On Sat mornings, KSL radio has an outdoors show. Yesterday they were talking about the DWR introducing river otters in the eco system. What do you fly fisher folks think about it? Does anyone think the catching will be affected? WH2
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not i says the fly..... there are already muskrats there, at least at the marshes.... enough diversion ways for them to build ponds, just my 2 cents
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From your answer, it sounds like you have heard that otters build dams or ponds but they do not, they do however eat fish. I was just wondering how folks felt about the otters thinning out the fish on the Provo.
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I have seen some big river otters in my days, to me, they are cool. As for eating fish, we can only hope. Way to many fish on the Provo, thus the stunted growth and decline of the fishery. Maybe they could help improve it by thinning the numbers.
The glory days on the middle Provo are nearly a fading memory in my mind.....used to kill them, with big fish too. That's long gone, and in have moved the "combat" fisherman.....fighting for their 12" brown stick.
-Rich
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That is what the DWR guy was saying, they would help thin the fish and hopefully improve the fishery. They also said if the population got to large they would allow some limited trapping of the otter. They said the first otter could be planted within a month or so.
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Bring on the furry fish eaters! I don't know why people would be opposed to a native species eating a non-native species. Plus, otters eating a butt load of fish would be doing the Provo a very big favor.
Otters live on many very nice trout streams around the west. Those two things (otters and nice trout stream) are not mutually exclusive, that's for sure.
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They were even saying that otters preferred food is crayfish and they mainly go after the slow moving fish. They said that would mean fish like carp, sucker and smaller trout would be the main fish that would be targeted. One other thing that was mentioned, the otter is a playful animal and a lot of folks just love to watch them play. Sounds to me like they will be a great addition to the river, I just wasn't sure everyone would feel the same.
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I think that they will be a help. Also I think the fishermen that fish the Provo need to keep a limit of fish to help thin things out as well. I am not against catch and release, for I do a lot of it. But I also have a tendency to keep a couple here and there as well. When I hear people complain about the size of fish and the stunting, that tells me people need to start keeping a few and not just put it back in to keep the problem going. I say put the otters in and lets see what happens.[cool]
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There was an article in the trib a few months ago about the otters It basically stated that the DWR has been doing sudies on the Provo for multiple years and due to over population the fish have been stunded in growth with which I agree with.
They've requested anglers to keep there catchs but angler are persising to C&R so DWR introduced the otters I think its said 12 ottes by 2010
I actually think its going to be a good idea for the Provo weeding out some of those browns will help the popluations grown in size and quality. But Otters are very clever in gathering resources The Provo connects Utah Lake, Deer Creek & the Untiahs. Maybe a good thing for Utah lake if those otters prey n the carp down there not so sure about the June Sucker though [:p]
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I was thinking the same thing, the June sucker might be what some folks will disagree with, by having the otter reinterduced, it could effect them. Doesn't the June sucker run up the Provo river and other rivers that feed Utah lake to spawn?
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Yes, the June Sucker does spawn up tributaries to Utah Lake. Otters are being released on the MP from my understanding. That does not mean that they won't make their way up and down to other sections, as I believe there is more than a good chance that they will. But this won't affect the June Sucker restoration in any way that I can see.
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Looks good on paper.
I just hope SOMEONE is looking way in the future.
Like these subdivisions. They keep adding houses and that is good, but then all of a sudden...WOW we need more road! So they tear out a few houses.
Maybe a weird example, but I am saying...what if down the road. Momma and Poppa Otter introduce 6 or 8 babies...and so on.
Then what, kill the otters or move them.
I know something needs to be done however. I guess the Otters is better than nothing.
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Allow for trapping. Otters are not federally protected, only state protected. The state can issue permits for trapping if they get out of control. But yes, you are absolutely correct.....foresight is a blessed thing!
I just don't see this becoming a huge issue. Look at some of the best trout waters in the west....they have otters. Why would the Provo be any different?
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Because it is THE PROVO....LOL Kind of like a female...she can be a B&^%$
LOL
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I believe that thinning the herd on the Provo will only help the fishing. But I'm going to go out on a limb and say that most average joe anglers won't even notice a difference, and not many people will see the otters.
The people there all the time might notice, and people will get lucky every once in a while to see the playful fish eaters, but I think the fuss about it is much a-do about nothing.
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I am sure they are all over the stretch of the snake I fish along with many other fish eating animals and the fishing is GREAT up there.
Like I agreed, something needs to be done to IMPROVE and make it maybe a Trophy river.
Right now it is just
.
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Amen flygoddess. It's a fun place to go and get a quick fix every now and then, but if it was all I had to fish I might put an articulated streamer through my eye on purpose! Place has potential, just need to kill off and thin out some of the germans......browns that is! [
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thin out some of the browns is exactly right, if a trophy potentail fishery is what you are aiming for. there are often different goals between different management agencies, and even between individual biologists for that matter. quantity vs. quality vs. native vs. non-native vs.....
personally, i am far more concerned about otter predation on the population of the special concern columbia spotted frog (native) throughout the heber valley than the kaisers in the river.
it can be easy to gripe about numbers and quality of fish available to catch, and I do not mean to come off as a complete cynic, but maybe a lot of us anglers just aren't quite as good as our mind's eye sees it, I know I can be guilty of it.
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I love seeing otters on the A section of the Green. I see it as only a benefit on the Provo. After the spawn some browns develop a fungus and die slowly. Otters would hopefully do a great job of culling those sick fish.
I would love to see them skating across the ice on Deer Creek, imagine if one popped out of your hole while ice fishing!
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