Yesterday two young men, probably in their late teens, were fishing in Belle Isle's Nashua Canal. I asked if they were catching anything and they said they had each caught a couple of bass. They explained that the bass hid under the roots and logs at the edges of the creek. One of them said, hopefully, "there are also pike in the canal". The other boy added, "Did you see that the swan had a fishing lure stuck in its bill. Yeah, it looks like someone hooked it and then cut the line."
I had walked past the Mute Swan, alone and swimming slowly, considered taking a photo but didn't. I didn't notice the fishing lure. With this new information I hustled back to see if I could see the fishing lure.
The swan's bill seems slightly opened, most likely, because of the lure. Every few feet it would shake its head slowly back and forth in its vain attempt to dislodge the lure. I wondered how long it had been like this. I thought the neck of the bird appeared to be skinny. Also, it's not my sloppy camera work that makes the swam appear to be listing to the left. This is how it was swimming. Most swans are paired up and nesting. This poor creature appeared miserable.
Earlier in the winter I saw a Herring Gull at the Humbug Marina with the same predicament. As with the gull, unfortunately this swan's prospects for survival are poor.
After photos I passed the fishermen and said, "good luck." I was twenty feet beyond, when one called out, "hey, just got a bass." I went back for photos.
The bass was about ten inches in length and appears to be a small-mouth bass. I should have asked. They would have known. I asked if the fish was big enough to keep. "Nah, we don't keep them. I'll just throw it back." My kind of fishermen.
This map is at the end of the Nashua Canal at the kayak portage. Everyone has their favorite place. This is mine. A true gem.
Addendum 05/02/2025
In the American Birding Podcast for May 1st, host Nate Swick and his guest panel Gabriel Foley, Frank Izaguirre and Purbita Saha reviewed the article titled: Angler perceptions of pelican entanglement reveal opportunities for seabird conservation on fishing piers in Tampa Bay by B. Alexander Simmons.
A very quick review: the article is an extensive study and review of anglers attitudes, perceptions and awareness about pelican entanglement in fishing gear and anglers confidence for knowing what to do if a pelican becomes entangled and opportunities for angler education. Hint: don't cut the line.
From the Florida Audubon: Fishermen's Tips for Releasing a Hooked Bird.
Finally, I found this mesmerizing fifteen minute You Tube video from Last Cast Adventures titled: What to do if you ACCIDENTALLY hook a BIRD - Cormorant.
Fifteen minutes might be a deterrent for some to take the time to watch but I watched the whole video and found it fascinating. I was struck by a few things. 1. The guy making the video is an earnest and skilled fisherman. 2. He was fishing alone from a kayak. He must have been wearing a GoPro camera. 3. He was persistent. 4. One needs to be careful. 5. I was struck by the fact that it is probably possible to intentionally hook a bird.
The comment that the young Belle Isle fisherman made to me "Yeah, it looks like someone hooked it and then cut the line" suggests that he knew the line should not have been cut. Until I heard the ABA podcast yesterday I didn't know this and would never have done this bit of research to educate myself. I have often been struck by some of the similarities between birding and fishing. People do both either alone or with companions. People have a variety of skill levels. Just as there are rules for responsible birding etiquette, there are also rules for responsible fishing etiquette. I doubt a single fisherman will review this blog entry (LOL), but hopefully birders will read down to the addendum. As I mention in the body of the post, this is the second time this year I have seen this.
Thanks to Nate Swick who suggested that this particular article be reviewed and presented on the American Birding Podcast.
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