Meet Boof, the dog that catches fish

He doesn't have a licence. He doesn't wear waders. He doesn't even carry a rod. In fact, technically, he's probably a poacher.
But none of that stops Boof the dog from indulging in his favourite pastime - catching trout.
The 6-year-old French boxer knows the spots where spent trout like to hide and he shows no mercy, leaping into the Tongariro River to box them with his paws and eventually drag them into the riverbank.
Once landed, he takes them away to one of his secret spots for a dignified burial.
Boof's owner, Ross Baker of Tongariro River Motel, says Boof, who was rescued from cruel owners by an Auckland animal shelter, hated the river when he first came to Turangi.
But once he discovered it contained his favourite quarry, he was an instant convert.
Now Boof has become such a fan of fishing that he accompanies all the motel's guests when they head off on fishing expeditions. He is also an internet star, with photos and reports about Boof on the motel's website, including a sequence of photographs showing Boof's trout-fishing techniques.
Like most anglers, Boof's early fishing trips had limited success, and he soon learned it was safest to stand well clear of anglers' back casts.
"His few attempts at accompanying me fishing, he got hooked up," Ross said. After being caught on anglers' casts, Boof decided to prowl along the river's edges looking for spawned trout or fish that had recently been caught and released.
"He knows where the fish lie and he goes from spot to spot and he has a paddle around," Ross said. "If he finds a resting fish there, he plays soccer with them and he just whacks them from side to side and kicks them up on shore. Then he picks them up and takes them off and buries them."
Although Boof's best record in one day is two trout, the fish are safe from him in the winter months because the river water is just too cold. Fresh, healthy trout can also easily outrun him.
Boof's love of burying trout has meant that anglers on the river have to keep a close eye on their catches.
"The inevitable has happened that when he's found a fish that someone else has caught, he helps them out by going and burying it. So we always keep some decent fish in the freezer as compensation in case it happens."
Ross said Boof was popular with guests and people often came to the motel especially to meet Boof and take photos of him with their children.
"We have guests who come here and the first question is 'where's Boof?' And there's people who call in just to meet Boof, because he's featured so many times on our website. He thinks he's a celebrity."
 Ross said most of the local fishermen knew and liked Boof and many would call out to him as he goes on his daily walks. "The main growls we get are when he takes someone else's fish."