Fl Guys - How Do You Avoid Being Gators Lunch? 2024
68camaro reply :
Actually this is serious question.
I live in VA but was visiting a resort in central FL over weekend, they had a few ponds with manicured banks, but also had a couple secluded ponds with tall and matted grass around them. At the secluded pods I was afraid to get too close to waters edge because of alligator risk, so I cast from about 15' from water. I was with 12 yo daughter also who I had stay near jeep.
Because of concerns I didn't stay long at all. When shore fishing ponds in Florida, how do you avoid 'gators?
If you can stop laughing long enough tho answer I'd appreciate it:)
Choporoz reply :
You have to learn to dance like Capt Shane.
davecon reply :
Lived in Florida my entire life, almost 65 years.
Only 2 times a gator will mess with you:
1 - those that have been fed by people.
2 - mamas that have babies. They will warn you though.
Have NEVER had a problem.
It is exciting in the early summer during the mating season. Nothing quite like a 13 footer growling at the height of the season, but even then I have never been scared or frightened. They are just big lizards !
davecon reply :
Oh, and by the way, don't ever take a dog with you on or near the water. Dogs are to gators like ice cream is to fat women, just can't resist.
A-Jay reply :
A-Jay
chitura reply :
Don't feed the wildlife!!!! Feeding an alligator is no different than feeding a bear, or any other apex predator. When an animal associates humans and food, problems happen.
BassinLou reply :
On 11/3/2015 at 4:43 AM, davecon said:Lived in Florida my entire life, almost 65 years.
Only 2 times a gator will mess with you:
1 - those that have been fed by people.
2 - mamas that have babies. They will warn you though.
Have NEVER had a problem.
It is exciting in the early summer during the mating season. Nothing quite like a 13 footer growling at the height of the season, but even then I have never been scared or frightened. They are just big lizards !
^^^ This ^^^
The gator attacks that I have heard about, happened to people who actually swimming in the water. I have never heard of someone being attacked from shore. I have fished in South FL all my life and fortunately I have had 0 serious incidents with Gators. I respect their space and they tell me when to move on.... Lol!!
davecon reply :
When I was a kid we would swim at them, at least ones under 7 feet or so.
In my twenties a close friend would catch them, again up to about 7 feet, by jumping out of a little john boat right on top of em like a cowboy wrestling a steer. Just had to wrap your legs around their middle and grab the snout, which you can hold closed with one hand. Somehow somebody above was looking out for us and we never even got a scratch.
Point is, they are more afraid of you than you are of them.
Weld's Largemouth reply :
I don't think there is anyone here that can answer how they avoided being eaten by a gator.
68camaro reply :
Thanks all. I guess I worry about them stalking and charging. Fact is gator attacks, albeit rare, do happen and people have been attacked and killed close to or in shallow water per Wikipedia List of fatal gator attacks in US. Just like sharks in Atlantic, they are their and do attack but very rare.
If I go back I'll just be uber cautious.
On 11/3/2015 at 6:31 AM, davecon said:Point is, they are more afraid of you than you are of them.
Doubtful, very doubtful:)
davecon reply :
Interesting that you ask for input from Florida guys but seem to ignore it and go with Wikipedia.
We, myself and several other guys that live here that responded to your question, have been around them for decades but obviously we don't have a clue as to what we are talking about.
I'm sure that learning it out of a book beats living it !
Stay afraid, stay very afraid.
Bluebasser86 reply :
Not that I have a lot of experience with them, but the few times I've ever fished in Florida, the only ones that I was nervous around were the ones that people had been feeding. Those one's were not afraid at all and would actively try to follow anywhere I went. They never acted aggressively towards me, but I certainly had their attention. All the rest were kind of a "you mind your business, I'll mind mine", relationship.
68camaro reply :
On 11/3/2015 at 12:19 PM, davecon said:Interesting that you ask for input from Florida guys but seem to ignore it and go with Wikipedia.
We, myself and several other guys that live here that responded to your question, have been around them for decades but obviously we don't have a clue as to what we are talking about.
I'm sure that learning it out of a book beats living it !
Stay afraid, stay very afraid.
