Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

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verdecove
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by verdecove »

Not sure if any of you guys ever have fished at nights with alligators being close.

Now, I'm living in SE Texas and I'm very aware of we do have alligators around here and I have seen them before and we never had seen them so close to get an uncomfortable feeling.

But last weekend we were fishing at smaller lake at nights where we never have been before, well knowing there are some alligators, and by the time when it was really dark and the only light source we had was a couple small lanterns and the moon, we saw the red eyes showing up on the water surface. And some of them were diving down just to show up a few feet closer to the shore line again. Most of those gators were about 4 foot long I would say and are usually no threat at all. They are usually more scared of human than what we are scared of them but then some 6-8ft++ "gator daddies and mommies" showed up and they came close to about 15ft from the shore line. :-3 This was a little too close for our comfort, especially since our friends had their 11-13 year old kids with them and we didn't carry any guns with us. And so we decided to call it off and fish again next morning, when we really could see well whats creeping up. But we only have seen two smaller ones next morning and they were pretty far away from the shore.

I still would like to mention, gators can run up to 20mph with their short legs. Pretty fast, huh?

So, how would you have acted? Would you have kept fishing? Does anybody have any experience with gators being around at nights?
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LarsMac
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by LarsMac »

You were smart to call it a day.

An 11 year old would look just like dinner to one that size.

Gators grab their prey and will drag them under water, and drown the prey, then stash it under a hollow in the shoreline where it can "ferment" for a while.

Size is not really that important. I saw a 4 foot gater take a rather large deer into the water, once.



If you can't see them, and you're not on a boat, you shouldn't be near the water.
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DrLeftover
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by DrLeftover »

I have fished and crabbed with them, and snakes, stingrays, and other critters around.

On bayous in Mississippi, and recently in a freshwater lake in Florida.

I just always check whats in the water, both in the daytime and at night, before I get close to it.

No problem.
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southern yankee
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by southern yankee »

living in la. in the atchafalaya basin. it is the norm. i don't intrude. they have bigger teeth then i do!!
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Kathy Ellen
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by Kathy Ellen »

DrLeftover;1329894 wrote: I have fished and crabbed with them, and snakes, stingrays, and other critters around.

On bayous in Mississippi, and recently in a freshwater lake in Florida.

I just always check whats in the water, both in the daytime and at night, before I get close to it.

No problem.


Hi Doc,

Can't the gaters appear suddenly though?

My friends moved to the northwestern part of Florida. They're into kayaking and want me to go kayaking in the Gulf near their home.....they have gaters in that area...oy vey....I can just imagine me falling out the the kayak and then being eaten by a croc:wah:

Has anyone read the book "Hold My Hand, I'm dying?" There's a scary scene where a croc grabs someone and brings him down for the death roll...dragging him over and over and then.....oy vey...There's a movie out by this name, but not sure it's based on the book....must look it up.
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LarsMac
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by LarsMac »

Kathy,

They only appear suddenly because you didn't see that the log floating nearby has eyes.

They are sneaky. The can float, totally still, just moving their hind legs under the water to get into position, and then, suddenly they have their prey in their jaws.

most of the time, an adult human is fairly safe, as it would take a rather large one to be dangerous. But children are another story.

I have fished and hunted around 'gators a lot. You just have to be aware of your surroundings.

Crocs are more aggressive, and more dangerous.

Fortunately, you don't run into many in the US.
The home of the soul is the Open Road.
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southern yankee
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by southern yankee »

LarsMac;1330148 wrote: Kathy,

They only appear suddenly because you didn't see that the log floating nearby has eyes.

They are sneaky. The can float, totally still, just moving their hind legs under the water to get into position, and then, suddenly they have their prey in their jaws.

most of the time, an adult human is fairly safe, as it would take a rather large one to be dangerous. But children are another story.

I have fished and hunted around 'gators a lot. You just have to be aware of your surroundings.

Crocs are more aggressive, and more dangerous.

