SLIDELL - A family rescued what they thought was a dog while fishing on Lake Pontchartrain over the weekend.

When they got close to the animal though, they learned they had happened across a coyote swimming three miles out in the lake.

Juliette Keller Velthouse said they were able to get the animal into a net. Her brother then piloted the boat to shore before the coyote went on its way, according to Velthouse.