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Otter in Denny Creek

3K views 30 replies 21 participants last post by  Brookie_Hunter 
#1 ·
While I was fishing yesterday something big swam right by me and made me jump. At first I thought it was a king salmon that had turned dark as they sometimes do when spawning, but then I realized that it was an otter.

The reason I mention this is that there was a discussion on here last week about the Snoqualmie tributaries not being listed as selective gear rules in the 2014 regs. Since there is an otter in the creek, and otters eat fish, then it would seem to me that they should make the stream selective gear rules and possibly catch and release to give the otter the chance to find enough to eat. Or do they just visit streams temporarily and move on?
 
#3 ·
That sucks. They get into small creek systems and really wipe out the fish population. I've seen them completely devestate creeks.
 
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#5 ·
I've fished a couple creeks up in that general area that were great one year and terrible the next, perhaps that's the reason why...
 
#4 ·
While I was fishing yesterday something big swam right by me and made me jump. At first I thought it was a king salmon that had turned dark as they sometimes do when spawning, but then I realized that it was an otter.

The reason I mention this is that there was a discussion on here last week about the Snoqualmie tributaries not being listed as selective gear rules in the 2014 regs. Since there is an otter in the creek, and otters eat fish, then it would seem to me that they should make the stream selective gear rules and possibly catch and release to give the otter the chance to find enough to eat. Or do they just visit streams temporarily and move on?
How in the hell would a king get up above the falls. They don't truck salmon up there. If they spawned, the fall would kill the smolts.
 
#17 ·
I ain't buying this crap that otters are resposible for wiping out fish. Otters have been in the rivers and streams around here for ions. They didn't get here the other day.

"River otters are opportunists, eating a wide variety of food items, but mostly fish. River otters usually feed on 4- to 6-inch long, slowly moving fish species, such as carp, mud minnows, stickle backs, and suckers. However, otters actively seek out spawning salmon and will travel far to take advantage of a salmon run."
 
#20 ·
I fish this lake that has native cutthroats in it. Now, last year I saw a couple of otters. There didn't seem to be many large cutts. Then, this year, I haven't caught a large one there. I assume that the larger trout are slower than the small trout, so my "big boys" are scarce. Anyone know about this? Do they feed on larger trout? Quite a disappointment.
 
#21 ·
Otters do just fine in larger rivers, but they do massive fish kills in headwater streams where most the fish have nowhere to hide. Fish and game here attribute the low fish counts in at least three small streams in this area to otters. I've seen a family of three up in the headwaters of one tiny creek Couldn't find a brookie to save your life after. They've been around forever, but trust me, it's not crap what they do to the little streams.
 
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#24 ·
Otters do just fine in larger rivers, but they do massive fish kills in headwater streams where most the fish have nowhere to hide. Fish and game here attribute the low fish counts in at least three small streams in this area to otters. I've seen a family of three up in the headwaters of one tiny creek Couldn't find a brookie to save your life after. They've been around forever, but trust me, it's not crap what they do to the little streams.
and where did the brookies come from? Likely the only reason the otters are up there; cleaning up somebody's screw up.
 
#29 ·
Otters do just fine in larger rivers, but they do massive fish kills in headwater streams where most the fish have nowhere to hide. Fish and game here attribute the low fish counts in at least three small streams in this area to otters. I've seen a family of three up in the headwaters of one tiny creek Couldn't find a brookie to save your life after. They've been around forever, but trust me, it's not crap what they do to the little streams.
I saw a pair of otters in a trib/beaver pond (not the ones you think) on the SF today. Another one bites the dust....
 
#30 ·
Yeah, the state probably ought to place a bounty on otters - just like we used to have on Dolly Varden and Bull Trout.
You know, before us humans arrived to control all of this there weren't any trout around here at all....

I'm with KerryS on this one.
 
#31 ·
I was hoping to clear out the brookies myself. I wasn't requesting the otter's assistance in the matter.
 
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