Licking River questions?

[fcfishman]

Otters are becoming a big problem all over. I fished 6 Mile Creek a few weeks ago for the 2nd time this year with very limited results. This is a creek that 5 years ago still gave up 50-60 fish a day, with excellent size for stream smallmouths. I have fished this creek for 25 years and in its heyday we had 100 fish days. Still as remote, no homes, big pools, lots of riffles, good water, only difference is otters. We saw 4 on our last trip. Hope KDFW takes another look at it and hope the fur market gets back up to where people can at least get their gas money back trapping and clean them out a little.

[etcfishin]

This seems to be a real problem when there's multiple reports on this board. The fisherman (myself included) may have to start trapping.

[stoner]

Just dont get caught shooting them.

Stoner

[chasmo]

Just dont get caught shooting them.

Stoner

Does anyone know the fine for shooting an otter?? I personally know of a farmer who had a colony come in from Eagle Creek and decimated his fishing pond. He and some buddies now sit out there at night and blast them as they go in and out of his pond. Don't blame him one bit, even though it may not be right.

I have seen nothing that the KDFWR is doing about this other than raise the bag limit on trapping them. Yes they WERE a native species but now the fish in the streams have lived for years without them and they are easy prey. Maybe the next step is to find out what eats otters!!!

[ON3 3Y3D WILLI3]

Not too sure about the Licking, but I can tell you that my "home" stream has definitely become less productive in the last 5 years. My story rings true to the other posts: 50 fish days down to 5 fish days. Of course, I too have seen otters but I know they aren't the only culprit. Otter's, reintroduced, or naturally occurring, are part of a stream or river's ecosystem. I do agree that reintroduction, without proper ecological data to back up the location, conservation plan, and effects, can be a real hit on a system. I don't think KDFWR has enough funding to run a study on each reintroduced animal(s) or the ecosystem(s) they are released in. Unfortunately many of the reintroduction protocols just don't take the right things into account, they are antiquated, and often plainly do not work to the species benefit.

In the case of the stream I speak of, the main culprits are the Hispanic day laborers working on the sod farms nearby. This sounds horrible, and I certainly mean no offense, but I've seen it, and I am not prejudging anyone. These folks poach for the plate and as we all know full well, if you keep fish out of streams and creeks, you'll wipe that creek out WAY faster than an otter could dream of. The blue, worm containers, junk hanging in trees, chicken liver packs, and litter upon litter is indication that in this case, it isn't otters. Of course this once again falls under KDFWR's funding issues. There just isn't enough money to put a conservation officer on every waterway, everyday. Heck, I see more trash wading around the Pfeiffer hatchery on the Elkhorn than I do at the dump. And while the folks that work there aren't conservation officers persay, I'm sure they have the authority to kick-*** if they see a dude leaving his trash strewn all over the place. Unfortuntely, those river patrols just don't exist. It's too bad considering our streams and rivers are this state's fishing lifeblood. "More miles of navigable and fishable waterways than any other state," I think the saying goes. I hope that one day our Fish and Game agency will have the ability to put more focus on protecting, conserving, and maintaining our rivers and streams via ecologically sound introduction practices and constant, vigilant patrol. I feel they do a great job on our lakes. That, or make me an honorary stream warden with authority, a gun, and a grudge...