Eagles in trees

morganic

Well-Known Member
so at the Bamfield Derby last summer an old timer I was chatting to said that if there were Eagles in the trees in the area you were fishing the place was holding fish.
I've spent about 3 weeks fishing Bamfield so far and have paid attention to this. I'm beginning to think there might be something to this as I've seemed to hook up more when this is the case. has anyone ever heard this theory or observed something similar or you think it's buddy's superstition or maybe an old tale.
tia capt mo
 
Notably at Nootka, eagles will sit in a tree and watch you troll by. As you go around a point they will fly down further to another perch and watch you troll by again. This goes on for an hour or so until they realize you aren't going to be feeding them. Without fanfare, they fly off to some other spot likely muttering, "dumbass, I could have done better on mine own"
 
Eagles are opportunistic, as Ned pointed-out and not stupid, neither. Garbage @ landfill sites, ducks, herons, Eulachons, eelgrass beds @ low tide, discarded by-catch and even fresh-birthed seal pups will attract them.
 
The eagles are getting incredibly close to boats this year.
When I was a kid it was considered amazing to simply see one in Barclay.
Last weekend, one came so close as I was releasing a cod that it's wing tip actually brushed my wife.
Scared the *$% out of us! We should have had a GoPro filming!
 
They are quite the little ###hole too. They sit in the trees by the house and wait for the herons to catch a bait fish and then chase the heron so they can eat the catch of the day. It seems to work. Not sure about the predictor of good fishing though. Our bay is pretty dead.
Eagles are opportunistic, as Ned pointed-out and not stupid, neither. Garbage @ landfill sites, ducks, herons, Eulachons, eelgrass beds @ low tide, discarded by-catch and even fresh-birthed seal pups will attract them.
 
A few years back before the Rock Fish moratorium we were jigging rockfish and ling cod so fast we were taking them off the hook and tossing them to the rear transom until we reached our limit and we actually had a bald eagle drop in and snatch a nice Irish Red out of the boat. I never heard of this story however have always made a point to drop a line in an area where eagles are as long as the areas are open. Last year when we were cleaning fish at Island West one of the guest cleaning his catch at the cleaning table was cut by a young bald eagle talons that was trying to snatch scraps from the table.
 
Growing up in Ukee I am definitely quite use to them being around. I haven’t heard of this before but it definitely makes a bit of sense. But from experience eagles do like an easy meal. Like others have said a lot of them will wait for you to give them a fish or for a a fish that you threw back to stay on the surface long enough for them to snatch it up. Much like seals like to do. Or wait for the dinner bell ring of the reel to go off so they know there free meal is on the end of your line.

When I was a Kid my buddy and I would fish for rockfish quite regularly at the 7knot sign. The one as you enter ukee’s mouth of the harbour. We got nick named the blue canoe kids as that’s what we were fishing out of. Quite often we would have multiple eagles on the other side in the trees just waiting for us to give them a fish. Usually when the princess boats would come in from there morning trips. The captains would surround us and I would jig up a fresh rock fish. Then I would whistle for an eagle to come in. As soon as I would start eagle calling one would swoop down and start coming for us. When the eagle got about 20-15ft away from me I would throw the rockfish up in the air about 10ft. The eagle grabbed the rock fish out of mid flight and fly off with it. The Guests and captains seemed loved it and it became a regular thing for a while.
 
working on the dock last week neighbour, i put my pepperoni stick on the rail, turned to grab my drink and our local buzzard sunk the talons.. good bye snack.
 
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