I am an awful person

[senkonate]

Hey guys-
I finally bit the bullet and got a fly rod, and got a few pointers from a friend. It's just something I've wanted to do for awhile now.

After work last night, I headed up the Provo Canyon, and started fly fishing right below the Diversion Dam. After an hour, and only one fish, I decided to try something else. So I set down the fly rod, and went to my trusty Provo River spinfishing setup- ultralight rod, and a 1/8 oz. rooster tail spinner with silver blade and chartruese tail.

On the second cast, I caught a monster in about 4 feet of water. I set the hook with power, and at first I thought it was a carp because of the sheer weight. Then it TOOK OFF underwater, nothing like a carp would do. My heart was racing! Did I have a huge brown? It took off towards the diversion dam, peeling off line faster than that little pole has ever experienced!

Then, just when I'm thinking how I'm going to play this monster fish. This cute little furry head pops up, and starts to whimper next to the dam.

I had caught a cute little (well, not so little) beaver or muskrat by the front paw.[:/] I immedietly let all the slack out. It got up on a rock, whimpered some more, and tried to figure out what the thing on it's paw was. I'm not sure what kind of animal it was. Had a big flat tail, and a flatter face. Poor thing.

All I could do was cut my line. Is there a DWR phone number I could call to let them know, and maybe someone with a net or way to catch them could help the animal?

I'm afraid bad fishing karma will be with me for a LONG time.
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[cat_man]

Probably a muskrat. There are beaver in that drainage, there are some beaver ponds up the south fork of the provo above vivian park, but beavers have a very wide flat tail.

Poor little guy. I wonder if the hook will work loose like it does in a fish?
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[Carp_Punisher]

[#505000]I don't know wether to laugh or feel bad for the critter [unsure]. That's kinda funny. I have a big soft spot for mammals, and especially birds which is why I just can't bring myself to hunt anymore (I'm no PETA freak though, more power to those of you who can hunt).[/#505000]
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[#505000]I'm guessing the hook will work loose, I wouldn't sweat it too much.[/#505000]
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[fairwayphilly]

I hooked a muskrat once, it was the best fight of my life for the 60 seconds it took him to completely spool me. Muskrats are small, 3-4 pounds with a long, round, hairless tail; like a rat. A beaver is much larger, 20 pounds or so, with a wide, flat hairless tail.
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Bad Karma....[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]That poor little creature probably crawled up on a rock and tried to pull that lure out with it's mouth and got hooked by another barb on the treble in the lip. He probably fell off the rock struggling and drowned because he couldn't swim in the "hogged tie" position he was in.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]And you thought you had bad karma for just hooking it! LOL![/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]All kidding aside, I don't think you need to worry about it too much.[/size][/black][/font]
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[Theekillerbee]

I personally wouldn't shed any tears over the little critter...of course I have no conscience, so take that for what it's worth. It may have been a mink or an otter, there are a few of them around here. A muskrat has a skinny tail, so it likely wasn't one of them. Mink are mean as heck, and if you would have tried to wrangle him, he would have tore you to shreds, then you would have had to go through a series of rabies shots, and take antibiotics for a while....lots of fun! The hook will likely work itself out and the little dude will live on.
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[kidsnme]

The poor little thing. I am sure that it got wrapped up in the fishing line crawled in it hole where it will die a slow and painful death.

Bad Fishing Carma will be haunting you for a very long time my friend.


Seriously now I would not worry about. Before you know it some tree huggin nature lover will soon be floating down the river on a tube see the poor helpless creature and will start a petition to ban all fishing on the river to help the survival of all of the little creatures in the river[]
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[polokid]

BLM I guess you like me better than a muskrat!!![cool] It wasnt even you that hooked me with a treble and you took the time to make sure I was ok!!![]
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I have a weakness for helping the mentally challenged... [/size][/black][/font]
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[Hellsangler69]

I bet it was a beaver . Lots of them in the lower section . They scare the hell out of me at night fishing when the slap there tail in the water but a cougar can raise the hair on your back too . There are also some huge carp in there just for your info . Try a mouse pattern at dusk .
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[UTBASS]

Hey nate-dog,

That's what you get for fishing for trout. HA HA HA![]

Hey buddy, I hooked one once. I reeled him in and held him down with my shirt ... clipped the hook and watched him swim off.
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