Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: fish_oholic on May 29, 2006, 11:01:07 PM
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Recently, anytime i go to lafarge lake i notice a big otter surfacing every now and then and (probably?) chasing fish.
I was just wonderig whether Otters feed on stocked Trouts. If so, should DFO be notified or any action could be taken to keep the otter away.
I just have a feeling that fishing becomes really difficult in this lake after just two weeks of stocking. I don't know whether the Otter plays any role on this.
Maybe you guys know the answer. I'm a newbie in fishing ::)
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Otter feed on fish and I suspect it is any fish they can catch , also clams, crayfish etc and are part of the ecosystem.. I seriously doubt that DFO will take any action against a natural predator .Could be wrong so give it a try
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almost everytime im out there in my boat, the otter surfaces right behind me and i here a crunching sound...and the crunching sound meaning its eating a fish. i dont think the DFO would do much about it, but yes, it takes many many fish out of there each day. :-\
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Sounds like the otter is doing what otters do best,eat fish in their natural environment.Just gonna have to put up with it.
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DFO wouldn't do anything about it anyway, since salmon or steelhead are not involved. If anyone, it would be a CO or the ministry of earth, air, wind and fire that would look into it.
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Did someone say sling shot??? ;)
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Alot of times what looks like an otter is actually someones family pet Lab. The trick to getting rid of them is to throw a fish onto the road (when the traffic is heavy).
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A few weeks back i was talking to the guys while they were stocking the lake about the otter and i was told there have been efforts to catch him but with no success.
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You guys say this as if your desire to catch fish for sport trumps the otters need to eat to survive! We are lucky that we see wildlife in our lakes!
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You guys say this as if your desire to catch fish for sport trumps the otters need to eat to survive! We are lucky that we see wildlife in our lakes!
I agree , just let it stay, it was there first ( probably) and if we take it out of the lake , then we might aswell start taking other predators of fish out of other bodies of water too .
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I still like the sling shot idea ;D ;D
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"it was there first ( probably) "
It was a gravel quarry, it could get run over leaving the "lake".Any animal in a heavy traffic area is in danger of being run over. Pity it took residence in that old gravel pit and all the dogs chasing it around.
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lol..
yah i that lake used to be a gravel pitt..... I cant imagine that it was there before the lake was.....
I vote for the slingshot idea aswell....
Or atleast stop stocking the lake..... why spend our hard earned dollars to feed otters... ??? ??? ???
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To make sure it doesn't feed on the wild fish? ;)
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hahah... no doubt...
I dont understand why they let this happen... I hope that some sort of authority should think about this... Maybe someone who has a connection on this site can handle this...
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Hi all,
I am really sad to see these responses. Why are you all wanting to kill the otter? (well I know why but lets think about this a little!)
Why do you have more right to catch fish than the otter? OK tax payers stocked the lake, but how many otter fisheries have been destroyed by us humans?
I'm no tree hugger don't get me wrong, but I really don't think it's good for anglers to be posting that they want to "sling shot" a beautiful wild creature that wasn't given the benefit of education so it can understand the difference between "tax payers" stocked lakes and the other ones he's "entitled to".
The otter you are talking about is fishing for his and his families livilhood. What are you fishing for? Do you still think the otter should be killed in this context? If yes please explain why. If it's for a pelt or meat I am fine with that - I am an angler with ethics, I'm not just here trying to cause problems.
tight lines all,
cheers,
Paul.
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Well put Murkeywaters, we don't start culling eagles and seagulls when they feed heavily on released hatchery steelhead and coho smolts do we? Predation is part of nature's equation. As Marmot said, be glad that there is still some wilderness around you while fishing at an urban setting.
It would also be interesting to see the amount of impact of an otter to the trout stock compared to the number of fish caught by all anglers per day. I suspect it is relatively minimal.
If you are really concerned, my best recommendation would be to phone either the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery (http://www.gofishbc.com/fvh.htm) or a nearby conservation office (http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/cos/contacts.html) and let them know. Slingshotting or luring it to the road are not sound solutions.
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I'm fishing for a 40'' trout named "Walter"......what are you fishin for????
;)
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Murkey waters and Rod,
Dont get me wrong I am a animal lover aswell.....my comment about agreeing with the slingshot was ment to be taken tongue and cheek....... however....
Should a otter be placed in a man made lake where it dosent even resemble a natural habbitat????.
I guess most of you would argue that it has to be somewhat natural for the otter or else it wouldnt of ended up there...and if thats the case fine... All i am saying is why stock the lake.. Why waste the resources ( i.e. Money , time , and fish stocks) in a lake that the otter is just going to use this as a form of a all you can eat buffet.... If this lake is entended to be a fishing lake then continue to stock it.. If this lake is going to be a Otter santuary then dont....
I bet that if this lake wouldnt be stocked the otter would have no source of food and then move on....
Murkey... i dont mean to pick on you but you said....
why do you have more right to catch fish than the otter? OK tax payers stocked the lake, but how many otter fisheries have been destroyed by us humans?
you forget this is a man made lake in the middle of a city where condos are being built as fast as they can put them up... This isnt a major fishery... This is a lake where I and many others take children fishing to get them into fishing and value this spot because it is easily accesible....also a great spot for seniors..
I think you guys should consider the location of this lake before you guys get all riled up...
But thats just my 2 cents...
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Not riled up, just concerned. I understand the mentioned actions were done jokingly, but since this discussion forum has a pretty broad readership (age starting from as early teens), some may take it seriously. I always bring it up as a precaution, so in a few weeks I wouldn't hear some kid being seen shooting slingshots at the otter and saying he was told that he should by people on Fishing with Rod.
Anyways, my recommendations still stand. How an ecosystem, natural or artificial, should be managed, is up to those who are trained to do so. Contact the conservation office or the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery. Let them know your concerns. Without any solid numbers and background research, it would be pointless to estimate just exactly how many fish the otter would consume overtime. If the hatchery or CO feels that a lot of fish are being "wasted", actions maybe taken and stocking numbers maybe adjusted.
Bald eagles often dive into Rice Lake, Sasamat Lake and Buntzen Lake for stocked rainbows, should the hatchery stop stocking these lakes too?
I think you'll find many fishers and non-fishers would be happy to see an otter at the lake. After all, fishing isn't just about reeling in a fish, but appreciating the whole experience and its surroundings. :)
Although not a natural lake, Lafarge lake and other stocked lakes in the Lower Mainland provide a put and take fishery that bring new people into the sport. Increase of angling participation is translated into increase of licence sale, which generates more funding (http://www.gofishbc.com/whofunded.htm) for the fishery.
It is a blessing for kids in the Coquitlam area to have a lake sitting in the middle of the community where they can walk to and fish. Seeing an otter there would only result in tighter connection between the users and nature, and hopefully people would be aware how their actions may impact the local wildlife. Proper usage of our waterways start from these places. If people use the "it is only a gravel pit" attitude, then some may not care as much as others. Do you want this attitude to spread to your salmon streams, or trohy trout lakes as they begin to explore other fisheries?
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Rod i am going to be honest with you... I still am not sold on this idea....
Its not just a gravel pit.. Thats why I am concerend....
I guess we will just have to wait till a so called teen ager from fishing with rod gets bitten or comes in contact with the otter... or maybe some other wild animal that comes to this ecosystem...
anyways... no more from me.. i think we have beaten this topic to death..