Osprey scare

[elkgunner]

I went fishing this morning before work and had an Osprey swoop down from the sky and try to steal a fish I had stringered out. I wasn't looking and he dove down and splashed right behind me to get the fish. It scared the heck out of me and tore up the fish! However, he did not complete his mission successfully because he could not pull the fish off the stringer.

I better add in that the fish was actually a pikeminnow that I had mistaken for a yellow perch. Chesapeake got a kick out informing me that my prize perch was nothing but a *********.

Watch out for dive bombing osprey!

[Artwo]

Originally Posted by elkgunner

I went fishing this morning before work and had an Osprey swoop down from the sky and try to steal a fish I had stringered out. I wasn't looking and he dove down and splashed right behind me to get the fish. It scared the heck out of me and tore up the fish! However, he did not complete his mission successfully because he could not pull the fish off the stringer.

I better add in that the fish was actually a pikeminnow that I had mistaken for a yellow perch. Chesapeake got a kick out informing me that my prize perch was nothing but a *********.

Watch out for dive bombing osprey!

Years ago fishing at Carmen Res. drifting Pauskie eggs in the current off the bridge at the inlet stream my buddy hooks a preety nice size planter. When fishing off the bridge and you hook a fish they come to the surface when you reel them in. Well my buddy was bringing his fish in while I was standing right beside him and suddenly there was a rush of wind (swoosh) between us then a large splash in the water at his fish. Next thing he knows he's got an osprey taking off with his fish. For a few seconds he's fighting the osprey in the air above us for the fish but eventually the 2lb leader broke and the osprey got his prize. Pretty funny standing there watching him fight this bird up in the air for the fish though .

[sucker]

This is probably my fault as I am so good at catching pikeminnow that the osprey follow my boat everywhere; I alwayse have pikeminnow to feed them.

[007SPRIG]

Now that you know they are around try feeding them. I know a couple spots that have osprey as well as eagle nests. Those birds love *********. Don't forget your camera.

[Da Bank Maggot]

I drive to work along Marine Drive every morning, and have noticed the Ospreys are out in force right now, and hunting.

[laxmike11]

I have had that happen to me before except I just released a small bow then the osprey came and took it about 8 feet from the boat. It was really cool but I felt a little bad for that poor fish.

[Hondo]

I took my family to Hagg last weekend, and all we could catch were little yellow perch. Unfortunately, they are too small for me to want to clean them, and they eat the worms too deep to release them and watch them swim away (most of the time). My son and I were releasing them, and if they floated, we would quickly be visited by birds.

First, there was the crow. He stood on the bank, waiting for one of the three floaters to get close enough to the shore so he could eat it.

Next came the gulls, and it was fun to watch them try to get the fish with their beaks and stay airborne at the same time. They are not very good at this. They are, however, better than the crow.

The crow waited patiently for his chance. One perch was floating close to the shore. The gulls had flown by a few times without committing to a dive. The crow stepped into the lake, as his fish was only a few inches out of reach.

Then one of the gulls committed, dove and stole the crow's fish. I though, stupid gulls...they'll take the crow's fish just to be jerks. The crow sqauwked at the gull and retreated to sit on a post and wait for one of the other two fich to float over to him. The other gulls took care of the two remaining fish.

We caught a few more, and the gulls kept coming back to eat them. All the while, the crow watched, and squawked. Poor crow did not eat.

We moved to the other side of the lake, and from then on, an osprey took care of our released fish. Osprey are much better hunters.

[TakeEm]

Alfred Hitchcock!!!!!!!!

[fishinnovice]

I was fishing on Clear lake last year when an osprey dove down and took the fish off my line. I was lucky all the bird got was the fish and I got back my gear. It was a cool experience though.