# East Canyon Thief



## hattrick (Aug 29, 2011)

I had Monday off (thank you Columbus), so I decided to take the wife on a drive to see the fall colors. It had been since spring since we had been up to East Canyon so that was the destination for the day. My wife is very much in the last weeks of pregnancy so I knew that finding a spot to fish where there would be a bathroom and an easy walk was going to be a bit tricky but I decided to bring the fishing poles anyways. As luck would have it when we got to the reservoir she was ready for a nap. I pulled over by the dam and cracked the windows for her and told her I would be back in an hour or so.

Instead of hiking around the shoreline to find a place to fish I decided that with my limited time I would fish the rocky outcropping by the buoys. The water was clear and as I approached the water I spotted some monster bass. Game on. I threw everything I had in my box at them. I had some solid hits but couldn’t keep them on long enough to get them to shore. After a while I decided to throw out my second pole with some powerbait to see if I could catch my dinner for the evening. While my game of cat and mouse was going on with the bass, I kept hearing pebbles falling down the rock outcropping behind me. When I finally stopped fishing to see what was back there, to my surprise I saw a jet black mink. He was sitting in the sun watching me fish. I watched him for a minute then got back to fishing. Next thing I know my powerbait pole bends and its fish on. I reeled in a pretty rainbow that would make a fine dinner. The mink had the same though. As soon as I had the trout off my line and had set him down to grab a stringer, the mink pounced. It wasn’t long before the mink was sitting on a sunny rock up the outcropping a ways eating what appeared to be a tasty trout. 

That was the only fish landed for the afternoon because shortly after, it was time to find a bathroom for the wife. It was a fun trip and a great way to spend Columbus Day, even though trout didn’t make the menu for dinner.


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## muysauve (Jan 7, 2008)

I've seen those minks up there before trying to steal my fish, but they never were brave enough to take it right in front of me. It must have been pretty hunger.

Good times, pretty soon you'll have another fishing buddy congrats!!!


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Good to hear this was not another story of someone stealing from a vehicle. Sounds like the mink needed dinner more than you did.


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## Narient (Jan 9, 2011)

That'd be a sight. I'm sure the little fella was thankful for your investment in his survival.


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## BIGDADDY (Nov 13, 2010)

I think everyone that goes ice fishing has a story like this. I was at the berry and had caught a fish I was going to keep. I threw it over my shoulder. Next thing I know a golden eagle was making off with my catch. :shock:


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## 1morecast (Dec 6, 2007)

Geez! I got worried another car got broken into.... Be thankful it wasn't a trophy trout.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

I'm with orvis1 and 1morecast. Very glad to see that it wasn't another break-in.


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## 2litl2l8 (Jan 16, 2008)

I have had the same experiance but it was on the Provo right in the middle of Provo city. The little scoudrel did not even wait for me to shore my fish, he was in the water with the fish in his mouth as I was still hauling it in.


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## StillAboveGround (Aug 20, 2011)

Glad it was a "good" thief (if there is such a thing)...


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## billybob (Oct 27, 2008)

I was fishing a small creek along the wasatch front a couple years ago and I kept two small trout that were dangling from a stringer I had tied to my belt loop. I stopped hiking to take a rest on a large boulder. After about 10 mins. I felt something tugging on me, and lo and behold it was a brown weasel or mink trying to take one of my fish. I shoo'ed him off and he stood about 10 feet away, at which point I threw him one of my fish.


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## wingnutt (Jul 15, 2011)

I was fishing the Weber one time and had one follow me down stream for most day.


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Man that would suck to see an animal get away with a fish. So has the moss/agae problem gone away yet?


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