Mink

[foxfire]

Seen my 4th mink from three different Westmoreland streams yesterday. Never seen one previously. What's going on here!?!?!

 

[Troy]

I experienced something pretty cool Saturday on Penns. I had a nice trout on my line and I looked over to the bank and saw a mink with a snake in its mouth. I fought the fish and watched the mink. It was a pretty cool few minutes.

 

[PocketWater]

Last August my cousin and I were fishing Penns right downstream of Poe Paddy. He saw a mink, a moment later a bald eagle flew directly overhead following the stream channel, then we both caught a trout a minute later. Was a good day that day.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Mink, otters, eagles,Great Blue Herons are all after the same things you are- trout. I always figure I'm in a good area if I see any of those animals around.

 

[Fishidiot]

I typically see a few every year, usually right along stream banks.

I don't think they're noticeably more numerous around here than they were ten or twenty years ago (beavers definitely are!), but I dunno. Maybe their numbers are increasing.

Here's one I saw this week - he was in a hurry, hence the blurry photo.

 

[Chaz]

I've probably seen 10 minks in my lifetime, saw another opening weekend.
I've also seen weasels, and otters, but no river otters.

 

[dc410]

I've seen many mink over the years. I always enjoy watching them when I get the chance to see one. I've always thought they were a very curious critter, often keeping as close of an eye on us as we are on them.

 

[redietz]

dc410 wrote:
I've always thought they were a very curious critter, often keeping as close of an eye on us as we are on them.

I totally agree with that. It's interesting that this topic came up. On Saturday, I watched a mink grab a small trout that I had just released. (I was watching the fish swim away; I hadn't previously noted the mink.) The mink then preceded to swim as close to me as he possibly could, fish in mouth, as if to make I saw that he had not wasted a trout like I had (from his point of view, at any rate.) When I fished the same stretch on Sunday, he came bounding along the bank to greet me, no doubt looking for another hand out. This was on Gunpowder Falls, where I've never previously seen a mink.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

I would say mink populations have increased dramatically in southeast PA. In the 1970's-80's it was rare to see or catch a mink.
I suspect they are on the upswing because the water is generally cleaner than back then. Like all animals they are susceptible to heavy metals and other pollutants. We also have a lot more hawks and eagles etc. In fact almost all the predator populations are on the rise.

 

[foxfire]

Yeah, there has been a lot of water quality improvement projects in Westmoreland. Agreed that the mink are very social, seemed totally accepting of my presence!!

 

[Keith]

I watched a mink on fishing creek Saturday walking the bank with a trout in mouth....quite I site. I see them often.

 

[Van_Cleaver]

My mother's koi have been disappearing and we suspect a mink is the culprit. (SEPA) No luck with the traps yet, but thinking of trying a game camera just to verify.

 

[wgmiller]

When mink coats and clothing articles were big, what was the source of the fur (other than a mink, of course!)?

 

[troutwilleatflies]

Several years ago I saw how curious a Mink can be.I was fishing at the upstream end of the Manchester hole on Walnut Creek in Erie county and there was this Mink that just kept running back and forth on the private opposite bank from where I and others were fishing.He would stop and stamp his feet in what we took as frustration in seeing the Steelhead we were playing with,I felt like throwing one his way!

 

[jifigz]

I see carnivorous mammals like mink all of the time along the Juniata. Now my question is how do I differentiate the difference between a mink and any other similar species of weasel like critters that may be prowling the area?

 

[PhilC]

I saw a mink earlier this week on the weber river in Utah. It was all black...apparently this area used to be big on mink farms, I assume this guy was an escapee or descendant of

 

[Acristickid]

Saw a mink on Penns 2 days in a row between tunnel road tressel bridge and Ingelby.

Also , see on one on Yellow at the red bank hole.

Last nite as I was sitting on a log , hole watching for sulphurs , something popped into the water just a few feet away. I think it was a rate because it had a long skinny tail but could have been a muskrat but it was close to Barre so...

 

[RyanR]

Mink are pretty common, you might not always see them but they're found along many of our trout streams, especially in NE and NC Pennsylvania. If you're quiet enough and observant, you'll begin to see them more and more as you flyfish. They're dark brown to even almost black, especially appearing so if they're fur is still wet.

 

[Cold]

Saw a mink on a Westmoreland stream 2 days ago myself, actually...as well as more snakes than I've ever seen on any other 1 single day of fishing in my life (all small, sub-24" snakes, mostly northern water snakes...one with a bluegill).

I think improving habitat has a lot to do with it (both directly affecting the mink as well as improving conditions for its favorite meals)...but I also think there's something to be said for a significantly reduced pressure form trapping. I really only know one person in my social circles who still traps regularly.

 

[STONEMAN]

Mink, otter muskrat....how can I tell which is which? I see them on the Breeches.