Fortunately, you don't run into many in the US. but they sure are YUMMY!!!!!!!!
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Kathy Ellen
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by Kathy Ellen »

LarsMac;1330148 wrote: Kathy,

They only appear suddenly because you didn't see that the log floating nearby has eyes.

They are sneaky. The can float, totally still, just moving their hind legs under the water to get into position, and then, suddenly they have their prey in their jaws.

most of the time, an adult human is fairly safe, as it would take a rather large one to be dangerous. But children are another story.

I have fished and hunted around 'gators a lot. You just have to be aware of your surroundings.

Crocs are more aggressive, and more dangerous.

Fortunately, you don't run into many in the US.


Thanks for responding to my post Lars.

I think that when I visit my friends in Florida, I'll go out on a boat but not in a kayak. Seriously, that scares the shyte out of me that crocs are in salt water. I thought they were only in fresh water. I know better now. They scare me as much as sharks do.
fuzzywuzzy
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by fuzzywuzzy »

you guys have alligators and we have crocs ...anyone stupid enough to ignore signs have no sympathy from me . It might be okay in a boat, but why in gods name would you sit on the shores of an infested river? Is national geographic asking for human stories?
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Kathy Ellen
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by Kathy Ellen »

fuzzywuzzy;1330163 wrote: you guys have alligators and we have crocs ...anyone stupid enough to ignore signs have no sympathy from me . It might be okay in a boat, but why in gods name would you sit on the shores of an infested river? Is national geographic asking for human stories?


We have both alligators and crocodiles here in Florida Mags...

I won't be going into waters with crocs nearby...It's bad enought we have so many shark sightings this summer on my beach in Noo Joisey:wah:
southern yankee
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by southern yankee »

fuzzywuzzy;1330163 wrote: you guys have alligators and we have crocs ...anyone stupid enough to ignore signs have no sympathy from me . It might be okay in a boat, but why in gods name would you sit on the shores of an infested river? Is national geographic asking for human stories?fried gator is great!!
fuzzywuzzy
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by fuzzywuzzy »

i"ve eaten Croc and it really does taste a bit like chicken / fish. so if you like both then your'e well taken care of.
K.Snyder
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Would you be fishing with alligators being close?

Post by K.Snyder »

verdecove;1329659 wrote: Not sure if any of you guys ever have fished at nights with alligators being close.

Now, I'm living in SE Texas and I'm very aware of we do have alligators around here and I have seen them before and we never had seen them so close to get an uncomfortable feeling.

But last weekend we were fishing at smaller lake at nights where we never have been before, well knowing there are some alligators, and by the time when it was really dark and the only light source we had was a couple small lanterns and the moon, we saw the red eyes showing up on the water surface. And some of them were diving down just to show up a few feet closer to the shore line again. Most of those gators were about 4 foot long I would say and are usually no threat at all. They are usually more scared of human than what we are scared of them but then some 6-8ft++ "gator daddies and mommies" showed up and they came close to about 15ft from the shore line. :-3 This was a little too close for our comfort, especially since our friends had their 11-13 year old kids with them and we didn't carry any guns with us. And so we decided to call it off and fish again next morning, when we really could see well whats creeping up. But we only have seen two smaller ones next morning and they were pretty far away from the shore.

I still would like to mention, gators can run up to 20mph with their short legs. Pretty fast, huh?

So, how would you have acted? Would you have kept fishing? Does anybody have any experience with gators being around at nights?


There's absolutely no answer to this other than to never do anything you aren't 100% comfortable and knowledgeable in doing. A philosophy of mine is that if you're 100% knowledgeable about something you produce 0% error.

While in previous years I'd suggest go to the fish market being so close to an obviously formidable one next to the Gulf but sadly that's not a true statement anymore.

Stay away from the water at night. The alternative is to get excellent health insurance that covers prosthetic limbs and perhaps a casket so that others wouldn't have to spend the money in the event you'd die from fishing.
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