Dave, I apologize if I offended you. You and others were helpful and I planned to take your advice. I did a search on gator attacks only because I found the topic eerily fascinating, not because I doubted people who live there.
mplspug reply :
Stay out of the water and be aware. Quite frankly I would be more concerned with snakes who might be harder to detect and even seeing them is rare.
bigbassin' reply :
I feel like Florida alligators are over-hyped outside of the state. I can count the number I've seen living in ponds on one hand, and none were bigger than 4 feet. Just about every gator I've seen while fishing has come from rivers with some size to them like the St. John's, and non-private lakes. The real issue when shore fishing is snakes, as someone else already mentioned, or gators at really popular swimming holes that don't get spooked anymore.
geo g reply :
Over a 40 year period of hunting and fishing in south Florida nothing would surprise me. I have seen large snakes, large lizards, otters, lemurs out 41 at the Indian Property, big gators, a big coyote just west of Weston and 75, deer, a bear, wild turkey, and heard a large cat calling less then 100 yards away on a spoil bank island in the everglades. Wild gators will normally not bother you. They usually give you warning signs during the breeding season, when they become territorial. Stay out of the water especially from dusk to dawn and you will have no problem. With idiots releasing wildlife, anything is possible. They even found three Nile Crocks at the Spice Park in the Redlands, in South Florida. The gators are the least of your problems.
Evan K reply :
Isn't it crocodiles that do the stalking and attacking the shore? Do alligators do it as much?
BassinLou reply :
On 11/4/2015 at 5:57 AM, Evan K said:Isn't it crocodiles that do the stalking and attacking the shore? Do alligators do it as much?
Both species stalk. I have seen and heard gators attacking the bank after prey while fishing in the glades. However when it comes to man, on boats or the bank they don't approach often. However, all bets are off when people's unattended pets or little children approach the bank.
Borderline11 reply :
I'm a NJ / PA Guy, but have been down to fish Florida several times. Typically I head down for a few days with a guide, but I always bring a travel setup with me so that I can pond hop around Orlando before my flight out on the last day. I was shocked by how many ponds in industrial areas had gators in them. Almost all wanted nothing to do with me and would try to distance themselves. Echoing what others had already said, snakes were my greater concern which is why I picked up a pair of bite guards to wear over my boots. I actually was chased out of a grassy area by what looked like a sizeable one. Knowing what I do about snakes I doubt he was actually trying to attack me, but he was moving in my direction in a hurry, so I high tailed it out of there. I did have a large gator surface no more than 30 or 40 feet from me and start gurgling when I was in a 14ft john boat that made me a little uncomfortable. I kindly tipped my hat to the big fella and continued on my way.
soflabasser reply :
Been fishing Florida for decades and never had a problem with a Alligator except one time and that was 100% my fault.I was fishing less than 3 feet from a nest and the mama gator came out charging at me.I ran for safety while she just laid out on the dry land looking at me.Since then I don't fish near nest anymore.I have swam in canals before and can tell you from experience the small alligators are afraid of people.I always got out of the water when I saw them over 6 feet to be safe.Stay away from nest,don't feed them,and have common sense when fishing at night time.Its better to deal with these alligators than having to deal with the cold,oppressive winters you Northern guys have.
68camaro reply :
I am back in Orlando this weekend and I hired a guide for tomorrow afternoon on Lake Toho. i plan to buy a small travel setup tomorrow and hit some small ponds in morning. I'll be more comfortable fishing with info given here.
Sunday I may do a guided trip on lake Okeechobee if I can get back to Orlando in time.
BassinLou reply :
On 11/7/2015 at 10:30 AM, 68camaro said:I am back in Orlando this weekend and I hired a guide for tomorrow afternoon on Lake Toho. i plan to buy a small travel setup tomorrow and hit some small ponds in morning. I'll be more comfortable fishing with info given here.
Sunday I may do a guided trip on lake Okeechobee if I can get back to Orlando in time.
Good luck!!
SFL BassHunter reply :
On 11/3/2015 at 3:43 AM, 68camaro said:Actually this is serious question.
I live in VA but was visiting a resort in central FL over weekend, they had a few ponds with manicured banks, but also had a couple secluded ponds with tall and matted grass around them. At the secluded pods I was afraid to get too close to waters edge because of alligator risk, so I cast from about 15' from water. I was with 12 yo daughter also who I had stay near jeep.
Because of concerns I didn't stay long at all. When shore fishing ponds in Florida, how do you avoid 'gators?
If you can stop laughing long enough tho answer I'd appreciate it:)
I am sure with 2 pages of responses you have gotten your answer lol. But I figured I would chime in since the majority of my fishing comes from the banks in the glades.
