I was fishing for brown trout in the Provo (UT) river one year and I was fishing with the current (bubble bobber) I put the fish that I had already cought on a line stringer (through the gills type) I had the fish in the water and the sharp end of the stringer in the shore with a rock over it.

I was about 50yds down river in a very shallow and winding area pretty high up. I was only about 20yds in a straight line from my fish. The whole time I was fishing I had the feeling something was watching me, kinda un-nerving. Well I decided to get the heck out of there and I went back to get my fish. Well they were GONE! and all I saw was cougar prints all around. I followed them for about 100 yds and I could tell that he had been on my trail for some time.

I guess I was glad I had cought fish that day or it might have been me he'd gone after. I never went into the back country again without a sidearm after that.