I haven't posted in a LONG time but had to ask -- has anyone else seen the otters in RR? Watched an adult & 6 or 8 young one this morning. The adult caught four 2 to 3 lb channel cats in about 30 minutes & all assembled had a feast on them.

Sure they're not Nutria's?

No, not nutrias - I got close to these guys & watched them for about 30 minutes. The adult was closer to the size of a small beaver than nutria - face looked more like a seal than a water rat. The young ones were, at times "cavorting" & playing in the water & on the shore. Besides - Could a nutria catch & feed on a 2 lb catfish? & adult caught 4 of them in a time span of 30 to 45 minutes max. The fish eating on the shoreline & in the rocks was easily seen.

Post Script : I pulled up a website - Texas Hill Country using search Otters in Texas. Article sez that Otters are moving into central Texas - reported as far north as Wichita Falls.

There were otters a lot of early mornings around Isle du Bois State Park in late 90s.

Those bas***ds have shown up in the ponds north of Sulphur Springs, wiped out a neighbors catfish pond and put a big dent in mine! Saw one in my bass pond last deer season, he will not be a problem anymore....

I had come up on a large one last year back in Pilot Point cove. It was probably late summer or early fall. He was eating a big crappie. He wasn't too concerned with me. I got within 10' from him sitting on a lay down. I have seen others around the lake, but not frequently.

I spend 5 days a week at ray rob. There is definitely a small population of otters. Real otters, not beavers or nutria. Most of the time when they get hit by 377 or 455 someone calls it in.

Have seen them at Ray Bob and Fork, also, man they're fast.

I've seen otters, nutria and beaver swimming at Lake Tyler. I believe you.

I have seen them myself and took some pics, man can those nasty suckers devour a fish!

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/11843857/1

I had an Uncle who brought in Nutria to clean out all the grass in his stock tanks and ponds on his ranches. He bought them from the state. They ate everything in sight.I believe that Nutria are just grass eaters but don't know for sure.. That's what they were originally brought in for.
They could do far more damage than the otters IMO.
Maybe someone can explain the difference.

LOL considering Nutria's don't catch fish for food I doubt it

Seen them in a bunch of the east texas lakes never in ray bob though they are pretty cool little creatures for sure!

I saw one at Fork that was insanely big. Fairfield also has some very big ones.

I just googled ,"what do nutria eat?"
They are almost entirely plant eaters. They may eat some bugs, but no fish.
So, now I know.
You'll can eliminate Nutria from the list of your animals that were caught eating fish.

Not a whole lot of Nutria rats on Fork anymore. Don't know if it's the lack of grass, gators or what but they have all but disappeared compared to what they once were.

Nutria don't eat fish.

I was told a while back by P&W that the gators were put into Fork to cut down the Nutria population. I don't know if you remember back in the 80's and 90's. But one stump would have about 4 Nutrias sitting on it!. lol.

It was 2011-2012 when the nutria population took a big hit, 2 real cold winters, lake level dropped 8 feet. I've seen them on bare ground eating sprigs& moss looking stuff. They're from South America, I feel like the winters took the numbers down.. there were so many, them gators would have been real busy..


Otters are in Fork, seen them minner bucket raiders many a time in our cove...

Saw one on Bastrop earlier this year.

I think otters are crafty little devils. When I first moved to Lake Tyler about three years ago, one spring I was fishing under lights and caught a mess of crappie off the dock. I cleaned them at the dock and threw the rest into the lake. I could see an otter swimming about off the dock during that night. The next night I caught a pile of crappie again but put them in one of those collapsing fish baskets. The next morning I went out to pull them up and clean them and the bottom flap had been pulled askew to the side and all the fish were gone. I can't guaranty it but I think the otter figured out how to get into the basket for an easy meal.

Sir
It is 2018
LOL

Dang it is "OLD SCHOOL DAY on TFF"

I have a family of otters that visits my pond before duck season near Brazoria state Park. Theyre ridiculously funny when they are chasing each other around on my island.

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/11843857/1

Yep I have seen them on Fairfield and yes they can catch FISH in a hurry

There were a bunch of Nutria at Fork on the bird island just east of 154 this spring. Had me wondering if they added bird eggs to their diet.

I once pitched a creature bait at a tree at Fork and draped over a short limb about 2 feet over the water. I reeled it up slow to pop it over the limb and an otter jumped up and tried to grab it. I was very happy he missed. Hollice Joiner would have thrown back at him.