Strange sight

[raywriter]

Today (10 Jan) I was driving on Railway Avenue in Gladstone near a small parking lot between 7th and 8th streets when I saw a large (30" plus) salmon laying on the ground. I got out and looked at it. It was not frozen, and seagulls had been picking at it. I could not tell if it had been dropped by an eagle, but I doubt it because it would have been heavier than the bird. This was a big fish! Anyone have any ideas how it got there? Have you seen anything like this previously? As a side note, the Bay de Noc Tackle Company (makers of the famous Swedish Pimple) is very close to where this fish was found. I know their lures attract a lot of fish, but this?

[jigginfins]

An eagle probably dropped it. Have seen what those great birds can do and its amazing the strength they have.

[raywriter]

I'm wondering though, how the eagle got the fish. Did an ice fisherman catch the salmon, leave it on the ice where it was later picked up by the bird? Not many salmon are taken through the ice but splake used to be here on LBDN. Or did the eagle catch it from open water near the Terrace or down near Escanaba? That would mean the fish was up near the surface where the bird could grab it. After grabbing the fish, the eagle would have had to fly to Gladstone with it, but if the nest was near there, that is probably where it would go.

[schmutzomatic 5000]

I watched an eagle fly with a 5-6lb. sucker and it had all it could do. Was a mature eagle also. But I also heard of a tree with a nest that blew down in a storm on the menominee river and the nest had 6 dog collars in it....