Otter in the lake...

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.