A coworker was fishing in Limestone Creek this past weekend and picked up a little buddy. I thought I'd share. He said it was about 8 or 9 feet.
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A coworker was fishing in Limestone Creek this past weekend and picked up a little buddy. I thought I'd share. He said it was about 8 or 9 feet.
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Well my friend thanks for the help but I probably won’t be back there. LolQuote:
Originally Posted by Ditch Basser
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I saw one around 5' sunning out on a downed tree in Limestone about 3 weeks ago. There are plenty of them around.
Was it around arrowhead?Quote:
Originally Posted by flintcreek
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I've seen no less than 4 fishing Cotaco creek last fall and this spring and one of those was a 9 footer
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They won't bother you unless you have a dog on the boat,I've fished around them fishing Lake Talquin in Florida lots of timesQuote:
Originally Posted by Damion Kidd
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Retreat!!
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Shoot him Elizabeth!!!
They are swarming down here gut never heard of one bothering anyone
I've never had any problems fishong in Florida just don't leave your fish hanging over the side of the boatQuote:
Originally Posted by Tony the Tiger
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I'd seen 50 plus some days in coastal Georgia. Large males can be a problem when their breeding and of course female in the shallows protecting their young, but basically your more likely to drown because of not waring a PFD or stepping on a snake. They're attracted to splashing in the water so if you catch a few fish they will show up. Anybody seen the video on youtube where the guy in the kayak is jugging and catches one?
YouTube
I wish we had them over here. They help keep the beaver population down. I lived in south AL for 10 years all total and I got really good at making the baby alligator call. I went fishing in FL with a coworker who had never been around alligators. He was scared to death of them. When we fished it was during their mating season. This was down on the St Johns river. There was a huge gator where we fished. It would bellow and the water would dance on top of it's back. One morning it got to within about 75 yards of his boat. I started making the baby gator "Yip". He asked what I was doing and I told him it was a bird call. :) Ol big mama (or daddy) comes swimming towards the boat and gets within about 20 feet. He was FREAKING out. LOL We were fishing in his 17' Bass Tracker and that gator was real close to the same length as his boat. I'd estimate it to be at minimum in the 15' range
If I saw one close to me in my kayak I don’t know what I’d do. I trust y’all in that they won’t bother you. Just the thought I guess.
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I've seen several fishing in Louisiana in the winter. They pay no attention to me and I don;t bother them. Seems to work out ok.
And if I thought about I’m probably in more danger fishing the gravel pits from the bank after dark.
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Your probably not in much danger unless you provoke them. Ive spent a lot of time in south Louisiana fishing and from what I gather from my buddies who live there, Gators are more of a threat to animals such as dogs and goats and calves than humans. I would not leave a stringer of fish hanging off my kayak or at my feet on the bank. I see people fishing off the banks in bayous all the time they seem unconcerned.
Evidently you are not familiar with the beaver population in the Limestone Creek area. I do not think they are doing their job keeping beavers in check...Quote:
Originally Posted by FurFlyin
Yep. And I’ve been told that’s why they were put there years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by callshy
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Like the beaver the alligator has no natural preditor to control the population. Congratulations in a few years you will have the largest population of alligators in North Central Alabama and still have beavers.
I was told they were put there to control beaver and the first cold winter was supposed to kill them but didn’t. Don’t know how true that is. But I’d personally rather have to deal with beavers than to have gators. Lol
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Before I knew there were gators down there we always coon hunted there in feb.we had 3 dogs to just vanish. Couldn’t understand what happened. But will always wonder if that’s what happened.
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I'd bet the Gators were here naturally a couple hundred years ago, they were just "restocked" in the 1970's or 80's after being wiped out. It's hard for the young to survive the winters here, but the adults do fine. I'm guessing the one (or more) in Limestone spends the winter in one of the holes off the main channel. I've never seen it over the fall, winter and early spring when I fish the area, but there are numerous old pits and holes in the area. They prefer to eat something that will fit in their mouth whole and are attracted to splashing in the water. I've know guys in Georgia to wade fish arms length from Gators and have been doing it their whole life, but they also don't tie a string of fish to their waist, LOL. Much like snakes, wild dogs and hogs, stay aware and observant and give them their space and you won't have a problem.
There's no point going into the woods if all the animals are dead. You might as well sit at home on the couch and watch the TV. :twocents
Pretty cool! I wouldn't worry about them to much just be mindful they are there and don't do anything foolish.
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I’ve saw them there lots of times while on the bank. Just don’t know how I’d react if one was close in my kayak. But I trust you so I’m not gonna let them keep me from fishing. Lol. Been wanting one for to long to not use it.
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You folks that haven't ever been around them don't fret too much. I spent a lot of time on the water when I lived in south AL. I couldn't begin to guess how many gators I've been around. They aren't going to attack you. Don't try to rub one on the head. You'll be fine. Remember, they're just a big lizard. With teeth.
They pretty good eating. Are they on your diet?Quote:
Originally Posted by FurFlyin
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skippa Chippa
They have tons of natural predators, but it's the babies and eggs that are predated upon. It still works the same way though. Everything in nature has natural predators, or the ecosystem would crash. But, like someone else mentioned, here in N. AL we're probably at the edge of their natural range anyway. It's very difficult for the young to make to to adulthood.
I've heard all the stories about them being stocked to control the beavers too, but the real reason was that the American Alligator was on the brink of extinction back in the 60's and 70's and biologists were looking for ways to save them. So, they were stocked into the backwaters of wheeler (in the 70's, I think) to have kind of a reserve of them in case populations continued to declined elsewhere.
I see them pretty often in the area where that photo was taken. I know I've seen at least 3 different ones in there. Here's a couple of photos of ones I've seen.
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...d0&oe=5D7201FC
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...e4&oe=5D621FCA
Just part of our fishing day...
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Yes, they would be. Their eggs would be too.Quote:
Originally Posted by footballcoach