Well I finally managed to get some stick time on the Smith today, hit the falling water below the dam at about 10 o'clock and fought the wind for the next couple of hours. Hooked a nice bow that would have easily gone 16" but that didn't last too long. Was getting tired of the wind and was about to call it a day when the sun finally appeared and the wind died down making it possible to keep the fly in the water without the wind causing problems. Caught a couple of smaller bow and then on the way out noticed that there are beaver on the river. Is this something new? Never noticed it before.....
(http://www.kbrcomm.com/btwc/wallpaper/beaver.jpg)
Added this shot to the wallpaper collection...
(http://www.kbrcomm.com/btwc/wallpaper/smithriverbow06_800x600.jpg)
nice. you got pretty steady hands to be able to capture it that well. i'm gonna add it to my wallpaper collection for sure.
There have always been some beaver up there, but I have noticed an increase in beavered trees lately. I have a question. when beavers live in rivers like the Smith and don't really seem to dam it up, where do they live? I've never seen their lodges. Do they live in the banks like Muskrats?
Also there are Otters in there.
Nice pic btw,
S
Very nice Beaver!...oh and ya nice fish too ;D
There are three sets of lodges that I've found (so far)- one just past the big bend where the river makes a hard left (looking upstream);
one set at a small island just upstream of the decrepit trailer and riffle water below the dam- this spot even has a complete beaver dam in perfect shape in spite of the Smith's wild flows; and a third lodge is at the end of the field in the Special Regs. They look like brush wads- but not the rounded mounds like in a pond.
Once while casting to teasing rainbows in the Big Bend, I heard a splash behind me and instinctively whirled and cast to it (I was in mid-cast when I heard it)- only to have a beaver swim underwater past my leg to his/her den in front of me. Pretty cool.....wish it'd taken my bug... :o
I've seen muskrats, but haven't yet seen any otters.
I've not seen any beavers yet. Like Laurie suggested, on a lake or other deep water, a beaver's lodge is usually build up against a steep bank, and just looks like a pile of brush, at first. On closer examination, though, you'll see the neatly trimmed ends where it was cut off.
As for otters, this picture was taken near the middle of the special regs section. There are at least 7 otters in the picture.
Quote from: phg on March 14, 2006, 13:03:47 PM
I've not seen any beavers yet. Like Laurie suggested, on a lake or other deep water, a beaver's lodge is usually build up against a steep bank, and just looks like a pile of brush, at first. On closer examination, though, you'll see the neatly trimmed ends where it was cut off.
As for otters, this picture was taken near the middle of the special regs section. There are at least 7 otters in the picture.
cool, what do you call 7 otters? a Gaggle or a herd? or just a mess?
A group of otters is called a romp. I like beavers, all soft and furry ;D. I'd like to mount one 0--0
I once saw a beaver that was killed when the tree he was gnawing on fell on him and killed him dead ;)
Otters will put a hurting on the Trout population
Beavers will just scare the H$#@ out of you
I think just for fun sometimes and watch us fisherman/fisherwoman jump out of our waders.
Mstash
Quote from: Mstash on March 15, 2006, 16:29:11 PM
I think just for fun sometimes and watch us fisherman/fisherwoman jump out of our waders.
QuoteI'd like to mount one
you guys worry me.... isn't this discussion better suited for "Savannah's Place?" ;)
wally ;D
I love otters. They used to play with my duck decoys on a lake I used to hunt. :)