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Otter friend or foe


cannibalspinners

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Guest redfin2
I've fished the Teme for over 40 years. In that time there has been an otter presence, it is now back up to the levels that were present in the late 60's as I recall on the stretches I fished. I have never seen an abandoned large fish carcass that had been killed by otters but I have seen many large fish carcasses that have been scavenged after floods when the fish have been trapped after the water has subsided. As you know Teme-man, the Teme rises and falls with remarkable speed!

 

I have had the pleasure ( :o ) of dissecting many hundreds of otter spraints and the largest fish remains (from identifiable bones and scales) I have found have probably not exceeded 6-8lb. The vast majority of fish remains are from fish under 1lb in weight.

 

Regarding the Adam's Mill "Traveller" (if we really must name fish) and others then I wonder why anglers have not had the balls to hold their hand up as being partly responsible? That stretch of river was hammered unmercifully with repeat captures of many fish......subsequently found dead! A guide who 'teaches' barbel fishing on the Teme and a couple of other barbel 'hotspots' can't understand why the big barbel (that he targets for 9 months of the year as do, subsequently the people he teaches!) are disappearing and, when/if a carcass is found it is the fault of otters!!!!

 

I've gone into all of this before regarding stress and lactate build up etc. and the extraordinary amount of time that it takes fish to recover after being caught but for some reason otters hauling 20lb fish out of waters far and wide (not to mention 30lb non-native carp) seems a far easier target to blame. Get real, native predators doing what nature does naturally....sometimes made easier by Man practising C+R!

 

Oh, by the way Teme-man, PM Jeffwill and tell him where you are catching double figure barbel on the Wye because he thinks the otters have eaten all of the fish in the Wye!

 

As a Wye fisher also I can concur that double figure Barbel are not that common on the Wye, I have had a few but none over the 11lb mark to date.

 

The Adams Mill loss was a big blow to the Anglers that frequented there, and the record changed hands on a regular basis, not my cup of tea though, those big barbel were more farm reared than wild, it is no surprise that they will fall to a predator given the number of times they have been caught, and the high protein diet they feasted on.

 

However you seem to be not in favour with Catch and Release? Or maybe I have misunderstood, however C&R is in many peoples eyes a great way of maintaining fish stocks, especially the mature breeding stock ...Salmon C&R is fairly widespread now despite a history that did not view this as a viable option.

 

I could not agree to knocking every fish on the head as is the way in Germany, they might be able to produce evidence that it does improve stocks, but of that I am not aware.

 

One last thing Otter I believe can kill large fish, and this has been borne out by Otter experts, however they do seem to prefer small fish, but faced with a food shortage, I am sure they can set the bar higher :mellow:

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On my local river , I see many fresh salmon Lying on the bank with chewed heads , Large fish too , These fish were fighting fit when they were taken out of the river , It is the otter who is catching them & taking a few bites out of them , over the course of a few days the otter goes back to the fish & eats more & more of it , Till it is almost all eaten , I do NOT have any complaints about this as that is what otters do , This happens in the stretches below a large waterfall which slows the salmon down on their upstream journey , This in turn has the effect of a lot of LARGE salmon all in one place & any one of them could be on the otter menu

One of the strongest swimming fish is the salmon Yet no match for the Otter

150_brown_trout1.jpg RECORD RIVER CAUGHT BROWN TROUT 7LB 5OZ

http://www.spinningluresuk.com

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if theres a fish dead on the bank its crows and magpies that eat it here then by the next day a fox or badger removes it.

i cant really think an otter would leave its dinner in full sight then nibble at it over a few days .

any photos of this seemingly constant otter action

Believe NOTHING anyones says or writes unless you witness it yourself and even then your eyes can deceive you

None of this "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" crap it just means i have at least two enemies!

 

There is only one opinion i listen to ,its mine and its ALWAYS right even when its wrong

 

Its far easier to curse the darkness than light one candle

 

Mathew 4:19

Grangers law : anything i say will  turn out the opposite or not happen at all!

Life insurance? you wont enjoy a penny!

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Thomas Jefferson

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Guest redfin2
if theres a fish dead on the bank its crows and magpies that eat it here then by the next day a fox or badger removes it.

i cant really think an otter would leave its dinner in full sight then nibble at it over a few days .

any photos of this seemingly constant otter action

The Otter does though, very often it will kill a fish, especially a larger one and then remove some of the more tastier bits and leave the carcass for the rest to deal with.

The preferred size of prey is normally about the half pound mark apparently, or smaller, but will indulge on larger fish from time to time.

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redfin,

 

Welcome!

 

You joined on a rather contentious thread. I suspect whatever is said won't alter your thinking much. Never the less I would challange your "often it will kill a fish" statement. Your premise is incorrect.

 

Phone

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Guest redfin2
redfin,

 

Welcome!

 

You joined on a rather contentious thread. I suspect whatever is said won't alter your thinking much. Never the less I would challange your "often it will kill a fish" statement. Your premise is incorrect.

 

Phone

 

Thank you for the welcome...but I would appreciate as to why you think my 'premise'is incorrect.

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redfin,

 

Otters do not "often kill fish". On average 13% of their diet is fish. (Based on tons of scat examinations). An adult otter eats 2.2 lbs daily in the summer and 1+ lbs in the winter.

 

You (if i am correct) imply they are significant random slaughters of fish.

 

Phone

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Guest redfin2
redfin,

 

Otters do not "often kill fish". On average 13% of their diet is fish. (Based on tons of scat examinations). An adult otter eats 2.2 lbs daily in the summer and 1+ lbs in the winter.

 

You (if i am correct) imply they are significant random slaughters of fish.

 

Phone

Phone!!

''Signifigant Random Slaughters Of Fish?'' Your words, I would prefer to say, (again) they will kill and not eat the whole carcass. There are many examples and pictures of these kills on Google, so the estiamate of fish kill = weight is probably a bit skewed.

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redfin,

 

You failed to say if, in your opinion, I was right?

Do you believe "otters often kill large fish"? Or, would it be more fair to say there are infrequent examples - - - - ?

 

I am not in the postition to "stir the otter pot" in GB. I am in the States. This thread is not one of science about otters, it is one of angler opinion and emotion about otters.

 

If I typed a thousand words do you think I have a "snowball's chance in hell" of changing any angler In GB's mind? That is the more important question.

 

Don't get me wrong, we all need excuses for blanking. Otters are good ones. I might add, the most effecient fish predator is erect on two legs. They "often" kill large fish - probably 100,000 : 1 or more over otters - that's often.

 

That too is OK with me. They are just fish.

 

I "often" think about sex - 5 or 6 times a day. Alas, I'm 75.

 

Phone

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