On Chigirin Reservoir, Fishermen Pulled Out Something They Didn't Expect Instead of Fish
Everyone present was convinced: a giant pike weighing almost 20 kilograms had taken the bait.
An unusual incident occurred on February 27th during the closing of the winter pike fishing season. Fishermen, hoping for a rich catch, encountered a real forest predator — a live otter, which was tempted by the bait, writes FishingBY.
It all began at dawn when a team of fishermen set up tip-ups on the ice of the Chigirin Reservoir. The entire day passed absolutely quietly, and only in the evening did a single flag go off.
The reel began to spin rapidly, and everyone present was convinced: on the hook was a giant pike weighing almost 20 kilograms. Neighbors on the ice ran to the hole to see the rare catch.
However, instead of a fish, the head of an animal appeared from the water. It turned out that a three-kilogram otter had grabbed the live bait.
The fishermen did not hide their surprise, as such a bite happens once in a lifetime. Despite the danger (an otter is a toothy and agile predator), the fishermen managed to carefully free the animal from the hook.
The story ended with a happy ending: after a short video recording for memory, the otter was released into the wild. Although no trophy pike was caught that day, the fishermen admitted that the emotions from meeting the animal made this season's closing unforgettable.