Otter Water

Day 110: Mineral Lake is one of the more popular fishing destinations in the area surrounding Mt. Rainier and even hosts a Fishing Derby on Opening Day, an overpopulated event locals know to avoid. The lake is stocked heavily by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, a circumstance the River Otters have learned to turn to their advantage. One has only to sit for an hour or so on the shore to appreciate what efficient fisherfolk these sleek creatures are. You seldom see them dive without coming back to the surface with a nice trout. In the time these two passed from the boat ramp to the public dock a few hundred feet to the south, they each had most certainly caught what would be a human's legal limit, devouring the evidence as they swam along. But there must be plenty to go around, because I seldom come home from Mineral without my allotment of five as well!