River otters at Clear Lake.....

[Mike Tuck]

I'm sure i'm not the only one who's noticed the drammatic increase in these bass eating critters on C.L. I've noticed the population increasing over the last 2 years, and after this weekend I felt it was time to cause a stir. Nearly every other dock I fished had the remains of a 3-8 lb. bass left on it from the otter families. Also, I saw no fewer than a hundred of these things in the last week. So chime in guys on your feelings towards these pesky critters. We all hear the chatter about the zebra mussels, and hydrilla and other numerous invasive species. So do the otters fall into this category or are they protected under some federal law. After having witnessed a 8lb.er being killed by 4 otters and played with like a basketball while it was still kicking, I was ready to take matters into my own hands. I'm sure these overgrown water rats kill catfish and carp on occasion, but as long as I've been fishing all I've seen them catch and kill are the bass. Trust me having seen it over and over again, they are the best bass catchers on the lake! They go in and out in less than 30 seconds and come up with what ever sized bass was within 20 ft. of where they entered the water. It's about time we organize an open season on these things before it really gets out of control.

Seriously concerned,

Mike Tuck

[Greg_Cornish]

They are beautiful animals. Part of nature and yes very protected. They eat carp, Catfish, Bluegill, Minnows, hitch, Crayfish too. Its not like they are just bass hunters. If the food supply drops, so do their numbers. I doubt they hurt the environment as much as we do.

[Dewayne]

Shasta has had problems in some marinas with them biting people.

They are protected and not much we can do about them. Sure is a bummer when you show up and a spot and 3-5 of them some swimming by.

[Rich hamilton]

Mike,

I got a good otter stew recipe as well as a new sushi creation, davis lake pike with wasabie/otter sauce. P.S. It is your turn to win up there, good luck and make us proud!

[Cooch]

Sounds like our Delta relocation and winter vacation programs up Cache Creek are working well! We spent the last two months dropping notification flyers to all the otter neighbor hoods here, with map directions and GPS waypoints to CLearLake! I'm glad ta see a small percentage of them have taken our advice! HAR! HAR! HAR!

They must like the mercury content up there er something, we don't see them gorging on bass here at all.

[Bill K]

With tonque in cheek, RELOCATION Cooch.. bill k

[Bob Simard]

the right people...........

Dude's wearing an American Flag shirt - climb up that trolling motor and SWARM SWARM SWARM!

OR

Tall, 'blonde,' "Pope-like" Dude in the Purple and Yellow boat - jump up on that back deck and chew the fuel line in two.

Trained Assassin Otters (TAO) of Clearlake. A new secret weapon.

[BMX Bassin]

They are beautiful animals. Part of nature and yes very protected. They eat carp, Catfish, Bluegill, Minnows, hitch, Crayfish too. Its not like they are just bass hunters. If the food supply drops, so do their numbers. I doubt they hurt the environment as much as we do.

Weirdo

[Bob Simard]

But they certaily get inside my head when fishing.

Had multiple families in the areas we fished Saturday and weighed 14.4. Didn't see one Sunday and weighed 22.6...

There's certainly more families up North in the Lakeport area now than in years past. Used to be one pod that held close to Rocky Pt area. Now there are several.....

What to do? Shoot you'ld get less time in the Fed. Pen. for robbing a bank than offing on otter.

[hammer]

Funny this came up.

Last three days I've walked down to my boat and there is otter sh** all over the inside of it.

They definately do eat carp, because most of the fieces consist of carp scales. Boy I sure would like to take some of them out.

I think a pellet rifle would do the trick, but the sherriff's have been swarming the area I live (Jago) and probably the whole lake ever since the wakeboard drowning incident the week before last.

[SABP]

You otter know they are protected varmits before ya'll go out to shootin dem poor critters.

I saw at least 10 of them as I was bouncing around the lake over the 4 days I was up there. Did not get bit very well when they were in the area either. Nature has a way of balancing itself out so we will have to wait and see what happens.

I did see one otter that was a little smaller than the rest sitting on a rock overlooking the water on Friday. Just as he was about to pounce on a fish a huge bass came out of the water and ate him up in one bite. Was something to see. I am having a custom made otter swimbait created right now for the spring.

Damon

[Barry Watson]

Well For Heavens Sake, Damon. !!!!!! Otter swim bait indeed. LOLOLOLOLOLOL

[bassaddicted]

Capture those damn thing retrain there minds to eat carp only then but them back OR take them to naci were there are alot of rats anyway

[optichamp]

I did see one otter that was a little smaller than the rest sitting on a rock overlooking the water on Friday. Just as he was about to pounce on a fish a huge bass came out of the water and ate him up in one bite. Was something to see. I am having a custom made otter swimbait created right now for the spring.

Damon

I think I will try throwing out the otter swimbait alongside the baby duck swimbait and see which one gets bit first