GW wrt otter and cormorants your premise is wrong. Most LMB/BG ponds with overcrowded fish populations have to many small fish (LMB under 10in and BG under 5in). Otter and cormorants target the bigger fish first. Thus you end up with even fewer large fish and more small fish subject to stunting. I don't know about mink. FWIW I have seen several times where an otter (or several - family group) over a summer cleaned out a 1 acre pond of most all the LMB over 10in and BG over 6in. I guess if that is what someone wants it is truly thinking outside the box.

Secondly I would rather be the one selecting which fish come out (via fishing , trap or seine) rather than letting a predator do so indiscriminately. FWIW we have big great blue heron , a green heron family and kingfisher family which have free use of the ponds but otter or cormorants are not welcome.

Further I think NE's questions were as to trout using cover. While there are a few trout experts here (not me thus my statement above) they may not know the answer to his question.


Last edited by ewest; 09/07/07 02:01 PM.