Gators? You mean Floridian Swamp Cats? I don't pay them any mind for the most part, they're way too skittish to worry about. Only time I ever left a spot because of a gator was a couple of years ago. There are a lot of gators in my neighborhood in the 2-7 foot range, but there's one big 11 footer I've seen that moves around the different bodies of water. I was bank fishing one of my favorite spots when he happened to be there, made a bee line for me from across the pond. Decided maybe I'd go try a few other spots that day.....

41 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

Gators? You mean Floridian Swamp Cats? I don't pay them any mind for the most part, they're way too skittish to worry about. Only time I ever left a spot because of a gator was a couple of years ago. There are a lot of gators in my neighborhood in the 2-7 foot range, but there's one big 11 footer I've seen that moves around the different bodies of water. I was bank fishing one of my favorite spots when he happened to be there, made a bee line for me from across the pond. Decided maybe I'd go try a few other spots that day.....

It's the ones you don't see that you have to worry about! ?

If you live in Florida you learn to live peacefully with them, had many encounters with them bank fishing, very close to me, as long as I don't harm them or do any movements that attracts and makes angry they just don't care...livings, gators, snakes etc I don't care... the only thing that bothers me is the FLORIDA MAN

what would you guys in gator country do if a gator actually got ahold of your leg and pulled you in, how would you fight it off to survive?

If I didn't fish where there is no alligators then I wouldn't get to fish. Ross Barnett is loaded with gators. I see at least one every time I go. I saw the biggest gator I have ever seen Saturday when I went. He was probably at least 12 ft., maybe more. I went by him, he never moved.

4 hours ago, throttleplate said:

what would you guys in gator country do if a gator actually got ahold of your leg and pulled you in, how would you fight it off to survive?

I’ll let you know if that ever happens and I make it. At that point I believe prayer would be my strategy 

At least we don't have salt water crocs, now that's a whole other level of apex predator. 

I've seen video of one taking down Cape buffalo.....had dreams that night. Lol

Alligators are one of my favorite animals so I enjoy seeing them when I am fishing.  

18 minutes ago, Bird said:

At least we don't have salt water crocs, now that's a whole other level of apex predator. 

I have dived in waters with American crocodiles and alligators. They are much more calm than the saltwater crocodiles in Australia. 

In south Florida I’m more worried about the poisonous snakes on the bank especially in ankle high grass.  I can hear and see gators, not so much snakes.  Now we have 17 foot long pythons!

35 minutes ago, geo g said:

In south Florida I’m more worried about the poisonous snakes on the bank especially in ankle high grass.  I can hear and see gators, not so much snakes.  Now we have 17 foot long pythons!

Pythons are non-poisonous.

On 3/1/2021 at 12:11 PM, throttleplate said:

what would you guys in gator country do if a gator actually got ahold of your leg and pulled you in, how would you fight it off to survive?

 

Bash the snout as hard as you can. That's the most sensitive part of the alligator. I'm sure some will say to go for the eyes, but alligators can pull their eyes back into their skull if their eyes are threatened.

I spent some time in Tallahassee and became a Seminole fan.  Gators are the enemy.

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Pythons are non-poisonous.

At 17 ft they don’t need poison to kill you!

He's back! He's not too scared of me!

32 minutes ago, Biglittle8 said:

He's back! He's not too scared of me!

Have you given him a reason to be scared? 

On 3/5/2021 at 9:08 PM, king fisher said:

 Gators are the enemy.

Amen to that! 

42 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Have you given him a reason to be scared? 

Amen to that! 

Not yet! 

44 minutes ago, Biglittle8 said:

Not yet! 

Smack him around a little, show him who’s boss

 

 

On 3/1/2021 at 12:00 AM, Biglittle8 said:

That's why I started "Take a cat fishing" day ?

 

We got them pretty much everywhere down here in Southeast Tx.  Most of the time they will mosey into the water and leave you alone even if you practicaly step on one.  Its only when mama's got a nest hiding that your in for a treat. 

My city/neighborhood in Texas is currently being flooded by residents from California, Colorado and New York seeking a better life.  Its become comical all the neighborhood alerts that get posted daily every time someone see's a gator. As if a zoo animal got out of its cage and kill anyone within visual distance. They even yell and scream at me and my son while we are fishing because there is a gator on the other side of the lake.  Anyways small rant over  

 

 

On 3/1/2021 at 3:05 PM, tander said:

If I didn't fish where there is no alligators then I wouldn't get to fish. Ross Barnett is loaded with gators. I see at least one every time I go. I saw the biggest gator I have ever seen Saturday when I went. He was probably at least 12 ft., maybe more. I went by him, he never moved.

 

This. I grew up kayaking in the Ross Barnett and Pearl. BIG gators are just part of it. 

 

I live in the MS Delta now, and it's about the same. It's strange if I DON'T see a gator when I go fishing. I'd rather see 20 gators every trip than one big cotton mouth. 

5 minutes ago, MAN said:

Its become comical all the neighborhood alerts that get posted daily every time someone see's a gator. As if a zoo animal got out of its cage and kill anyone within visual distance. They even yell and scream at me and my son while we are fishing because there is a gator on the other side of the lake.

 

City folk, man. What can ya do?

On 3/1/2021 at 12:11 PM, throttleplate said:

what would you guys in gator country do if a gator actually got ahold of your leg and pulled you in, how would you fight it off to survive?

choot ‘em !?!?!

When I was young. I was standing on a loose rock.  It was fun teetering back and forth;  right until the swarm of hornets/wasps came flying out.  I broke a land speed record that day. 
 

now I always watch where I walk. 

22 minutes ago, AmmoGuy said:

 

This. I grew up kayaking in the Ross Barnett and Pearl. BIG gators are just part of it. 

 

I live in the MS Delta now, and it's about the same. It's strange if I DON'T see a gator when I go fishing. I'd rather see 20 gators every trip than one big cotton mouth. 

True that.

In my state of New Jersey we don't have alligators but we have the Northern Water snake which isn't venomous but can still be a pain in the ass and will attack you if you bother it enough. During the summer time on my lake they will sometimes coil up on our dock ladder and one time I almost stepped on a pretty big one before it quickly swam off into the lake. I've also had these guys swim by me in the lake but thankfully they're afriad of humans.