Otter in my fishing pond

[ORLANDO32819]

I have a Otter in favorite fishing pond. And have heard that they can really wipe out a population of fish. But i don't know what to do about its presence. Ant ideas or experience with otters?

[Chris]

Get a shotgun and a flashlight and act like your frog hunting. I am joking. If the pond is large enough I would doubt you would see much of a decline in fish populations. Turtles, Herring, eagles, turkey buzzards (can't remember the correct name off the top of my head) and gators all eat fish and all effect fish populations. Most of your older fish tend to be left alone because they are harder to catch.

[Bassnajr]

I believe that otters are a protected species depending on where you live and the type. There are various "levels" of endangered.

I have one in my home pond. I have seen it in action and also found the "evidence" they leave behind. (Huge piles of scales on the shore, bass carcass etc.) I don't think there is a legal way to eliminate them. You could maybe call you local DEM office and see what they say. Maybe they can trap it and move it if it is becoming a problem. I would like to hear what others have done about these little buggers !!??

[cart7t]

Larger fish become prey to otters during colder winter months when they become lethargic and less able to make fast escapes in order to evade an otter or worse, a family of otters.

http://www.extension.org/pages/River_Otter_Damage_Assessment

The state of Missouri re-introduced Otters into the states waterways around 10 years or so ago.  They seem like such fun, loveable creatures don't they?

The State has now realized it's mistake.  What they didn't take into account is the otters main predators, the bear, mountain lion and bobcat are all in such low numbers as to be completely ineffective in keeping the otter population in check.  Their population exploded and it began wrecking havoc on rivers and then, into ponds and fish farms.  The state now has an aggressive trapping program in place to reduce their numbers. 

[Grey Wolf]

Contact your DNR and see what your options are.

[L a r r y]

That is Emmet Otter, he is just scoping out the next good place to have his Jug Band Christmas   ;D

[Raul]

Mr Otter meet Mr 12 Ga.

[ORLANDO32819]

Florida fish and wildlife commission has told me the otter is really not a big deal. just another predator animal and that the fishing probably would be better after the pond has been thinned out a bit. He says that most ponds are underfished, and that thinning it out a bit will allow the bigger fish more food.

Hu, well how about that?

[Raul]

Florida fish and wildlife commission has told me the otter is really not a big deal. just another predator animal and that the fishing probably would be better after the pond has been thinned out a bit. He says that most ponds are underfished, and that thinning it out a bit will allow the bigger fish more food.

Hu, well how about that?

Yeah thinning with a predator that can eat as much as 25% of it 's weight in fish, you do the math how much it eats in a week.

[Bassnajr]

Florida fish and wildlife commission has told me the otter is really not a big deal. just another predator animal and that the fishing probably would be better after the pond has been thinned out a bit. He says that most ponds are underfished, and that thinning it out a bit will allow the bigger fish more food.

Hu, well how about that?

You tried to do things the right way..I'll give you that. I don't know how big your pond is, but I think that is a poor answer. I agree with Raul, this animal is an eating machine, probably more than a gator due to its speed. "Sometimes a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do!"

Good luck!!

[Rebel Angler]

several options dependin what approach you wanna take...

you got your 12 gauge, .22, 9mm, up to you my man

personally I'd go with the 12 gauge, but that's jus me

[Jake.]

Leave it alone. It's got to eat too, and chances are it won't have any noticeable impact on your fishing. I fish at a couple ponds with otters and still catch plenty of bass.

[b.Lee]

I like otters, fun animals to watch. I would say trap it and relocate.

Or better yet maybe the state will send you a letter regarding the otter like the beavers building the dam.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

I have seen families of otters in a few of the ponds I frequent and yes the fishing has declined significantly.Most of that probably has to do with overall pressure(from me) and other @$$&^$ taking too many bass out.

The question still remains: What kind of fish do these critters mainly devour??? Do they eat bait and panfish or bass?

