Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: oni_kage on September 05, 2009, 11:11:53 AM

Title: weasel/otter thing
Post by: oni_kage on September 05, 2009, 11:11:53 AM
I was fishing along dyke road in richmond two days ago and i caught a Pink. I had the salmon on a stringer when I heard a splashing sound. When i looked down i saw this weasel / otter thing... I have seen a lot of these before and always wondered what they were. It was quite small around 3/4 the size of a ferret with a dark brown coat and it swims. There was this little guy trying to steal my salmon.

This isn't so shocking as what happened next. I literally went 2 feet away and started to poke it with a stick (not hard) to scare it away. The little mammal was TOTALLY un-phased using its back legs to push the stick away while it continued to try and pull the salmon off the stringer. This went on for around a minute until i started yelling at it and it finally scurried into the rocks on land right behind the fish. I heard it making sounds so I knew it was waiting for me to leave so it could get the salmon again. I have never seen a wild animal so gutsy before, especially being it is so small.

What is this animal?
Title: Re: weasel/otter thing
Post by: lucky on September 05, 2009, 11:14:57 AM
The little bugger must have been pretty hungry, you should have cut him off a piece of fish  ;D.
Title: Re: weasel/otter thing
Post by: oni_kage on September 05, 2009, 11:19:36 AM
I usually see them around everywhere along the fraser stealing peamouth chub from ppl fishing on the rocks. But a salmon? lThe pink was around the same size as it was, haha.

I have also seen them run around the Mamquam, and sunshine coast near the ocean. So these animals are widespread. I'll try and find a photo of one and maybe it will be easier to ID
Title: Re: weasel/otter thing
Post by: gregcan on September 05, 2009, 11:27:03 AM
I suspect what you encountered was a mink.
Title: Re: weasel/otter thing
Post by: stryker 07 on September 05, 2009, 11:27:25 AM
sounds like a mink to me
Title: Re: weasel/otter thing
Post by: oni_kage on September 05, 2009, 11:28:47 AM
MINK!!! That's it! Thanks... I was looking up all these names trying to find it but I didn't think minks live are semi aquatic.

Thanks... that is probably what it was