woodNfish Loc: Laconia, New Hampshire

Another post with a photo of a bald eagle reminded me of an interesting event a few years back on a lake here in New Hampshire. We have a lot of eagles here in NH as well as osprey, hawks, falcons, and owls.

It was thecend of the season up here and I was in my boat heading to favorite fishing spot to do a little pan fishing with an ultralight rig. As I was heading out an osprey carrying a fish in its claws flew past about 50 feet over my head. A moment later not more than 20 feet off the water came a bald eagle flying fast after the osprey. The osprey was up at about 100 feet now when the eagle turned up almost and began to climb toward the osprey.

When the eagle was about 30 feet under the osprey, that osprey dropped its fish trying to escape the eagle which was easily twice its size. The eagle immediately flipped upside down and caught the drpped fish in its talons and headed back in the direction it had come from. All it wanted was an easy meal and it got it.

That is one of the most exciting things I've seen while fishing. A pontoon boat full of evening cruisers also witnessed the entire event and were whooping and laughing afterward.

I put this under general chit-chat because even thoughvI was going fidhing, it isn't really anout fishing.

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

But a great story WF. Events like that are the other reason we do what we do......👍👍👍 Welcome aboard.

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

Great story
We had an owl snatch a rabbit illuminated by my headlight beam one morning
Another time I’m driving up the interstate and a hawk was racing me.
He’d pull ahead , drop back , catch up again. This went on for a couple minutes.

Jwid Loc: Lake Killarney, Ironton, MO

Bald Eagles are very cool. What an experience. I had a mother Bald Eagle flying around with a juvenile this morning. They are fun to watch.

agatemaggot Loc: iowa

Was fishing with my wife when I noticed an Osprey hovering over our boat, I told the wife to look up and just as she did the Osprey folded it's wings and dropped into the water no more than 20 foot from the boat. The bird wemt completely under the water and came up with a Crappie about 12 inches long , then fluttered just over the water for a second or two to position the fish head forward and then flew off to a large nest down river. The wife then made the comment, he sure made that look easy !

ripogenu Loc: norfolk, MA

yes they are amazing creatures, striper fishing in the flats an Osprey swooped down about 20' behind my lure, grabbed a nice schoolie and flew up to about 200 ft. Mate? came along and the Osprey flipped over and threw it up to the Mate? then went back to fishing right behind my lure. No I didn't catch anything. but they got another one.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

My Mom, who will be 93 this May, still remembers one summer when she was out stayin with us in Tahoe.
I had taken her fishin up to Caples Lake . We were trollin along with me just paddling my canoe. I pointed out this Bald Eagle sittin in the top of a tree we were goin by.
As we were watchin it, It started flyin away. It circled around us and came right down next to the canoe bout 40 feet away and caught a trout right near the canoe where Mom could see it real close.
First and only time she ever saw that. It was a very special experience to share with her.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Well, all you rookie fishermen. Take heed to these posted stories of expert fishermen and how they capture fish, or take fish away from others. Just Sayin...RJS

ripogenu Loc: norfolk, MA

just like clockwork. in the 8 years that my wife and I fished the west branch of the Penobscot, we always stayed at the same camp spot (8E at Pray's) and after a few days we recognized that a hawk would fly up river about 5PM. then they would come back down to big eddy at 5:15 and grab a nice landlocked salmon EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! really used to piss off the guys fishing at the bottom edge. didn't have a cell phone back then or I would have recorded it.

woodNfish Loc: Laconia, New Hampshire

Maine is a beautiful state and my wife and I enjoy antiquing and visiting the art galleries and museums along the coast. My youngest boy also lives there. But I haven't fished it in years.

woodNfish Loc: Laconia, New Hampshire

Yes, I've had experiences with that as well. Not from wild creatures, but the two-legged earthbound kind.

woodNfish Loc: Laconia, New Hampshire

Thank you Wulff. Those moments are definitely one of the perks.

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

Used to fish a pond after work almost every day. This big Heron always showed up about the same time to catch dinner
He had 3 different spots.
I started calling him Alejandro. He looked like an Alejandro.
We both usually caught fish. Mine was always bigger.

Jwid Loc: Lake Killarney, Ironton, MO

I have a Heron that fishes off the dam. Stalking back and forth, then gulping down a fish and a drink to follow. His name is Hank. Not sure if he played baseball.

Dakoda Loc: Cle Elum, WA

Personally I don’t like Osprey much. I had 109 Bluegill and bass in my pond last summer, could see them plain as day. One osprey spent a week here and ate all but 19 fish, and then the otters ate all but 5. I’ll start stocking it again this coming Summer.