Hooked Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 (edited) I came across some pics recently that I meant to post on here awhile ago. Well I am finally getting around to actually posting them. Anyways, these date back to last August. I was on my annual vacation on Rice Lake. I spent an evening of walleye fishing and came in around 9:00pm. I had 2 walleye\pickerel on a chain stringer with clips, both 15" in length. I threw them over in the water expecting to clean them later that night. Well 10:30pm rolls around so I bring my fillet knife down to clean them. To my surprise there is only 1 on the stringer! I'm like the what the.....I check the all the clips and they were closed. Then I thought perhaps my brother took one, but quickly realized that didn't make any sense. Then I get a good look at the one that is left. I first noticed the fishes eye was collapsed, then I noticed the teeth marks on its belly, and finally the nice gashes on its back and head...at first I thought a snapping turtle, but quickly set that assumption aside. It had to of been a Musky, there are no Pike in the lake. It likely tried getting that one off and couldn't get it off the stringer, then tried for the other one and succeeded. Or was really hungry and ate the first one then was too full to pull the other one off. Man that would of been a site to watch, or even hear that stringer go nuts while it ripped it off. Edited July 26, 2012 by Hooked
dave524 Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 I'm thinking a land animal like a coon or mink by the look of the teeth marks.
Hooked Posted July 26, 2012 Author Report Posted July 26, 2012 I'd still guess snapping turtle. It's possible for sure, but I've never had one take one off the stringer. They've always left the head and parts of the body. In retrospect, I guess there would be more teeth marks if it was a Musky?
Hooked Posted July 26, 2012 Author Report Posted July 26, 2012 Well there goes my awesome story I've been telling everyone for almost a year!
GreenCanada Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 Not surprised they got mauled. Free food left out for the taking.
rufus Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 I have had snapping turtles dine on my stringer a couple of times and they always eat the belly first and when they are done just the heads are left on the stringer. They have never eaten the heads.
ehg Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 I'd still guess snapping turtle. Yup, most definitely a snapper took it for dinner. Happened a couple of weeks ago to me in Algonquin with a big catfish. Snapper ripped it right of stringer and mostly consumed it within minutes before being witnessed.
mike rousseau Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 I had that happen in a boat... I figured musky or pike.... On a dock is say turtle or animal... I left a stringer of bullhead catfish hanging from the dock overnight... In the morning they were all gone and the stringer was out of the water laying on the dock... Just a few jaw bones left... I figured mink or coons did the damage... Those mink can be tough little critters... One time I put a few walleye in a big water tank to clean in the morning... By morning they were all gone... And one was 4-5 pounds... There were 3-4 fish in there... Then we saw the little footprints and figured out it was the minks...
jigsnreels Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 Long story short - you had a light dinner...
Hooked Posted July 26, 2012 Author Report Posted July 26, 2012 I had that happen in a boat... I figured musky or pike.... On a dock is say turtle or animal... I left a stringer of bullhead catfish hanging from the dock overnight... In the morning they were all gone and the stringer was out of the water laying on the dock... Just a few jaw bones left... I figured mink or coons did the damage... Those mink can be tough little critters... One time I put a few walleye in a big water tank to clean in the morning... By morning they were all gone... And one was 4-5 pounds... There were 3-4 fish in there... Then we saw the little footprints and figured out it was the minks... Wow, I can't believe those little guys took out a 4-5 lb'er. That's crazy. And clever on top of that too! Cool story.
Sherriff Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 Definately a Sasquatch! Did you happen to have any Jacks Link Beef jerky in your cottage? Sherriff
mercman Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 Well there goes my awesome story I've been telling everyone for almost a year! Still an awesome story though. Cool pics.
cram Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 Mink or fisher or something. A turtle eats it on the stringer. Doubt a musky gets both off your stringer. A mink or fisher would chew it off at the stringer and run away with it.
Fisherpete Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 My cottage is on Rice, seen it more times over the years than I care to remember... turtles. Pete
Whitespinnerbait Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 With the HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of Cougar sightings Lately....... just saying
BillM Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 (edited) I don't know Julian, maybe it was the Rake-uns that stole the fish. Dude, the Rake-un episode was one of the funniest things I've ever watched.. *warning for language* Edited July 26, 2012 by BillM
ehg Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 Mink or fisher or something. A turtle eats it on the stringer. Doubt a musky gets both off your stringer. A mink or fisher would chew it off at the stringer and run away with it. Wrong. Saw a snapping turtle rip a fish off stringer and consume it quickly just couple of weeks ago. Broke the jaw bones with mouth clamp then neck pulls. Threw a whole chicken carcass later to it and completely ripped it to shreds. Their necks, jaws and legs are pure muscle.
smally21 Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 (edited) just a bad day to be a walleye. the only thing left out is to shock 'em with a car battery a few times. a coworkers son showed us feeding time at the snapping turtle exhibit..eats a fullsize white rat, bit it in half like it was a Slim-Jim. I think they could chomp a walleye to bits no problem. of course, a raccoon is smart enought to unhook the stringer, remove the fish and hook it back up just to confound you.. Edited July 26, 2012 by smally21
bare foot wader Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 musky/pike all the way turtles are pure gluttons, a snapper would've taken both fish and very strong jaws, no problem pick pocketing a stringer I've had walleye attacked many, many times on the stringer off the canoe, a pike or musky will attack it a few times, head shake and then realize they can't swim away with it and then do a death roll and rip the jaw open on the walleye those teeth marks don't look like the work of a racoon or mink cool story and pics
Hooked Posted July 26, 2012 Author Report Posted July 26, 2012 a raccoon is smart enought to unhook the stringer, remove the fish and hook it back up just to confound you.. Hahaha, it wouldn't surprise me.
crappieperchhunter Posted July 26, 2012 Report Posted July 26, 2012 Mink or fisher or something. A mink or fisher would chew it off at the stringer and run away with it. X2...I have seen it happen. Turtles are slower and more methodical, and I highly doubt that the fish left behind would have been banged up that much.
BillM Posted July 27, 2012 Report Posted July 27, 2012 atlantic seen it lots of times John's onto something here.
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