New fishing buddy

This one spent 15 minutes going back and forth rubbing his back on my kayak. Trying to see what I had in the bait bucket. 15 or 20 more around, but this guy was really curious. Day before had one 10 or 11′ long next to me. Bunch of bubbles came up. Smelled like someone threw a cow pie in my face. Really cool to hang out with them. Too bad they can’t take the cold. They are dying off, do to lack of vegetation from too much fresh water in the gulf. I know some lakes back home they could fatten up.

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One of my coworkers spends a couple weeks each February in Florida staying with her sisters. She has been sending us pictures of the manatees and even swimming with the porpoises.

EEEEP! 😍 Oh wow, that is super cool!! I would totally want to pet him!

This is really neat. Thank you for sharing. Fishing the River, all I seem to get are snakes that seem to want in my boat from time to time. lol. I guess I have had a very curious Otter or two also.

That’s fricking cool. I have never seen one in the wild but have always wanted to. Such gentle giants!

They are such cool creatures. My wife would go crazy to get this close to one of them. Sad that so many of them get injured by boat props. Now they also have a problem with the cold. Poor things can’t seem to catch a break.

That is awesome, so cool. Did you feed him any minnows

Think they are strictly herbivores. I fought myself on bringing a boat or the kayak. Some places I’d love to go that are out of reach pedaling. But the kayak goes shallow way better. Plus, the manatees and Dolphins are often more curious of the kayak than scared. I’ve been bumped by both checking me out. Think the pedal fins are natural to their environment.

Otis brought a buddy to check out the bait bucket today. There were over 20 in the canal today. Hope the water warms soon so they can go Noth where the grass is more plentiful.

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Here is a picture of the prop rash Thumper spoke of. Alot of them have it to one degree or another. Couldn’t get this one far enough away to get to his other side for a better picture.

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Going to Ft Myers in April and hope to bump into a few of these guys! Thanks for sharing!!!

“Florida cold” here again today, only around 60. Good warm up coming tomorrow. Saw a guy yesterday with winter coat and gloves, it was 62. The Manatees need to get out to find grass to eat. They have been losing some to starvation. Unfortunately, the better grass beds are farther north where it warms later. If you’re driving and have extra time. Crystal River area is a great place to see them. 3 sisters Spring has a boardwalk around it. If it’s still cold they stack in there. Otherwise look for canals or river that are spring fed. Springs run 72 to 74 degrees all year. The gulf is still very low 60s.
I was unhooking a Hardhead Catfish yesterday. Having a heck of a time getting the circle hook loose. Looked over and about a 10 to 12’er was watching with his nose about a foot from the fish. Then another went under the yak and scraped the rudder with his back and spooked. Kayak went straight up about a foot when he took off. Looked like something on cartoons.