Snakes are more of a threat in tall grass than gators in my opinion. But the truth is both can be a threat. When I first started bass fishing out there I would grab a few rocks and put them in my pocket (thanks to a few of Captain Shane's fishing videos which seem to be more of Gator Defense videos lol). One of the first times going out there I was completely afraid. I had a gator jump into the water out of the high grass into the retention pond which is really deep and very dark. So here I thought this gator was going to ambush me at any given moment. It didn't, it probably just swam away.
I also encountered a few others that were half on land and half in the water. One being a big ol 10 footer at least. I came pretty close to it without noticing, that gator didn't move an inch. Didn't growl, didn't run and didn't attack. I just backed up and walked around it, kept fishing with no problem.
I have only needed to toss rocks at one gator which was extremely curious after a boy about 13 years old with his mother were bass fishing and he pulled a near 4 lb bass out on some light tackle which took a while to get out of the water. So the gator saw food and figured it would make a move. I used the Captain Shane self defense course to keep the gator from getting closer. The gator wasn't big enough to ignore me. Eventually it backed off and the kid continued to fish as I continued along the bank.
On boat I have seen them chase top water baits, or fish that are caught. You just troll away from them.
Like I said those retention ponds are scary because it is nearly an instant drop off into darkness. One thing you could do is carry a weapon with you for some sense of security and just keep your eyes open at all times. I never turn my back to the water. If I am changing baits or changing a rig I grab my gear and keep myself at a distance from the water so that I can see anything that decides to come out and attack. Also I try to do that stuff in low grass. For example one of the canals i fish has tall grass mostly sparse but it does have a rocky area at a safe distance from the water that has little to no grass or vegetation. This is where I put my gear then I walk up to the bank with just my rod. I don't want to have clutter all around me in case I do need to make a sudden movement, run for it or whatever. Tripping up on your gear would be bad.
There are snakes out in that area too. I wear high steel toed boots, tall thick socks and pants. The shoes may be the only thing that could help but either way...they also sell snake guards. Kind of like shin guards for snakes. Probably worth getting. lol
I was fishing that same canal and standing in one place for a good 2 or 3 minutes when all of the sudden right in front of me a snake slithers and slides into the canal. There was maybe a foot between me and the drop off so god knows how long it was in front of my feet. Lucky for me it didn't attack me and I am certain it was a corn snake.
BUT I have come across a couple of rattle snakes curled up on that rocky path. Gotta keep your eyes open at all times. A long stick might be a good idea to have with you, maybe some rocks in your pocket, a decent sized knife or machete.
SFL BassHunter reply :
On 11/4/2015 at 5:57 AM, Evan K said:Isn't it crocodiles that do the stalking and attacking the shore? Do alligators do it as much?
They will both stalk. I find shallow water to be safer than deep ponds. It is a mental thing. If I can see my surroundings then I am fine. It's when that water is dark and you are looking down into an abyss that freaks me out with the gators.
I still haven't gotten over the fear of putting my hand in the water to pull a bass out when on a boat. I do what I can to swing them into the boat lol. With a bass that is big enough though swinging is not a good idea.
68camaro reply :
SFLBasshunter, great ideas thanks. Last week I was armed, this weekend I flew so no carry gun. I really like rocks in pocket and long stick idea, plus uber viligence of surroundings.
Being from VA I am comfortable around snakes as I have had to be careful around them for long time. It's just those d**n gators I wasn't used to
I have guide later today and looks like I have one in morning so I am really excited about the fishing. I wish I had my gear with me but oh well.
SFL BassHunter reply :
On 11/7/2015 at 10:25 PM, 68camaro said:SFLBasshunter, great ideas thanks. Last week I was armed, this weekend I flew so no carry gun. I really like rocks in pocket and long stick idea, plus uber viligence of surroundings.
Being from VA I am comfortable around snakes as I have had to be careful around them for long time. It's just those d**n gators I wasn't used to
I have guide later today and looks like I have one in morning so I am really excited about the fishing. I wish I had my gear with me but oh well.
