Most winters Steve Dumonksi, of Sioux Lookout, Ont., Ice fishes with a buddy or two, or alone. However this winter, issues are slightly completely different, as he now shares his ice tent with a river otter he named Dwight.

Dumonksi mentioned he first met Dwight a number of weeks in the past when the otter made an sudden look.

“It was afternoon, and I had two walleyes sitting underneath my legs within the hut,” Dumonski mentioned. “The following factor I do know is he was dragging this walleye between the flats and the sled, scared me very a lot.”

Dumonski mentioned he watched the otter flee to an island along with his fish.

About six days later Dumonski returned and Dwight was again. The fisherman mentioned the otter was younger, presumably two years previous.

Though he named him Dwight, Dumonski mentioned he was unsure the otter was male, however that identify got here to thoughts.

Dumonski mentioned he was additionally uncertain why Dwight had chosen him up to now him, however the otter seems to have included the fisherman’s tent in his dwelling vary.

“I feel he might have marked my hut or the blanket for it as a result of he was rolling over it exterior after consuming,” Dumonski mentioned. “So I do not know if he is catching wind as a result of the final time I used to be on the shore, most likely half a mile and he was going for the common spot. And the opposite guys mentioned he simply bought up. nostril, stopped and made a straight line. to my hut. “

A part of the draw for Dwight often is the plentiful provide of minnows that Dumonski has available.

He mentioned Dwight had grown used to utilizing the fisherman’s minnow bucket and had an urge for food for small fish.

“The day he ate 27 lifeless on the ice. After which he got here in my bucket and I ended counting to 6 dozen and he got here again for extra.”

Dumonski mentioned he’s trapping his personal bait, in any other case Dwight “wouldn’t be allowed within the bucket”.

Though Dwight began out slightly shy, he turned slightly extra comfy within the hut. Lately the otter ate a big herring that Dumonski had deliberate to make use of as bait, then fell asleep and took a nap within the hut.

Dumonski mentioned the otter additionally likes to play in ice fishing holes, however all the time involves the hut on the ice.

He wonders if Dwight is slightly afraid to dive into the opening.

“He is nonetheless going across the gap and he’ll have a drink and stuff,” Dumonski mentioned. “He’ll stick like a 3rd of his physique within the gap and go searching after which he’ll go up and kind of chew on the perimeters. Like I feel he needs to go swimming there. However I do not know. there isn’t a belief or what. “