Bryan Esbaugh and his 15-year-old son, Wyatt, were fishing for smallmouth bass on Ponhook Lake in Queens County, N.S., when they unintentionally caught a bald eagle. Wyatt, who used to feed bass to birds while fishing with friends, noticed the eagle trailing them around the lake and speculated that it might be waiting for them to catch a fish to locate the fish in the water.
The eagle followed them for about thirty minutes, skimming the water for breakfast. During its final sweep of the lake, the eagle swooped down, snatching their fishing lines and lures before flying away. The eagle became entangled in the fishing line, causing it to crash in the middle of the lake and flail around.
Observing the eagle struggling, Bryan and Wyatt approached it in their boat and discovered that one hook was stuck in its beak while another was caught in its foot. Wyatt carefully pulled the eagle out of the water and onto the boat. Despite being cautious due to its large claws and weight of around 25 pounds, they managed to get the eagle safely on board.
Upon reaching the dock, the eagle accidentally fell back into the lake and drifted away. Quickly reacting, Wyatt steered the boat, guided the eagle to shore, wrapped it in a towel, and held it down. Working together, they removed the hooks from the bird.
Dr. Jessica Rock, a veterinarian at the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, mentioned that while it is common to treat birds entangled in fishing gear, this particular incident was unique. She commended Bryan and Wyatt for their efforts and recommended reaching out to the Department of Natural Resources for future entanglements to ensure the best outcome for the animal.
Despite the challenging situation, the eagle eventually regained its freedom. Bryan humorously named it the “Canadian White-Headed Lake Raptor” as a playful nod to a previous event involving a renaming attempt.