For the most part its just for the mental sense of security. The chances of actually needing to use it are slim to none.
hawgenvy reply :
I see alligators all the time and they don't seem to be the least bit interested in me. If one is in the water where I'm fishing I just keep an eye on it. If there is one on the bank and I am fishing from the bank I walk a wide arc to get around it. If that fellow sees me he'll usually jump in the water. Alligators will occasionally chase a hooked bass. Not a pleasant thought if you're out there with 80 lb braid. Once, pan fishing behind our house with my little daughter using night crawlers, a small (3 1/2 foot) gator was nosing my bobber. The next thing I knew he was firmly on the hook. I fought the little guy like a fish and had to get him to the shore before I had the leverage to snap the 6 lb line. My daughter thought he might try to eat her, so she climbed half way up a nearby tree and stayed till I convinced her it was safe to descend.
Unlike crocodiles, alligators do not seem to see people as something to eat. Back in the drought of 1989 the water was very low in the Everglades, and that forced all the gators to migrate to the rim canal. In the Loxahatchee Reserve at the Palm Beach/Broward County line, the gators were so thick in the rim canal that going down the canal in a boat was literally traversing an obstacle course. Just glancing ahead of the boat you could see several hundred alligators at a time, like dark logs in a river where they float lumber. It was spectacular, a sight I'll never forget. Unfortunately, the reptilian infestation resulted in the closing of the concession there, were you had until then been able to rent a little skiff with a 15 hp outboard and so easily head out into that wilderness without having to drag down your own boat. Sometimes I would rent a little skiff for an hour in the evening just to take in the beauty of the glades, without fishing. I'd go a little ways in, then turn off the motor and drift silently over the clear black water and through the lush green, and watch the many wading birds hunt and watch the mysterious alligators cruise along so slowly and quietly and gracefully, never making the slightest wake.
I want to mention also that years ago friends and I were canoeing along a swampy river in central Florida where the gators were so thick we had to push them out of the way with our oars. I wasn't scared then, but it's a little creepy thinking back on it now.
Alonerankin2 reply :
In 10 years, in & around Jax. fishing Oseola pits, wade fishing the St. John's & boating all over the central region, I've never been harassed by a gator..still, one can never be to careful in that environment. You gotta watch for snakes, scorpions, & such too. Man is still the one predator you always have to be concerned about IMO, no matter where you are..
Chris at Tech reply :
I fish a good bit in Hilton Head SC where my folks are retired, and it's the first time I've fished in gator-infested waters. The above info is good advice in that the ones who will bother you are the ones that get fed by humans.
WIth that said, I keep a few things in mind. I purposely try to NOT be too stealthy when I'm walking around a pond. By making a bit of noise, I give any gators the chance to get out of there before I arrive. I also don't stand right at the water's edge when fishing, I stand a few feet back. When I catch a fish, I try to get them in hand as quick as possible, and my personal preference is to flip them onto the bank with my rod. When I'm unhooking, I take a few big steps back and I make sure I face the water while I'm dealing with the fish.
I've had a few run-ins with some small but obviously human-fed gators so I've had to keep my wits about me, but the simple steps above at least keep me comfortable and confident fishing in those areas.
68camaro reply :
This thread brought out a lot of good ideas, thanks all.
I did get two half days on Lake Toho this weekend with guides. Caught a bunch of fish and saw some gators.
atomicfriday reply :
Ditto to everything davecon has said. I've lived here my entire 26 years of existence and only the Yanks are scared of 'em 
. Go on a canoe float down the Peace River and you will see all the good ol' boys chest deep partying in black, gator water. I've done it once or twice myself. Really the only ones that ever pose a threat are mama's or ones that are used to being fed, otherwise they are looking for an easy snack.. we are another, very comparable sized predator.
John G reply :
On 11/9/2015 at 6:53 AM, Chris at Tech said:I fish a good bit in Hilton Head SC where my folks are retired, and it's the first time I've fished in gator-infested waters. The above info is good advice in that the ones who will bother you are the ones that get fed by humans.
WIth that said, I keep a few things in mind. I purposely try to NOT be too stealthy when I'm walking around a pond. By making a bit of noise, I give any gators the chance to get out of there before I arrive. I also don't stand right at the water's edge when fishing, I stand a few feet back. When I catch a fish, I try to get them in hand as quick as possible, and my personal preference is to flip them onto the bank with my rod. When I'm unhooking, I take a few big steps back and I make sure I face the water while I'm dealing with the fish.
I've had a few run-ins with some small but obviously human-fed gators so I've had to keep my wits about me, but the simple steps above at least keep me comfortable and confident fishing in those areas.
What Chris said.
