Yeah, had this happen one night on John's Lake. No ice house. Just a lantern standing on a bucket in the middle of our set up, and mink were in a circle all around us, just at the edge of the light. Not like we were surrounded, but there were probably 6 or 7. Sneaky bastages. they got a couple perch from us before we started putting them in the bed of the truck.
I wonder though, if we legally could replace a walleye that was stolen by an animal. I know that if you give a fish to another fisherman, it has to count in your limit but..
Or for that matter, what about a bird or turtle eating fish off of a stringer. Lost fish both of those ways too.