River Otters on Putah Creek

[Sierra D]

I think the nature of these predators is to fill a niche and NOT wipe out their food source: If otters eat more, there will be less for pikeminnows, stripers, and osprey to eat. Also the otters will eat all kinds of fish, including some of those pikeminnows, and maybe small stripers (both of which eat trout and salmon).

I've seen otters on the Yuba and Feather (in the 70's and 80's near the confluence), the Trinity, the Tuolumne (upper and Lower), the Rogue, and the upper Sacramento. Maybe other places I can't remember, too. I don't like to fish near them, but I love to see them and I generally think they are a sign of a healthy system.

[Rossflyguy]

Otters are definitely a sign of s healthy system. You don’t see them where food is void. I’ve had the otters at Putah creek growl at me. I stick around and they usually move on.

[Lance Gray]

I seen otters on the Lower Sac, Yuba, Truckee and others. You are right it is a sign of a very healthy system. I also have had them growl at me on the Lower Sac. Pretty funny.

It's just funny all these years I have been on Putah - I have never seen them.

[TahoeJoe]

After seeing an otter foraging on the Trinity with my son in November, we discovered that there is an HSU "otter demography" study underway and they would like to have anyone sighting an otter in Humboldt or Del Norte county to fill out a report for their study.

If you see one in the area, here's the web page to use to report it:
https://www2.humboldt.edu/wildlife/f...tersentry.html

A little off topic but still otter related.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We have otters in our canal in Florida but they seem to just travel through on a pretty fast pace.

In 13 years I have only seen them a few times.

We also have a lot of fish-eating birds.

We also have a lot of big fish eating small fish.


I think the main focus should be having extremely healthy ecosystems.


Some predation is need to keep an ecosystem healthy.

[Mark Kranhold]

I was backpacking in the Sierras years ago out of the Grouse ridge area. We got to our destination lake and I couldn't believe what I saw, a family of otters swimming around having family fun. That was the first time I've ever seen otters in a remote Sierra lake.

[E.Drucker]

appalled that anyone would be fishing Putah before 2/1 let alone guide Putah. I'm honestly floored people fish Putah 12/1-2/1 regardless if they see spawning fish or not. For godssake, flows as of yesterday were 65 CFS. Give those poor fish a break people and let em' do their thang!!! Especially if you're a guide...sheesh

[cdevine]

I don't fish Putah. Not my thing personally. But why is it open to fishing right now? People worked so hard to get this fishery to a blue ribbon status yet you can legally fish it right now. So like it or not nobody is committing a crime. I wouldn't fish it and it sounds like most wouldn't either but people are fishing it. Tough area but until its closed you can only make suggestions.

[Lance Gray]

appalled that anyone would be fishing Putah before 2/1 let alone guide Putah. I'm honestly floored people fish Putah 12/1-2/1 regardless if they see spawning fish or not. For godssake, flows as of yesterday were 65 CFS. Give those poor fish a break people and let em' do their thang!!! Especially if you're a guide...sheesh

I don't know who you are so I will just say this. I was doing a tour of putah with three fly fishers when I saw the otters. We talk about flows,fish,how to fish it and protecting the fishery. We look for Redds and we talk about putah creek trout which I support both with donations of trips and money. We educate the fly fishers on a fishery. They become stewards of the creek just as many of us have done. We also fish. But we don't fish in the redds areas. Honestly maybe before you shun me you need to know what we do. The more educated people are the more the fly fishers will protect.

On a second note I use my name on this board. No handle, just me. Everyone that knows me knows that Kirsten and I run a great business with great programs.

[Mickey]

Interesting comment on education leading to stewards of the creek. Based on numbers of people that fish on the creek in the winter I would throw certain merit at that. I would love to have kept a log of actual numbers but, my commute for the most part over the last 4 years or so has been via 128 anywhere from 1-5 days of the week, my gut tells me fewer and fewer people are fishing the spawn. Sure there are days when I'll see 10-15 vehicles at different pullouts but that is no longer the norm. Thanks for being a steward.

I fly fished Putah a LOT back from the early 90's to about 2010, not so much any more and seldom late in the fall. Up until the late 90's there just weren't a lot of people fishing up there. Then Putah turned into a zoo and later ended up where we are today. I think social media and peer pressure played a huge part in that.

I don't condone fishing the spawn at Putah but understand not everybody is a blind idiot walking through tailouts, obvious redds and sight casting to active spawners. After I really started to pay attention I realized I had no clue where a fish would choose to spawn at Putah other than the obvious ones. Maybe choice spawning sites are "full" but some fish sure seem to like the seedy motel 6's. I care about the creek but consider myself somewhat "a blind idiot" due to motel 6's and just don't fish the spawn.

Closing of Putah for the spawn was something I looked hard at and resulted in some social implications. My final conversation with F&G was regarding when/what is the spawn and how to set closure dates. The damage to the fishery is disruption to actively spawning fish? Disruption to spawning substrate? Physical stress on hooked fish? Disruption of post spawn substrate? Obviously all of the above. Close that puppy from October-March? Everybody has an opinion. I did a lot of research and talked to multiple people to reach mine.

I have no doubt the fishery would improve with a serious hard closure (when you could fish it). I used to be hard set on having a seasonal closure, not so much anymore Does this state NOT have enough restrictions already? Fishing pressure seems to be down, knowledge seems to be up. Perhaps letting the users "self regulate" their own is the best option for where were at? It has worked in other recreational activities. Yeah, there will always be "that guy", but when it's no longer the norm, we are winning. Only a couple of fish from putah this year. Probably my last before I move out of state.