I am a Fl Native and I have a tremendous amount of respect for large gators. If you are standing to close to the water, they do have the power to pull you in and there ain't a d**n thing that you can do about it. If you are in a kayak, canoe, Gheenoe or any of the other small craft out there, if they wanted to, they could get you out of it and there ain't a d**n thing that you could do about it.
Go ahead, sit on a boat dock with your legs dangling down. The odds are nothing will happen but there is a chance that you will lose a leg or two.
For the guy that said gators are more scared of us than we are of them, ask James Okkerse what he thinks about that. Well, you can't ask him because he is the latest person in Fl to be killed by a gator.
Justbass11 reply :
In all my years of fishing golf course lakes, I can say I never had a problem with gators coming to eat me. I see them in the water and even have caught a few but they just flew off the hook after a few minutes. If they were big ones (10 foot or bigger) I would leave and go somewhere else to fish. But like so many that have posted on here its all about respect and for the most part they will leave you alone if you leave them alone. Hopes this helps and happy fishing in Florida
jonnysmith reply :
many times while fishing from shore ive had to throw a rock at them,,it just scares them for a while and they pop up some where else to watch you..ive fished some remote canals/lakes where its a gator infestation.im talking 8,10,12 gators all infront of you>watching you..its scary just to think if i trip and fall in..
Montanaro reply :
Only person to be killed by a gator in decades was this last summer.
And he was drunk and was witnessed harassing the gator and telling people he was gonna jump in and wrestle it....
I think youll be alright
geo g reply :
They can fix all kinds of conditions, but stupid is forever! 
BareHook reply :
22 year old man killed by 11 foot gator in Brevard county FL. Sounds like he was planning burglary in a neighborhood and was hiding in the tall grass on the lake when the gator took him.
The article is in TCPALM.com
Ken
A.Do? reply :
On 12/8/2015 at 9:48 PM, BareHook said:22 year old man killed by 11 foot gator in Brevard county FL. Sounds like he was planning burglary in a neighborhood and was hiding in the tall grass on the lake when the gator took him.
The article is in TCPALM.com
Ken
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/12/08/alligator-kills-florida-burglary-suspect-hiding-cops/76966512/
pretty crazy.
mplspug reply :
Yes, when playing hide and seek, it is generally a no-no to hide near or in the waters edge.
Quote
Police searching the area reported hearing "yelling" but could not determine the source that night, Goodyear said. Ten days later, Riggins' body was found in the lake.
geo g reply :
If everything said is true, it sounds like a happy ending!
Sam reply :
While growing up in south Louisiana we knew that if we fed anything to a gator the animal would follow us all day.
If a gator started to follow us for no specific reason, we knew he had been fed by others.
If a gator just made the warning sound or positioned himself away from us then we knew he was not fed and he would not approach us.
Only problem was that me and my cousins knew this but we always wondered if the alligators knew it.
Very powerful animals, always looking for something to eat.
Personally, I was more worried about the water moccasins than the alligators.
John G reply :
On 12/6/2015 at 2:44 AM, Montanaro said:Only person to be killed by a gator in decades was this last summer.
And he was drunk and was witnessed harassing the gator and telling people he was gonna jump in and wrestle it....
I think youll be alright
Do some research because there have been 3 people killed so far in 2015.
Montanaro reply :
Dont care enough. Just going by what the news said back in the summer, no need to be rude.
mplspug reply :
Matthew Riggins, 22, male on or about November 13, 2015 A police dive team found the victim's body in a pond in Palm Bay's Barefoot Bay community in Brevard County, Florida ten days after he was reported missing. Riggins, who had been burglarizing homes in the area, was attacked and partially eaten by an 11-foot alligator.[1][2]
James Okkerse, 62, male October 19, 2015 Killed while swimming/snorkeling by a 12-foot alligator at Blue Spring State Park near Orange City, Florida. The final cause of death was determined by the Volusia Countymedical examiner's office in consultation with a forensic odontologist from a neighboring county who specializes in animal bites.[3][4][5]
Tommie Woodward, 28, male July 3, 2015 Suffered severe trauma to a limb when he was attacked and killed in the early morning at a Southeast Texas marina. Woodward ignored warnings not to swim in the water because of the danger of alligators; his last known words were "[f**k] the alligators"
2 in Florida and I would say only 1 was not preventable or at least not due to someone ignoring warning or not being attentive.
What will likely kill you?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/16/chart-the-animals-that-are-most-likely-to-kill-you-this-summer/
Be smart and aware and you should be fine. I'd be more concerned with the drivers in cars on your way to the body of water.
soflabasser reply :
I agree with you that unsafe drivers are much more dangerous than Alligators can ever be.
