Beavers???

[stoner]

After seeing the croc/beaver post I just had to mention this. There is a large population of river otters on stoner, both upper and lower. I've been led to believe that they will destroy a fishery bass fishing in general. I read some where that 1 otter could eat 25lbs of black bass a day???
What do you guys think?
Stoner

[DJD]

Are these Otters new? I remember Minks and Beavers but i can't recall Otters...might just be my failing memory! Something bad has happened to Ike's pool for sure over the past 8 years because we used to have some great success fun fishing for bass. Maybe over fishing caused the decline? Maybe droughts? Maybe floods? Maybe too much drainage? Maybe just the natural cycle?
That being said I find it hard to believe they could decimate the creek fishing...JMHO

[stoner]

I was told they were River Otters, also told there were two placed on Hinkston creek a while back by KDFWR.
The ones I saw the other night were much larger than a mink.
Stoner

[RoadToad]

I wasn't able to find a whole lot of info on the web about river otters in KY except to confirm that yes, KDFWR did re-introduce some, starting in 1991. There's been more written about their impact in Missouri. I think it's safe to say, though, that their feeding habits would be pretty much the same here:

http://www.otternet.com/ROA/Fall2001/missouri.htm

http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2005/06/30.htm

[mkspw]

an otter will clean out your farm pond in a short time if they get in it.

[Bronze_Back]

Ask Phoenix about Otters on Dale Hollow. They eat house boat cushions, carpet, bait from their floating minnow boxes, and crap all over the boat. They are definitely around this part of the country and are big.

[SSKY]

The best thing is that your money for a fishing permit was spent to stock the otters and beavers for that matter. They seem to be providing an excellent whatever for that matter, what is the benefit if any? They have destroyed the small creeks in pulaski county. If the state wants to really do something they should regulate the silt runoff from construction. Letting the siltation go and then letting beavers have the run of the creeks will kill all of the the native smallmouths in the creeks that feed the lake! If there is any arguement for what was here before the lake then?

[stoner]

I was told there would be a trapping season on them this year, but who traps anymore.
Stoner