Amazing Angler

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

Fishing tales

When my bosom friend Kuzmich and I went on business to his brother Mikhail, a well-known fisherman in the district, Kuzmich, probably wishing to whet my interest in the visit, warned:

- You will see and learn something interesting …

As we walked, every now and then, falling into the loose November slushy snow, I thought that every real angler will always have stories about his fishing exploits. But it happens that they are not always truthful. Despite my solid life and fishing experience, my friends do not consider me a real angler, and here's why.

Many years ago, when I returned from the lakes in Karelia, where I had been fishing for the whole vacation, when I was asked what was the biggest fish I caught, I answered:

- Pike 2 kilograms and 200 grams, - and for clarity, spread his arms sixty centimeters.

“No, you're not a real fisherman,” the friends laughed, “because a real fisherman would stretch his arms out to the sides to the full length, and even add half a meter. Here, they say, what you got!"

I wonder what I will hear and see this time? After all, Kuzmich promised a surprise.

Meanwhile, we got to Mikhail's house. He came out to meet us and after mutual greetings invited us into the house, where he immediately sat us down at the table.

“If you, according to your brother, are an avid fisherman, then I ask you to taste the freshest fried trout,” Mikhail said, looking at us with a smile.

- How do you find her under the ice now? I asked.

- It was not he who caught the fish, but his son-in-law Anton from Karelia, - Kuzmich replied instead of Mikhail and, after a pause, added: - And Anton is caught by an otter!

- How's the otter? - I even choked with surprise.

“And in fact the fish is caught by a trained otter,” Mikhail confirmed.

- Miracles, and more! - I could not resist and was curious: - How did he manage to overcome the natural instinct of the beast-hunter. After all, in nature, the otter feeds exclusively on fish?

- My son-in-law is a veterinarian and knows how to handle different animals, - Mikhail explained, and with a gesture of his hand inviting us to treat ourselves to another piece of fried trout, he continued: - I must say that it is very difficult to train otters, in fact it is a whole science, although the main thing, of course, perseverance and patience. But Anton, as you can see, is coping.

And this is what he said … Only a small otter is suitable for taming. Moreover, at first you need to wear it in your bosom so that the muzzle is under the armpit (it is there that a person has the strongest smell). Hunters have long known that any young animal that is treated in this way, even those belonging to a poorly tamed species - wolf cubs, fox cubs, quickly become attached to their owner.

The owner should always feed the otter himself: first with milk, then with milk and bread, and finally, he teaches the animal to eat boiled vegetables, such as are usually eaten. The otter gradually gets used to what surrounds him: both to people and to animals.

When the animal is strong enough, it needs to be trained in the same way as a dog. And, above all, it is necessary to accustom him to the chosen nickname and make him go to the whistle. Growing up, the otter easily understands the meaning of a nickname, a whistle and quickly gets used to wearing a diarrhea (a diarrhea is an object that a trained dog carries in its teeth). And, perhaps, the most important thing at this stage of training: the otter should never, in any way, be fed with fish. She doesn't have to know her taste.

When the otter will unquestioningly follow all the commands of the owner, you can start training it in the water. First, get out of the water and bring the owner various objects thrown into the water or get them from the bottom. Moreover, after each diarrhea, the animal must be caressed and encouraged with a tasty morsel of food.

When they are sufficiently trained in the delivery of objects from the water, they begin to throw live fish - at first barely alive, and then quite nimble. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the animal brings the fish thrown to it, not crumpled. Each time after successfully completing such a task, the animal must be generously rewarded. When this very important part of the training is completed, you can begin to teach him to bring fish, not abandoned, but living in the water.

- Well, then everything is simple, - Mikhail continued, - Anton goes with an otter to the river, there he finds or makes an ice-hole. The otter dives into it, looks for wintering pits-pools, catches fish in them and delivers it to the owner. That's how they fish,”he finished.

Mikhail's story seemed incredible enough, I would even say - fantastic. However, the fried trout that we enjoyed was a testament to this amazing story.