Edited by soflabasserflffemt86 reply :
On 11/3/2015 at 3:43 AM, 68camaro said:Actually this is serious question.
I live in VA but was visiting a resort in central FL over weekend, they had a few ponds with manicured banks, but also had a couple secluded ponds with tall and matted grass around them. At the secluded pods I was afraid to get too close to waters edge because of alligator risk, so I cast from about 15' from water. I was with 12 yo daughter also who I had stay near jeep.
Because of concerns I didn't stay long at all. When shore fishing ponds in Florida, how do you avoid 'gators?
If you can stop laughing long enough tho answer I'd appreciate it:)
I'd worry more about the water mocassins than the gators.
Florida Cracker2 reply :
Well, being a native and dealing with gators most of my life...they attack things low to the ground like crouching landscapers, dogs, and swimmers swimming alone. If your in a remote location and standing upright, they will stay away from you. If you are in an area where cattle are...they will come right up to you and not be afraid. Golf courses are the most dangerous places.... where they are used to people and will take any easy meal they can get. My father...who is in his 70's and his high school buddy have a nuisance-gator license and remove them from residences 2 to 3 times a week here in SW Florida. When used to people, gators get brave and are quite dangerous.
DogBone_384 reply :
On 11/7/2015 at 10:30 AM, 68camaro said:I am back in Orlando this weekend and I hired a guide for tomorrow afternoon on Lake Toho. i plan to buy a small travel setup tomorrow and hit some small ponds in morning. I'll be more comfortable fishing with info given here.
Sunday I may do a guided trip on lake Okeechobee if I can get back to Orlando in time.
Just got back from Orlando. Weather & time prevented me from fishing this time. I use a Diawa Ardito 7' M/F as my travel rod with a T3 Ballistic. It's a 3 piece that feels/fishes like a 1 piece. Diawa also makes it in a MH.
My .02 - best of luck in FL.
N Florida Mike reply :
Ive fished around them all my life.Had a 10-12 foot bull go under my boat one time.I wouldnt be slightly "skeered" in a boat.I have wade fished the st johns river many times and seen plenty of 9-10 footers.There was one out there they called"ol tail light" and he was supposedly upwards of 15 ft.I only had one problem once with two 9 footers.I was wade fishing near Colee cove on the river and it was starting to get dark and a 9 footer came out in front of me.So I think its about time to go back any way.So as I turn around to go back another one had come out behind me.I couldnt go straight into the bank because of an extremely thick cattail bed.So I decided to fish a little more and wait out the gators.But they wouldnt leave.It was nearly pitch black out there now and I did not want to have to wade back through the swamp to get out due to all the moccasins and whatnot in there in the dark.So I Prayed and started walking as quiet as possible toward the gator in my way.When I got about halfway he sank!So when I got to about whete he had been I was sweatin bullets and praying out loud.But I never stepped on him and made it through the swamp and made it back to the truck ok.The main thing is dont splash the water,dont have a dog with you and watch for snakes and you should be fine
Fentawn reply :
Saw this buddy earlier today while fishing.
My rule, give them their space and do not bother them.
Don't forget about cottonmouths also, especially with all the tall grass.
bassinOUT89 reply :
On 12/9/2015 at 2:06 AM, A.Do? said:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/12/08/alligator-kills-florida-burglary-suspect-hiding-cops/76966512/
pretty crazy.
Really? They killed the gator?
AQUA VELVA reply :
I would be more worried about large anacondas that were bought as pets and then escaped or were released by their owners who no longer wanted them. Florida now has a breeding population of these large constrictors and they are eating anything that they can catch.up to and including the swamp deer.
Florida Cracker2 reply :
Well I haven't seen any anacondas...or pythons sunning themselves on my dock. But I have a gator that persists on getting up there no matter how many times I chase him off or whop him on top of the head with a 10' 1/2" pvc pipe....he keeps coming back. Eventually I will have to have him taken to Arcadia to be processed.
Nitrofreak reply :
I'm a Va. Boy too, I avoid them by keeping my happy arse in Va.!!
N Florida Mike reply :
My dads from the VA mountains.He always wanted to go back to stay but he sadly never made it.
Nitrofreak reply :
On 1/29/2016 at 10:20 AM, N Florida Mike said:My dads from the VA mountains.He always wanted to go back to stay but he sadly never made it.
