Author Topic: Eagle stole one of my fish! (Read 1388 times)

glenwyo · « **on:** Jan 28, 2013, 10:39 PM »

I had an interesting experience today on Flaming Gorge. While I was fishing an eagle came down, landed on the ice, and promptly helped himself to one of my two lake trout that where on the ice! I had about 12 holes in the ice that were about 75 yards apart. I had two lake trout laying near one of my holes that was the furthest one out and the last hole I drilled. When the fishing slowed at that hole I walked back to the first hole I drilled and began to fish. When I took my eyes off of the Vexilar a few minutes later I was surprised to see a large bird by my two trout. I then realized that it was an eagle (either a young bald eagle with no white yet or a golden eagle). I only had my small camera with me that didn't have a real good zoom. I snapped off a few pictures quickly, hoping that one would turn out. I tried to get closer to the eagle but it flew away with one trout firmly in its claws! I have never had this happen to me before. I guess he had to eat too!

wyotoach · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 10:41 PM »

Unreal experience. Not many folks can say they've fed an eagle.

jopes · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 10:43 PM »

Time to keep your fish on a stringer, but none the less I bet it was a cool sight to see it fly away with your dinner.

glenwyo · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 11:09 PM »

To protect myself in the future from anymore fish-stealing eagles I just might have to start using a stringer! Plus, my fish would not be as hard as bricks when I get home and I wouldn't have to wait until they thaw out the next morning before I could clean them!

olefish · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 11:50 PM »

Not a fish story but we had a Bald eagle dive and hit a goose decoy one day. It was very funny when the decoy went bouncing across the ground. The big bird was doing some very fast attempt to get away from that strange goose.

Matt R. · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 07:36 AM »

Very cool Glen!

Big Al 1 · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 07:44 AM »

I have had this type of thing happen in the Black Hills. One of the lakes I fish there are 3 eagles that hang out in the trees and if you get far enough away from your perch one of those eagles will swoop down and snag a perch. It has to be one of the coolest thing i have ever witnessed.

JBT · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 08:30 AM »

WyoT---My brother and I were just talking about a similar experience we had years ago. We were fishing up in the Black's Fork and one of us hooked a small Brown....we just threw it on the ice and went back to fishing. In a short while we heard a kind of swooshing noise and looked behind us just in time to see a big Golden glide by and snatch that Brown. We did put the rest of the fish in a cooler for safe keeping...lol.

350orbetter · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 09:38 AM »

There's a reservoir west of Colorado Springs called Tarryall where Eagles steal fish you leave out on the ice. Good videos here of eagles taking fish...
http://www.coloradofisherman.com/forum/index.php?topic=70891.0

marcus · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 09:45 AM »

That's some cool pics you got. What beautiful surroundings you guys out west fish in . Someday I'll make it across the country to fish.

Whopper Stopper · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 02:09 PM »

A buddy was up on Lake Of The Woods and came very close to having his 7 year old Yorkie snatched up. Scared the stool out of the little dog.

WS

MountainMan · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 03:15 PM »

Thanks for sharing the pics. It might be getting use to taking ling people leave on the ice. I've had fish taken by a herring, a mink and a snapping turtle, but never a eagle, at least not yet

WYIfish · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 04:02 PM »

The eagle probably learned it from the ling carcases left up at big firehole earlier in the winter.

POk3s · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 09:39 PM »

bbkyle35 · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 11:15 PM »

I shot a drake bufflehead in Alaska that I wanted to get mounted. While I was waiting for the tide to bring it where I could reach it an eagle swooped down and took it. Bummer deal

wyoeyes · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 30, 2013, 03:26 AM »

Ihave had eagles grab geese out of the field before. Also had an otter steal my stringer so thats not 100 percent either lol

Boowee · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 30, 2013, 07:47 AM »

Great pics and a great story, thanks for sharing. A buddy of mine and I were fishing a lake in Iowa last winter and had an otter poke his head up through the hole and grab one of our crappies. Not as cool as an eagle but you talk about being caught off guard. Thanks again for sharing.

wygeargeek · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 30, 2013, 10:37 AM »

Had a golden eagle "take out"a swan in flight at Bull Lake. Swans took off from spillway area, flew over us on the ice and BAM, eagle struck from dive overhead. Swan pinwheeled to the ice hitting with a thud, dead right there. Eagle never landed to eat on the swan but ravens started working on it a couple hours later.

camper · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 30, 2013, 10:52 AM »

well it just goes to show that fishing is about the fun experiences and the stories. that is a great one. thanx for sharing

Reel trouble · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 30, 2013, 12:18 PM »

Thats pretty cool

they do that a lot at Henrys lake and this year was my first experience with the eagles

WYO_CLC · « **Reply #20 on:** Feb 08, 2013, 02:03 PM »

This happened to my dad and I about 15years ago. It was the first and only walley my dad had caught thru the ice. We were in the truck eating lunch when a bald eagle dropped down and took the fish. Then he landed in a tree about 50 yards behind the truck and began to eat his lunch.

Desperado · « **Reply #21 on:** Feb 08, 2013, 02:47 PM »

So I'm wondering
After the Eagle took that fish
Does that fish still count against your limit for that day

glenwyo · « **Reply #22 on:** Feb 09, 2013, 12:57 AM »

The game and fish might have to make another law regarding that issue. lol

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Author Topic: Eagle stole one of my fish! (Read 1388 times)