dropped my paddle in front of him and then, with
some guilt, left him a small Frito snack stack on the river bank. I
didn't see him go for the snack, but he did follow me downstream for
at least a mile, though at a wary distance, which suited me fine.

Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
email: lid (strip the .invalid to email)

Getting off topic, I can attest that otters are highly mobile and
resourceful on land.

The African spotted-neck otters here at the San Diego zoo are very like
American river otters. One of their enclosures opens onto an enclosure
for buffalo (not bison). The otters can run through the bars freely,
and we have seen them way in the back of the buffalo enclosure in a
raised bed. I always wondered how they managed to get past the buffalo
safely. I pictured them looking carefully both ways and making a mad
dash.

Finally, I found the answer. The otters were in the buffalo enclosure
playing with a eucalyptus branch. Any buffalo could have squished them
at will. A buffalo approached the otters. One of the otters, quick as
a rattlesnake, nipped it on the nose. The buffalo ran off. It was
clear that this was not the first encounter between the two.

So, chalk one up for brains over brawn.

And, come to think of it, could the otters deplete a pasture of cattle?

Getting off topic, I can attest that otters are highly mobile and
resourceful on land.

The African spotted-neck otters here at the San Diego zoo are very like
American river otters. One of their enclosures opens onto an enclosure
for buffalo (not bison). The otters can run through the bars freely,
and we have seen them way in the back of the buffalo enclosure in a
raised bed. I always wondered how they managed to get past the buffalo
safely. I pictured them looking carefully both ways and making a mad
dash.

Finally, I found the answer. The otters were in the buffalo enclosure
playing with a eucalyptus branch. Any buffalo could have squished them
at will. A buffalo approached the otters. One of the otters, quick as
a rattlesnake, nipped it on the nose. The buffalo ran off. It was
clear that this was not the first encounter between the two.

So, chalk one up for brains over brawn.

And, come to think of it, could the otters deplete a pasture of cattle?

Getting off topic, I can attest that otters are highly mobile and
resourceful on land.

The African spotted-neck otters here at the San Diego zoo are very like
American river otters. One of their enclosures opens onto an enclosure
for buffalo (not bison). The otters can run through the bars freely,
and we have seen them way in the back of the buffalo enclosure in a
raised bed. I always wondered how they managed to get past the buffalo
safely. I pictured them looking carefully both ways and making a mad
dash.

Finally, I found the answer. The otters were in the buffalo enclosure
playing with a eucalyptus branch. Any buffalo could have squished them
at will. A buffalo approached the otters. One of the otters, quick as
a rattlesnake, nipped it on the nose. The buffalo ran off. It was
clear that this was not the first encounter between the two.

So, chalk one up for brains over brawn.

And, come to think of it, could the otters deplete a pasture of cattle?

"Flycaster" wrote in message
...
I do a lot of fly fishing for large mouth bass in the golf ponds/lakes
------------
Do you wear a helmet while fishing?

Chris