Where about ?
N Florida Mike reply :
Tazewell county
Nitrofreak reply :
That's just south of Hicksville isn't it ?
N Florida Mike reply :
I think its west of Hicksville.Sw of bluefield.
I see you're from Harrison burg.That's in the Shenandoah isn't it?
Nitrofreak reply :
On 1/29/2016 at 11:24 AM, N Florida Mike said:I think its west of Hicksville.Sw of bluefield.
I see you're from Harrison burg.That's in the Shenandoah isn't it?
Yes, it sure is, are ya familiar with anything in the area ?
N Florida Mike reply :
Not too much.My dad and me went through it once and saw some war sites.Mainly new market battlefield.We also went down to saylers creek and Appomattox on that trip.The Shenandoah valley is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.
Nitrofreak reply :
Well, if you were in New Market you were 12 minutes from my house LOL !!
It truly is a beautiful place to live, it's unfortunate however because Harrisonburg is expanding and becoming more like the city my family left back in the late 70's, your father had a beautiful area of his own as well, there are some breath taking views down around that area as well, one reason why I truly love the state of Va., you don't have to go far to find yourself away from everything.
0119 reply :
I'm more afraid of people than I am the gators. Especially the ones who blow by full throttle only feet away pretending they don't see me.
Maggiesmaster reply :
I fish in central Arkansas and have only seen a few gators in the water. However, when bank fishing around here we keep a CLOSE lookout for cottonmouths. I suspect you Florida fishermen do the same!
BassinLou reply :
On 2/3/2016 at 2:10 AM, Maggiesmaster said:I fish in central Arkansas and have only seen a few gators in the water. However, when bank fishing around here we keep a CLOSE lookout for cottonmouths. I suspect you Florida fishermen do the same!
Absolutely!!
Bassfishin91 reply :
On 11/11/2015 at 4:34 AM, atomicfriday said:Ditto to everything davecon has said. I've lived here my entire 26 years of existence and only the Yanks are scared of 'em
. Go on a canoe float down the Peace River and you will see all the good ol' boys chest deep partying in black, gator water. I've done it once or twice myself. Really the only ones that ever pose a threat are mama's or ones that are used to being fed, otherwise they are looking for an easy snack.. we are another, very comparable sized predator.
lived in Florida my whole life and been fishing and camping at peace river at least twice a year for the past 5 years. I've swam in the river, bathed and conoeing in the river and never had a problem with the gators. Also been camping at Flamingo state parks and didnt have an issue either. Leave them alone and they wont bother you.
Fishing Cowgirl reply :
Everything mentioned previously works pretty well, at least until your fishing partner (husband in my case) flips a 2 ounce weight int that "dark patch in the brush," which turned out to be between the eyes of an 12' gator. Any witnesses would have seen two people running in place and no where to go when it exploded out of there, ending with me perched on the back seat like a rooster.
Swamp Rat reply :
I am mainly a kayak bass fisherman, and fish in the Everglades mostly, and really have no issues with gators. I have been followed by one for 50-60 yards, and when he got a little too close, I bopped him on the head with my paddle. He left the area in a hurry. Thinking he might be plannin g my demise, so did I...however I realized that my truck was back the other way. Oh well, when I came back through, I saw the same gator and paddled toward him. He swam pretty fast to the safety of the tall reeds.
My main concern is the snakes. I previously was paddling a Diablo kayak, very nice kayak with very low freeboard...you probably know where this story is going. I am going along fishing, catching a few smaller 1-2lb bass when I wanted to change lures. I reached to the front of the kayak for my tackle bag, and a relatively large water moccasin was coiled up...ummm.....flipped him out with the paddle, but I never saw him slither on. My buddy was fishing from his kayak when he had a small anaconda fall in his boat from an overhang. What he did next was sort of hysterical to me, but not to him. He always carries a 12ga shotgun with him in the boat. See where this is going? Yep...he pulled it out, shot the snake, and blew a hole in his kayak. I was laughing my a$$ off, but he finally realized what he did, paddled as fast as he could to the bank, and said these words..."I am a dumb redneck, aren't I?"...moral of the story? There is none...he went home and his wife was in tears laughing when he walked in the door. Yep, I called her and gave her a play by play description of his day...she asked him if he wanted to have the kayak mounted. He didn't talk to me for a few days....lol.
