Don't get me wrong, I love otters. The stories of Tarka and Midge (ring of bright water) are lovely and I believe we are blessed to have these wonderful native animals in our rivers. The Otter has had somewhat of a revival in the Westcountry over the last 10 years or so and I seldom ever see mink about the place now.

BUT !!!!!

A recent account from the River Axe reported that an angler had looked down into his landing net to make out a swirl in the darkness and the sea trout had taken off again, he regained his rod with a reel 'ripping off' line until the fish eventually went terrstrial and off up onto the path and away into a bush! An otter had the temerity to nick his fish while he had it in the landing net

Having caught a fish the other night and fishing on for the brace, I was stuck with what to do with my fish (it being of reasonable size ), so I strapped it to myself with a small length of rope while I carried on fishing as I couldnt find a tree suitable to hang it in. Naturally I went home covered in fishy stuff and set about doing my laundry while filleting fish at 3 am with nothing but my slippers on (I didnt want to get my dressing gown all fishy as well). Last night was even funnier; I had the Duncan Goodhew of the otter world doing a 4 x100 medley up and down the pool until 1 am, I thought the fish were a bit over active at first, they were smashing about the place trying to get the hell out of the otter's way. I clapped my hands, and told the otter what I thought of him but in the end accepted that it was lovely night for taking the scenery and fresh air but not sea trout


Does anyone out there have a way of telling an otter to push off that works????

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Time is a stream I go fishing in.

Nope.
This b*gger was quite happy to play away no more than 10 yds away from me in broad daylight.

Then it got a clearer look , and cleared off sharpish

Lovely creatures!

Small price to pay for having them present in our watery environment!

I totally agree, Mostyn and I am sure that you appreciate in a small pool at night when you are fishing for sea trout, you may as well be out on a nature ramble while an otter is sharing the water with your lure.... Come to think of it, a nature walk is exactly what it is . However, I am not bemoaning the presence of these animals you understand, I just wondered if someone somewhere had a method of getting the 'so and so' to sod off for a little while.....


For example, would running around the pool thrice withershins in a basque, wooly socks and a top hat while singing God Save The Queen every third Thursday work?

At least 'ibm' gets to see his otters.... Ours seldom show themselves in daylight, you just get a V wave and a big splash

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Time is a stream I go fishing in.

I see them all the time but sometimes they dont see you, as I have one standing right next to my leg while tying on a fly only for us both to realise each others prescense and for the otter to make a swift get away only to be seen later with its sea trout supper.
I certainly dont begrudge them as I like to think that seeing them in areas that the eco system is doing well.

I love them and its nice to see them about, better than mink anyhow. I did once see a pond full of large carp 10lb + to about 20lb decimated by one otter. The owner wasn't too happy about it lol

LOL ...................

but you all miss the main factor why did they die out before the idiots re-introduced them ..................

main food source ...was eels ,no eels otter fades away ,man(dogooders ) sticks his oar in and cocks everything up again

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

Cannot fault the logic in that!

What you on Bruce
Are you sure that your not on about beavers being reintroduced as otters certainly didn't die out in the UK