[BassBandit35]

Pasted from other site,

FOOD PREFERENCES AND RESOURCES

1. Food habits vary significantly according to species, location, and season.

River otters' diets consist largely of crayfishes, crabs, and other aquatic invertebrates; fishes; and frogs. Despite concern that otters compete with game fishers, the fishes that otters consume are mainly non-game species. Otters may also occasionally prey on birds, rabbits, and rodents.

I wouldn't be concerned.

[b.Lee]

Pasted from other site,

FOOD PREFERENCES AND RESOURCES

1. Food habits vary significantly according to species, location, and season.

River otters' diets consist largely of crayfishes, crabs, and other aquatic invertebrates; fishes; and frogs. Despite concern that otters compete with game fishers, the fishes that otters consume are mainly non-game species. Otters may also occasionally prey on birds, rabbits, and rodents.

I wouldn't be concerned.

You should be concerned cause everything has a direct impact on the next.  If the otter eats crayfish and other small fish species, what do the bass eat?

Mutualism is a biological interaction between two organisms, where each individual derives a fitness benefit (i.e. increased survivorship). Similar interactions within a species are known as co-operation. It can be contrasted with interspecific competition, in which each species experiences reduced fitness, and exploitation, or parasitism, in which one species benefits at the expense of the other. Mutualism and symbiosis are sometimes used as if they are synonymous, but this is strictly incorrect: symbiosis is a broad category, defined to include relationships which are mutualistic, parasitic or commensal.

[Fishing Rhino]

They will also eat mussels/clams.  The pond I fish regularly seems to have many otters.  I've seen them everywhere except the east shore, but they must be there as well.

In the spring, before the purple loosestrife comes back to life, there are piles of the clam shells on top of the dormant vegetation.

They also pluck the new shoots of water hyacinth and eat the bulbs at the bottom.  At first I thought it was the work of muskrats until I saw an otter with a paw full of the plants happily munching away at the bottom, then discarding the unwanted stem.

[Grey Wolf]

Shame on that otter , taking fish from the poor human race.

[tnhiker44]

I have been watching this family of Otters for over a year now, and have seen no effect on the fishing.

Personally, I am more concerned with these eating machines

[Fishing Rhino]

I have been watching this family of Otters for over a year now, and have seen no effect on the fishing.

Personally, I am more concerned with these eating machines

These are the worst.  Cormorants.

Heron, osprey, egrets, etc., are not found in density like cormorants.  They seem to be territorial and any given body of water will have a limited amount of them per acre, foot of shoreline or whatever measure is appropriate.

Cormorants will reside in huge flocks until the food supply is diminished.  Something they can do in a hurry.

I may be wrong, but I consider the presence of osprey, heron, egrets, and kingfishers to be a good sign.  It shows an abundance of small fish upon which they feed to be plentiful.  The osprey is capable of taking larger fish as well but they are territorial, and will protect their space from other osprey.

I'd be extremely concerned if they were to vanish from my favorite pond.

Not so with cormorants.  They will group together like seagulls at a dump, until they decimate a place.

[L a r r y]

I have been watching this family of Otters for over a year now, and have seen no effect on the fishing.

Personally, I am more concerned with these eating machines

These are the worst. Cormorants.

My personal name for these are WATER VULTURES....they can devour ALOT of fish

[Bassnajr]

and Cormorants poop all over EVERYTHING and foul the water.

[Bassnajr]

I like otters, fun animals to watch. I would say trap it and relocate.

I'll bet they taste good too!!!!

Or better yet maybe the state will send you a letter regarding the otter like the beavers building the dam.

[SuskyDude]

Looks like "your" fishing pond is now the otters. Unless you built the pond yourself, I'd reckon the otter has more of a right to the pond than you.

Either way, I wouldn't worry about it. They're actually funny animals to watch. If it truly becomes a problem, trap him and move him as someone already suggested. Shooting it could be a big no-no depending on the laws in your state.

[fisher of bass]

i would try to trap it and move it, orrrrrr.. use a .22 short bullet, these are a lot quieter than a shotgun