Give Me Your Best Guess What Is Stealing Fish

[Jig]

Last week a friend of mine caught nine nice crappie, put them in a new wire basket, (Walmart wire basket with top and bottom spring loaded doors) and used a 10' piece of rope off end of dock. Basket is probably 8' under water. The dock is in cove with about 18' water depth.

Next morning only 3 fish in basket. Added five fish that morning. Now 8 fish in basket, wired the top and bottom hinged doors shut.

That afternoon, top flap is bent in, still wired, no fish or fish pieces in basket. Any ideas what is going on?

[smallmouths fight]

Last week a friend of mine caught nine nice crappie, put them in a new wire basket, (Walmart wire basket with top and bottom spring loaded doors) and used a 10' piece of rope off end of dock. Basket is probably 8' under water. The dock is in cove with about 18' water depth.

Next morning only 3 fish in basket. Added five fish that morning. Now 8 fish in basket, wired the top and bottom hinged doors shut.

That afternoon, top flap is bent in, still wired, no fish or fish pieces in basket. Any ideas what is going on?

[smallmouths fight]

I had that happen to me once,my problem was i had a hole in the basket,for real.Just a thought.

[Gavin]

Gotta be otters..either the 2 or 4 legged variety.

[MstStudent10]

The fish must be getting smarter!!! Oh gosh we're screwed now... How are we gonna fool em into biting now that their brains are growing rapidly????!!!!!

[Zach Beach]

It could be a big snapping turtle. I don't see otters down there very often. I did almost the same thing but had my crappie on a stringer. I went back later in the day to clean them and they were all gone.

[Ryno]

as seen on T.V....Piranhas!!!

[fishinwrench]

Racoon. Happens all the time.

[Stoneroller]

coon or more likely, otters. either are incredibly smart and more than capable of taking the fish from the basket. if it were a coon, i suspect you'd see scales and fish parts on the dock, but otters would leave almost no trace.

[G-ROD]

Coons...