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Dec 30th, 2023
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| Otters #15202662 09/27/24 10:37 PM |
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,875
uncle_bagster  OP
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,875
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Anyone have any experience with river otters? The wildlife dept. in OK introduced them to a number lakes, and now some of the locals are claiming they are decimating the fish population.
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| Re: Otters [Re: uncle_bagster] #15202690 09/27/24 11:43 PM |
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 78,438
 banker-always fishing
Pumpkin Head
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Pumpkin Head
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 78,438
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I have only seen a few over the past five years. Lake Bastrop, Colorado River near Columbus TX, and Inks Lake. 
![[Linked Image]](https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/823/ycku.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/560/ukw3.jpg)
IGFA World Record Rio Grande Cichlid. Lake Dunlap.
John 3:16
Sinner’s Prayer. God forgive me a sinner. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior !
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| Re: Otters [Re: uncle_bagster] #15202704 09/28/24 12:05 AM |
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,795
Jim Ford
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,795
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It’s been quite a few years since I fished Conroe, but the dam used to be alive with them. You could pull up in front of it, kill the outboard, and sit still. After a few minutes you’d see them popping out everywhere. They were a hoot to watch. Neither I, or anyone I knew, ever got the impression that they were decimating the fish population.
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| Re: Otters [Re: SteezMacQueen] #15202721 09/28/24 12:26 AM |
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 10,652
Rayzor 
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 10,652
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They are in lake Fairfield. They actually helped that lake by culling some of the small bass.
I wonder if they are still there. We used to see them there just about every trip.
Be safe,
Rayzor
![[Linked Image]](https://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp267/JLedbetter/th_Boatpics036.jpg)
2001 Triton Tx-21/225 Mercury EFI |
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| Re: Otters [Re: Jim Ford] #15202723 09/28/24 12:27 AM |
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 10,652
Rayzor
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 10,652
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It’s been quite a few years since I fished Conroe, but the dam used to be alive with them. You could pull up in front of it, kill the outboard, and sit still. After a few minutes you’d see them popping out everywhere. They were a hoot to watch. Neither I, or anyone I knew, ever got the impression that they were decimating the fish population.
The only thing decimating the fish population in Lake Conroe is the “Friends of Lake Conroe.”
Be safe,
Rayzor
2001 Triton Tx-21/225 Mercury EFI |
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| Re: Otters [Re: uncle_bagster] #15202742 09/28/24 12:56 AM |
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,952
bronco71
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,952
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They may be ok in lakes but they will wipe out a pond in no time! 
1987 Nitro MX185/Mercury Black Max 150 (needs lots of work, put motor on nephew’s boat)
1994 XSC-2200 “Jaguar” AKA Shadow 22 Magnum (restoring w/Mercury 200 XRI)
1994 Pantera II (restoring w/Mercury 200 EFI)
1999 Triton TX21/225 Mercury Optimax
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| Re: Otters [Re: uncle_bagster] #15203262 09/28/24 07:10 PM |
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,875
uncle_bagster OP
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,875
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What keeps them from getting caught on jugs and trot lines?
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| Re: Otters [Re: uncle_bagster] #15203304 09/28/24 07:58 PM |
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 593
Cuervo Jones
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 593
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They’re awesome. See their tracks on the banks and bars of the lower Colorado River a lot. They eat lots of small fish as others have mentioned and also invasives like tilapia and carp. Not enough to dent the population though. They’re all over the Rockies and trout populations never have any problems. They’re a scapegoat for poor management practices unfortunately.
“Slide”
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| Re: Otters [Re: uncle_bagster] #15203417 09/28/24 11:03 PM |
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,890
jippedgenes
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,890
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They are in Lewisville, one night we were crappie fishing in the boat slip. We were throwing our crappie into a laundry basket with pool noodles all around it and rope to pull it out to make it easy to clean em.
We heard splashing, turned on the light to see what was going on and there was an otter sitting on the happily eating a crappie on the boat lift. He plopped in the water and was gone, fish in his mouth. He came back again 15 minutes later. We made a top for our fish basket.
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| Re: Otters [Re: uncle_bagster] #15203890 09/29/24 03:34 PM |
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,117
Osbornfishing
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,117
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Environments are based on predator prey relationships. Typically there is plenty of fish production to support an otter population. And they are really fun to watch.  |
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| Re: Otters [Re: uncle_bagster] #15204027 09/29/24 06:22 PM |
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,469
 Squirrely Dan 
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,469
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I have a video of one on my phone at lake Bridgeport a couple years ago. I don’t know how to post it on here or I would to show. Pretty cool
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