Mink on Big Spring

[redietz]

I noted a mink working the bank on Big Spring this afternoon. I hope he doesn't eat to much.

 

[fly_doggie]

I see them on the West Branch of the Delaware quite often. I suppose they have to make a living too.

 

[bdhoover77]

I saw a mink earlier this fall during an evening on the Gunpowder. He seemed to almost follow me for a bit. It was the first time I had seen one in the wild.

 

[teedee]

Saw them many times on the Little Lehigh.

 

[redietz]

I saw a mink earlier this fall during an evening on the Gunpowder. He seemed to almost follow me for a bit. It was the first time I had seen one in the wild.

He probably was following you. I've had a mink there dash into the water when I've released a fish to grab it before it recovered. They know exactly what you're doing.

I've had the same experience with an otter on Clark's Creek.

I was careful today when I released a fish today while the mink was watching to hide it from him.

 

[falcon]

Saw a big buck mink catch a 2 to 3ft lamprey eel on the W Branch Delaware. Rolled in the water for 20 minutes before dragging it up the bank. Fierce animal. Quite common in that area.

 

[krayfish2]

The most mink I can remember seeing was on the Beaverkill 20+ years ago. They were thick over there for a few years. Been a few years since I saw otters. Somebody told me there were several over on the Lehigh. Anyone else see them over there?

 

[falcon]

I was talking with a guy who spends the spring and summer at Butternut Grove. He told me this year there was a otter in the Beaverkill by the Acid Factory hunting fish at the Acid Factory summer thermal refuge. The fish stack up in there along the highway wall and downstream of Horton Brook. Probably took quite a few fish.
I heard there was one at the Barrel Pool which has some riverbed springs also.

 

[Kyle]

mink are everywhere. they mostly travel and hunt at night. in my early 20s i use to snare them. once you start trapping them, you realize how many mink are around. and they are smart. they are amazing hunters. here is a photo of a mink skull

those teeth are made to eat. my trapping mentor told me that mink are so good at catching live prey that using dead prey will never catch a mink. they are hunters and damn good at it.

 

[caddisflyer]

I have seen mink and beaver on Spring and Penns. Seen mink, beaver and otter on Kettle, Delaware and Susquehanna. Have seen many mink on Juniata.

 

[NRD]

The best way to "find" Mink is hunting ducks or squirrels from a canoe.

 

[salmo]

Couple of years ago saw a mink on Little Valley Creek Montgomery County. Beautiful creatures in the wild. I have a mink pelt (treated for clothing use). What can I tie with it?

 

[dc410]

Couple of years ago saw a mink on Little Valley Creek Montgomery County. Beautiful creatures in the wild. I have a mink pelt (treated for clothing use). What can I tie with it?

Mink fur is a great natural fur dubbing for nymph bodies. The guard hairs can also be used as tails on nymphs. A small beadhead mink nymph is a great mayfly nymph imitation. One of my “go to” carp flies that I designed uses mink fur for the body - it has been very productive on carp over the years. Overall, mink fur is a great material for dubbing with a lot of great earthy tones.

I have also seen many mink while fishing over the years. I think there are a lot more mink around than we would think. The Tulpehocken Creek also has a healthy population of mink on it.

 

[jgish92]

The most mink I can remember seeing was on the Beaverkill 20+ years ago. They were thick over there for a few years. Been a few years since I saw otters. Somebody told me there were several over on the Lehigh. Anyone else see them over there?

I saw one on the Lehigh just a couple weeks ago. Have also seen them on Brodhead and Valley Creek (by Downingtown) within the last 6 months.

 

[redietz]

Mink fur is a great natural fur dubbing for nymph bodies. The guard hairs can also be used as tails on nymphs. A small beadhead mink nymph is a great mayfly nymph imitation. One of my “go to” carp flies that I designed uses mink fur for the body - it has been very productive on carp over the years. Overall, mink fur is a great material for dubbing with a lot of great earthy tones.

Leonard Wright's Fluttering Caddis uses mink guard hairs for the wing.

The Brits use mink strips for what we would call zonker strips, especially for a fly called the Minkie:

 

[Nympho]

They are all over the Lackawanna River.

 

[wildtrout2]

I saw one on the Lehigh just a couple weeks ago.

I saw one on a Lehigh trib this past summer.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Def all over the place. I often catch them in my periphery, but they don't hang long like squirrels! I did have a cool experience of three kits swimming right at me on a LV limestoner a couple years ago. I was watching mom snaking around in some rip rap until I noticed the v wakes coming at me. I guess their vision was not great yet. Strong swimmers though. They turned and scattered eventually.

 

[Jemoca75!]

I see mink on the donegal almost every time I fish it. This year alone I've seen them on elk, pine ( centre) , first fork, driftwood branch and little pine. Little buggers are everywhere because nobody traps anymore

 

[redietz]

And then, there's this:

10,000 mink loose and missing.