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Ice Fisher in Minnesota Gets a Surprise Visitor While Trying to Catch Fish

The Great Lakes region of the US is frigid this time of year, and many of its residents tend to hunker down and wait out the worst of the cold. However, some more outdoorsy types are actually emboldened by the winter weather. In Minnesota, winter is the perfect time for engaging in a particular seasonal sport: ice fishing!

But humans aren't the only ones going ice fishing. Minnesotan ice fisher @mostly.puppy.toks was joined on a recent excursion by an unexpected guest!

Well hello there! That certainly doesn't look like any fish we've ever seen before! Of course, that's no fish- that's a muskrat, a native resident of Minnesota's wetlands. This little guy was probably surprised by the ice fisher's intrusion into his Lake Plantagenet home, and wanted to see what was up! That, or he was gauging how many fish he could steal away from the fishing line! 

This was no freak occurrence, however. Curious muskrats are known to make frequent visitors to ice fishers throughout the region. There's nothing fishers love more than spinning a good yarn, and many of them joined in the comments section with their muskrat-themed fishing tales.

"Had one push past my tip up and sit on the ice with me for awhile . Must have been swimming a long time," @steveerickson07 shared a charming story of being joined by an unexpected companion. Not all fishers handled their sudden visitors as calmly, though. "Had it happen at night once... my buddy just about went through the side of the house," @mnrowcropfarmer amusingly recounted. Just when you've settled in to a peaceful night of fishing... Boo! Muskrat jumpscare! LOL!

Besides, muskrat guests are not always the most gracious. Fellow ice fisher @qackmasterjake was once the victim of a truly heinous crime perpetrated by one: "Totally had one pull a a bag of Cheetos down the hole one year." We can imagine that muskrat's thought process for ourselves: "Take my fish, will you? Well I'm taking your Cheetos!"

A muskrat may not be the kind of creature you'd expect to reel in on a fishing trip, but in Minnesota, it's always a possibility! If nothing else, at least it makes for a great story- and after all, isnt storytelling the best part of fishing? 

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