FishUSA.com Fishing Tackle

Author Topic: I'm So Excited  (Read 1204 times)

bogtrotter

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,229
I'm So Excited
« on: Nov 02, 2022, 05:59 PM »
What can I say, I'm a sucker for 80's pop song titles.

I left work a few minutes early this afternoon so I could go fishing with my younger son.

The big sissy balied on me (something about being tired after school), so I made a solo expedition to fish the South Hoosich - - more specifically, the flood control chute behind the Polanka Pavilion on Mill Street in Adams - - starting around 5 PM.

It was mostly sunny, and surprisingly warm (about 65 degrees).

When I arrived, I was surprised - - OK, shocked - - to see an otter swimming around in the flood control chute below me. 

I've never seen an otter in the wild before - - and, indeed, didn't think they even lived around here. 

The Hoosic is a pretty small stream as rivers go, and I wouldn't have expected it to be big enough to support an otter.

Yet the darn thing was swimming around like it didn't have a care in the world, and even grinned (or maybe it was grimaced) up at me. 

Whatever the facial expression, the otter clearly wasn't  worried about me. 

Far from it.  I was mainly concerned that I didn't want to hook an otter  - - I had a traumatic enough (albeit exhiliarating) experience when a mink set off the flag on one of my tip ups when I was icefishing a few winters ago.

I cast well over where the otter was swimming around, toward the center of the stream, with a large sinker, and let my line sit while I picked some sorrel in the community garden for a new soup recipe that I'm eager to try.

When I came back to check my rod after about 15 minutes, I had a fish on, and reeled in a decent 13" rainbow, which I was able to release unharmed.  A bit of an afterthought after my otter sighting, but pretty good nevertheless.

I fished for another 15 minutes without any more hits, so I called it a day, and returned home with my booty  (i.e., the sorrel that I'd picked along with a remaining beefsteak tomato that I was able to scrounge).

lowaccord66

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 6,230
Re: I'm So Excited
« Reply #1 on: Nov 03, 2022, 07:03 AM »
Nice trip Jim!  Otters are cool.

PikeKing23

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 66
Re: I'm So Excited
« Reply #2 on: Nov 03, 2022, 12:10 PM »
I had a family come in and wreck my bait trapping spot 2 years ago.  I can tell you that they are very efficient hunters and prefer shiners.  I'll have to check again this year and see if it has come back yet.

Unfortunately, also ran one over on the way home from an ice fishing trip.  Huge male (probably 40 lbs).  Grabbed it's tail to pull it out of the road and it turned around and looked at me.  We both took off quick! 

westernmas

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,481
Re: I'm So Excited
« Reply #3 on: Nov 05, 2022, 07:48 AM »
Good stuff Jim. Otters put up a hell of a fight on a tip up.   ;)
AKA-PMaloney86 on the shanty
AKA-westernm@$$hole prior to a mod change
Instagram @Patsquatch413

 



Iceshanty | MyFishFinder | MyHuntingForum
Contact | Disclaimer | Sponsor
© 2004- MyFishFinder.com
All Rights Reserved.