Otters?

I was fishing this morning in a creek off the Tennessee river in Jackson County and saw something that I have not seen around here before. It was bigger than any muskrat I have ever seen and did not really resemble one that much. It did not really resemble a beaver either. Any beaver I have ever seen has had a rounded body and their tails look like a paddle. This thing had a streamlined elongated body with a tapered tail. I have heard in the past that river otters are in most states but I have fished as much as anyone and have never seen one that I know of around here.

Did it have a round monkey like face with a semi long thick round like tail? probably was an otter. They are in the Tenn river system and just shy most of the time. I have had otters come up right under me in the water while bank fishing the smaller bridges and such on the Big G, they startled me and I startled them when they realized I was standing there. I watched one float on his back while eating a fish and I also had 2 swim around me while fishing below Guntersville dam one early morning. I would post a pic of one but haven't figured that pic post thing out yet(grin)

I talked to a guy and he said they are making a comeback around here.

I have seen one below GSV dam. I was fishing the mouth of Shoal Creek when I noticed one swimming upstream. It took me a minute to realize what is was. Nice to hear that they are making a comeback.

Nice! I saw an albino mink below Smith Lake Dam - well worth the trip!!!

We have seen several on Elk river from the mouth all the way up to the fish traps above hwy 127 bridge. Had a friend with 2 in his pond close to owens . First saw one in this area about 8 yrs ago.

They are awesome to watch for sure. It sure sounds like an Otter CS. Their fur is highly valued and puts them on the top of the list for trappers.

Bob I did find out people have been trapping them around here.

They love to eat fish......lots of them

They can be really hard on the fish populations in small ponds, but I find most of the folklore about them cleaning out the fishing in lakes or rivers to be overblown. I enjoy seeing them and they're great entertainment to watch.

I wish they were the only thing that we had to worry about hurting the fish populations around here. Unfortunately the Cormorants(rare Chinese black duck)are hurting all our lakes especially the big G . They actually will herd fish into shallows and wipe out schools of what ever gets in their way. The nasty things have killed several of the islands off near Browns creek where so many roost that it burned the trees and vegetation up from their waste. Even the Blue Herons are bad on the ponds especially if the water gets low in the summer. Had a few friends that lost all their fish in their ponds a couple years back to them due to low water!! Getting back to the Otters ,they are neat to see ,better than all the muskrats and beavers that I get into from time to time!

I know I'm dragging up an old topic, but I was browsing around and stumbled upon this and for once I actually have something to contribute :) I am not in your immediate area, but near. I have seen them up close and personal in the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge area, specifically around Barren Fork Creek.

I saw two while fishing in the Suzy hole right off flint creek last year they were also floating but they were eating mussels instead of fish,they did not seem to be scared of me or must have known that I posed no danger to them.