gators

[fishingaddict]

anyone have any gators in there lake/ pond?

theres one in our lake bout 6' long but its a rumor

just cuz of that im not allowed to fish at night

anyone else have any problems like that?

[Max-in-Mn]

No gators here, but I do occasionaly run into black bears. It's a risk we take.

[BD]

Gators not here, but where I am originally from gators everywhere...didn't stop us fishing it.

(I will say though I only fished till dark back then)

[Shad_Master]

A non-fishing friend of mine was telling me that there were 'gators in the pond at his housing development here in the mid-west.  He knew this because they were eating the baby ducks.  He even saw one get snatched from the surface of the water.  I told him it was because there were too many bass in the pond and that I would be glad to come out and catch them - this would discourage the 'gators and they would leave

[BD]

As a side note, LMB have also been known to eat baby ducks.

[Rattlinrogue]

We had a 10ft gator in the state lake where I fish.Fishing from 4:30 AM-9:00 AM,I saw him , at least, a dozen times.Saw him chomp down on a few of the ducks and bite a few large bass in two.He got close a few times, but never really tried to bother us.State wildlife officials caught and relocated himlast year when he started swimming into the swimming area with swimmers present.Currently, we have two smaller gators that I've seen early in the morning.They never bother us,and you can fish at night if you want.

[Nick B]

I used to live in South GA, Gators everywhere, I have found that they are more afraid of you than we are of it. As long people dont feed them they will keep there distance. I have fished at night and have no problems with gators

[Phishn_Phool]

There are gators all over the place here.  It is nothing on a calm evening to go out and see 19 to 20 between supper and dark.  My neighbors grandson was on the pontoon behind the house catching shiners with bread and he had 3 gators there,  The biggest was only 4 ft tho.  They took a 13 footer out of here last year that killed a 12 yr old boy.  I caught one abou a month ago on a devilshorse,  he is the proud owner of the rear hook off me bait.

                           CPR ;D

[billybass]

I fish SE GA and NE FLA and we have a lot of gators here to deal with. As stated, most of the time they're no problem. Often their aggressiveness depends on the time of year, you need to watch out during their spawning season. Are you fishing from a boat or from the bank? At night if you're walking the bank you probably won't be able to see one before you walk up on it and rattle its cage. That's when it will get aggressive! Also, as nb 1226 mentioned you don't want to feed them, or mess with one that is used to getting fed by someone else.

[Shad_Master]

BD, that was my point, I knew there weren't any gators in Nebraska, but it sounded like there were some pretty big LMB out there and I was trying to get an invite to go catch 'em

[BD]

BD, that was my point, I knew there weren't any gators in Nebraska, but it sounded like there were some pretty big LMB out there and I was trying to get an invite to go catch 'em

I am totally with you now.

Good idea, keep on him lol

[fishingaddict]

yeah i fish from the shore i dont have a boat

i do but its 28' and too big for the small lake i fish

i have no tralier anyway

[Muddpuppy]

We have a few around here and for the most part they don't present a problem.  I thought that I heard that an adult was attacked by one in Louisiana, last week, but I couldn't swear to it.  If it is true I believe that it is the first gaitor related death in 10 yrs.  So they are nothing to take for granted.  It is illegal here to feed them, even dispossing of the aftermass of fish cleaning on the bank or in the water can be considered "feeding" and carry a hefty fine where gators frequent.  

[fishingaddict]

i live in florida so we r gator country couple deaths and killings a year makes some skeptical of going near freshwater

also it is said by some that in almost all freshwater ponds or lakes or other standing water has at least one gator in it

[scbassin]

Santee Cooper is loaded with them. I have heard of 2 over 12' being killed this month.

[George Welcome]

Since 1948 there has been 342 attacks by gators in Florida and only 12 deaths. The last was a 12 year old at Deer Lake.

However, dusk and early evening is a primary feed time for them and it would not be recommended to be walking around a shore line at that time.

From a boat, gators are no threat, and are only bothersome if someone is feeding them.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

If I see a gator here in Rhode Island, I'm going to a psycho-therapist.  

[Guest avid]

Yep, got gaters

nope, no problem

I was bank fishing a few months ago and I walked right past one that was motionless right at the edge.  He didn't budge untill I passed him then splashed real loud and swam away from the bank.  I can't remember my heart beating so fast!! It reminded me of deer hunting when the deer lets you walk past him then bolts.

[crappiehunter]

Here's a pic I took of one while I was golfing recently. This was taken near Winter Haven, Florida.

[FL_fisher]

I live real close to winter haven FL what golf course was that?Did you do any fishing when you were down here?

[FL_fisher]

I see gators all the time I just had 4 little one swimming after my buzz bait an hour ago.I had to reel fast just so they wouldnt get it. To bad no bass wanted to bite it . ;D

[Sam]

While growing up and fishing in southern Louisiana, we learned that alagators are very unsocialable crittes and they will leave you alone and don't bother them.

They will hiss if you get too close.  The females can be extremely protective of their nests.

You avoid them and they will avoid you.

Also, they love marshmallows.  If you throw the large, white marshmallows in the water they will float by and gobble them up.

I guess thats why I don't allow marshmallows on my bass boat.

[crappiehunter]

Dear FL_Fisher, I don't know exactly what golf course  I was on. My parent bought a place in one of the retirement villages. It does have lake access but I don't know what lake it's on. I didn't fish when I was there but I sure would like to. Any suggestions on the best lakes in that area. The lake they are on is a chain of lake I know. We saw gators everyday when we played golf.

Crappiehunter

[Kana]

i too grew up in louisiana, and my grandparents lived on a secluded swamp, in which gators would come up to the house in the evening, sometimes on the porch!  needless to say  i wasnt allowed to play outside at night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!