Bass Fishing? Watch Out For the Gators!


Lakes in certain parts of the country contain more than something you want in your livewell. Alligators. They can be no more obvious than a rock or a log, so be careful. You want to get a bite, not get bit.

Let me share one of my bass fishing experiences with you.

This is bayou country. When I go to the lakes south of Houston, I have to watch for gators. So I'm always keeping an eyeball peeled for 'em. But sometimes ...

So last night I look and everything is clear so I walk down to the water and start bass fishing. After a few minutes, while I'm looking around I see this big log. This big log that gets oddly thinner at the end up on the shore and thicker in the water, and has odd bumps on it. Hold on .. that doesn't look right. I look further up the log to see how far it extends into the water and...

It has 2 big ol' eyes ... lookin' at me!! And it's only 10 feet away (just a quick couple of steps for a gator). Ooookay!

I slowly and calmly reel in my line (on the outside - on the inside, I'm in total panic) pick up my gear and move on.

So I go over to this other part of the lake, and now it's dark so I get up on a pier. I'm sitting in the woods in the dark and I hear something walking down the pier towards me. Not heavy enough to be human footsteps. With what little bit of starlight there is, I can see something about the size of a medium dog coming at me. What do I do now?

Well, I can't see what it is, but I can tell it's not a dog. So I get aggressive towards it to see if I can scare it away. Fortunately, it worked. I pointed the tip of my fishing pole towards it and it scampered away.

As it left I thought it looked like a large raccoon. Probably nothing to worry much about after all, but they can be aggressive and rabid. But it's creepy in the woods in the complete dark not being sure what's around you.

Then, in the water, I see the outline of this huge catfish swim right up underneath me below the pier I'm on. Wow! That's a big one! I've got to move bait up and fish under the pier and catch him!

So, I decide to put a light on it and see if I can get a better look at this monster. I aim the spotlight straight down into the water and...

Hey, look at that weed ... there were no weeds along this pier earlier. Hmmm. So I lean further over the pier to get a better look at this mystery weed .... YIKES!

THAT'S NO WEED - IT'S A CLAW - A BIG CLAW!

There is a gator right underneath me!!

Apparently (and I was able to confirm this on follow up visits) the gator is savvy to the fact that people catch fish and put them on stringers around the dock; making a great free and easy meal for the gator.

That's enough. I'm goin' home. Forget all about that macho stuff and learn how to play guitar.

Michael Russell
MgrCentral.com
Established 2001
Home Business Training and Information Guides


MORE RESOURCES:


Brothers drown on fishing trip
Atlanta Journal Constitution
AP Wilkinson County officials say two brothers drowned while on a fishing trip in the county. Coroner William Matthews Sr. says 55-year-old Melvin Harris of ...
2 brothers drown in Wilkinson CountyMacon Telegraph

all 12 news articles »


You "practice" fishing?
Dallas Morning News (blog)
I've never done much fishing, just a few times with my dad and a couple of times with my sons on Scout camping trips. Never caught a thing. ...
Fishing tournament trailKansas City Star

all 2 news articles »


Chicago Tribune

Asian Carp Endanger Fishing Industry, Boaters
ABC News
The spread of the fish threatens the $7 billion a year fishing industry there. The fish spawn three times a year and consume 40 percent of their body weight ...
Indian tribe wants to join Asian carp lawsuitNews from Indian Country
Michigan must fight Asian carp threatLansing State Journal
Expert: High risk of Asian carp invading lakesBusinessWeek

all 186 news articles »


Fishing Banned Near Petaluma Oil Spill
CBS 5
Authorities have instituted a ban on fishing until further notice in a part of the Petaluma River where a tugboat leaked up to 600 gallons of fuel into the ...
Fishing banned after Petaluma River oil spillSanta Rosa Press Democrat

all 45 news articles »


Despite Earl, anglers enjoy good fishing
Tasley Eastern Shore News
Despite the weather, anglers have been enjoying good fishing in the area. Flounder have actually been caught from the surf lately, along with pinhead ...
Shep on Fishing: A smooth Labor Day weekend after Earl passes throughPress of Atlantic City
Time to say farewell to summer flounderAsbury Park Press

all 4 news articles »


Aljazeera.net

Freedom for South Korean fishing crew
euronews
North Korea has released the seven-man crew of a South Korean fishing boat, including three Chinese nationals, accused of illegally entering North Korean ...
N. Korea releases S. Korean fishing crewCNN International
North Korea to release South fishing boatReuters
DPRK to release S. Korean fishing boat and crewXinhua
Straits Times -Voice of America -AFP
all 1,201 news articles »


Picture Japan: Fishing Tackle
Wall Street Journal (blog)
A Chinese fishing boat, pictured above, was seized by Japan Coast Guard officials near a disputed island early Wednesday after an incident at sea in which ...



Martin County hosting free kids' fishing clinic Sept. 11
Palm Beach Post
The program runs from 9 am to noon and will teach kids the basics of environmental stewardship, fishing ethics, angling skills and safety. ...
Clinic at Indian RiverSide Park to teach kids fishing basicsTCPalm

all 2 news articles »


Cooler weather good for fishing at lakes; rain should help rivers
TheNewsTribune.com
River fishing has slowed as water levels have dropped. Rain in the forecast this week could bring more fish into the systems if there's enough rain to raise ...

and more »

Google News

tt

 

 
Best Fishing Bait Link Partners
 

Copyright 2004 2008 Best Fishing Bait
Web Design by OneWorld-Design.com
home | site map
© 2006