Kayak fishing

[RustyJig]

Are alligators scared of kayaks? I've been thinking about getting a kayak but wonder how dangerous alligators are for kayakers.

["G"]

dunno....just a guess....but I think if one wanted to and was big enough he could turn it over pretty easy

[Rick56]

I lived most of my life along the Gulf Coast where there are some healthy populations of gators and have been wade fishing around them before. Gator attacks always seemed to me to be a rarity, usually someone's dog and hadn't ever heard of one going after a small boat of any sort. Anyway I looked around and animaldanger.com has them listed at a 0-5 fatalities a year and pretty much have to be in the water with them. Rattle snakes on the other hand have a 5-15 rate. I'd take my chances in the kayak lol

[RustyJig]

Thanks Rick56. I used to live close to a wildlife refuge (Doyle Lake in the Noxubee Refuge) where there more than a hundred alligators. I always thought it interesting that they would give canoeing lessons in the spring. I've heard that they like dogs and not to take a dog in the boat or throw sticks in the water for dogs to retrieve. I think the caretaker lost his dog that way.

[Rick56]

Just about no one will take a dog out during early teal season down that way if they hunt the coast or rivers because of them. We have them up here in Oklahoma, not as prolific but still around. The only thing I've had a problem with is cottonmouths. My little duck boat sits very low in the water and they seem to want to slide up on it to sun. Shot 3 one morning last year that were moving towards my boat. Gators I can deal with being around, snakes..not so much.