When people ask me if I am afraid of gators fishing from a kayak, I just explain to them..."No, I graduated fro the U...I am a Hurricane, Gators fear me..."
Karma reply :
On 11/3/2015 at 4:46 AM, davecon said:Oh, and by the way, don't ever take a dog with you on or near the water. Dogs are to gators like ice cream is to fat women, just can't resist.
reminded me of a humorous story.
My boss and I went on lunch break, picked up some popeyes and drove to a nearby park on the edge of a lake. Hadn't been there long and an RV pulled in, obviously well to do folks from the north east. Just to be honest, Florida natives, are not fond of snowbirds. Anyway the woman, mid 50s or so got out and started walking her little toy dog around the edge of the pond when my boss said "mam you probably shouldn't be doing that, we have alligators around here." She stuck up her nose at him and made a snobby comment for him to mind his own business. He rolled his eyes and we went back to munching down our lunch. A few minutes later, CRASH! and a blood curling scream, a gator grabbed Fluffy, leash and all. My boss and I both burst out laughing, couldn't help it.
They occasionally get under the cars in the employee parking lot and we have to go out there and chase them off for the women. None of them are very big, 4 feet tops. Most of the time they see us coming and run, a few times we have to grab their tails and drag them. Only once have we felt the need to call Fish and Game.
The only time I have ever had any trouble with them was when we found some babies and we started handling them. Had been there maybe 2 minutes when we heard momma growling and making a beeline for us from a hundred feet or so away, start the engines and moooove!! lol.
SFL BassHunter reply :
On 9/6/2016 at 7:09 AM, Swamp Rat said:I am mainly a kayak bass fisherman, and fish in the Everglades mostly, and really have no issues with gators. I have been followed by one for 50-60 yards, and when he got a little too close, I bopped him on the head with my paddle. He left the area in a hurry. Thinking he might be plannin g my demise, so did I...however I realized that my truck was back the other way. Oh well, when I came back through, I saw the same gator and paddled toward him. He swam pretty fast to the safety of the tall reeds.
My main concern is the snakes. I previously was paddling a Diablo kayak, very nice kayak with very low freeboard...you probably know where this story is going. I am going along fishing, catching a few smaller 1-2lb bass when I wanted to change lures. I reached to the front of the kayak for my tackle bag, and a relatively large water moccasin was coiled up...ummm.....flipped him out with the paddle, but I never saw him slither on. My buddy was fishing from his kayak when he had a small anaconda fall in his boat from an overhang. What he did next was sort of hysterical to me, but not to him. He always carries a 12ga shotgun with him in the boat. See where this is going? Yep...he pulled it out, shot the snake, and blew a hole in his kayak. I was laughing my a$$ off, but he finally realized what he did, paddled as fast as he could to the bank, and said these words..."I am a dumb redneck, aren't I?"...moral of the story? There is none...he went home and his wife was in tears laughing when he walked in the door. Yep, I called her and gave her a play by play description of his day...she asked him if he wanted to have the kayak mounted. He didn't talk to me for a few days....lol.
When people ask me if I am afraid of gators fishing from a kayak, I just explain to them..."No, I graduated fro the U...I am a Hurricane, Gators fear me..."
Go Canes!
I've always been intrigued by the Kayak but have always been a little too chicken to get on one. I know I am clumsy and I am a heavy weight. So I always look at those things and go, "na that thing won't survive me." But last night I found a youtube channel and this one guy is a tall heavy set guy and he does kayak fishing videos. I guess it really all depends on the kayak. Some like you said are lower to the water, others are higher, some are more stable and some even have higher chairs to sit in.
As far as gators, I'm not really afraid of them but I rather they keep their distance and I will gladly keep mine.
geo g reply :
In the last few years I have had several close encounters with gator. Because I was in my 18 foot bass boat I was not concerned. In a Kayak I would definitely be concerned. Both times it was during breading season and I believe it was a territorial display.
We were rapidly approached by a 10 footer who followed for us for quite some time. It kept getting closer and closer and finally made a burst of speed right next to the boat and slapped the side of the boat with a hard tail slap. It then swam off.
Another time a 8 footer swam up to the boat and ran right into the trolling motor with its mouth. Thank God it didn't bite the T/M. I would not want to be in a Kayak for that.
Alligator Alley is full of gators of all size during low water levels in the glades. I think both of these occurrences were territorial in nature. They just didn't want us in their area. We agreed!!!!!!
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