Eric, did you happen to get a bodyweight on that otter? That's a very impressive catch and wild that it was your first one ever.

Congrats

Excellent tofan That's the Biggest otter you ever caught and you should be proud However if you skin and flesh it you won't be hungry at least for otter

Thanks man, yeah he is still in the freezer, one of these days. I did just get some of these 440 RGBs, and HOLY (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman). These things could crush a bear, although I will say the springs on them were easier to set than I thought, but I might just be used to setting the conibear springs at this point. Hopefully I can follow up with some more otter or beaver action, although these (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) beaver are either smart because i'm dumb, or beaver are just naturally smart, IDK probably the first one!

Ryan, I didn’t weigh him but he was very heavy. I carried him almost a mile back to the truck and by that point he felt like 500 pounds. Just guessing he was probably in the upper 30’s. Funny story I shared the pic with a friend of mine who showed it to his dad, his dad said it was a mink that there were no otters in our part of Virginia. Eric

Tofan I hope you didn’t think I was trying to put down your otter, because that was not my intention, I don’t catch a lot of otters I just wanted to share mine on your post. No trying to hijack your thread. Eric

Eric you are good brother! The more otter, the merrier man is how I see it. I loved seeing that huge guy, I mean who doesn't like a nice swoll up otter, haha. I hope one day to catch one of that size, Thats a great point about carrying back to the truck, I have been pondering a bit on how some of you guys carry the catches back if you are walking a line. I have my plan for water, but I do have a line on land that is quite a distance from the truck once you get to the end. Thanks man, name is Matt too btw.

Thanks Matt. I purchased a cheap sled this year to deal with my small water line because I have to walk all of it . It’s been really nice pulling the sled with traps and critters instead of packing them out one at a time. Eric

I saw a roadkill otter about this size back when I was studying in Valdosta. Dude was massive!

Otters run big in Virginia for some reason. I have caught some big ones, or so I thought. An old hand of a trapper showed me one he caught. I had to check it to make sure it wasn't a sea otter! He said it weighed 35#. He never lied to me before or since, so I believed him.
I did break his heart one day though. I caught a 75# beaver weighed on official scales at the Bait Barn. His best was 73#.
He called me a bad name. Several actually, in uncommon combinations, as he was retired Navy. I miss that ole coot.

tofan really nice catch ,they are something when you walk up and see it in your trap. I have taken a couple over 30 lbs with my largest tipping the scale at 35.
Here is two from this season 27 lbs and 30 .
I have eaten a couple of my first to say I gave it a go. Cut the backstraps off and fried with salt and pepper. Wasn't much flavour and kinda stringy . IF I was hungry I wouldn't hesitate to eat another one.
Again congrats on the catch .

I picked that otter up and skint him. Wonder why no one else stopped and got him. Lol!

I live 20 miles from Valdosta. Lots of otter around here ...and some bigguns too.

Every time I dump nuisance catch otters in the field, they are there for weeks. Beaver and coons are gone immediately. Apparently otter tastes bad even to buzzards.

Ask Steve Hardy down in De Ridder, La. He'll give you a good idea.

Crazy, thats where I live! I'll have to give him a ring this week.

Ain't it a small, small world ?!!!