As exciting as the leap, to me, is how two otters surface simultaneously.The pond might be as deep as ten feet there, probably at least six feet deep, so this may well be the deepest water these otter pups have fished in. And the otters seem to come up empty.

The best otter studies have been made in relatively clear deep water found in favored otter areas like the North Sea off Scotland or Prince William Sound in Alaska. And one can nicely visualize an otter working a trout stream, or enjoy the Yellowstone otters getting huge fish in thermally heated pools during the winter. Fish behavior in beaver ponds seems to be more of a mystery. There is no flow and often, especially when beavers are active, neither man nor otter will see very far when swimming under water. My impression is that otters, unlike people, approach the task of fishing in ponds without any biases. They don't invariably go to the shallow areas, or clumps of grass, or behind the dam or around the lodge. Otters generally work a pond by going every where. Ponds a few acres large already concentrate the fish enough and any otter has the energy to thoroughly comb a beaver pond. At times a goup of otters can make a pond boil as they fish as a team. Turn the page and be glad you are not a fish in a pond with six otters: page22

Here is a rough guide to the video clips in the video book.