Out there this morning......hunting...sort of....

bswiv · October 20, 2010, 06:07 PM

Backed the boat in a little before first light and as there was ZERO wind we headded for open water. About sunrise we spied a big one about 300 yards from shore. Set off in his direction with the trolling motor. Got about 100 yards from him before he sounded. As he was in open water we had no reference point as to where he actually went down but being hard headded we started casting about.

As we're fruitlessly dredging the depths for him we see the one in the picture come to the surface another 400 yards to the west of where we were.

Set after him on the trolling motor again. He too goes down while we are over 100 yards away. But to his bad luck he went down not to far from a hoop net set up. Using the net float as a reference point we got close and started casting about.

Now hoop nets are set with long lead lines, usually with a marker float on the main line and then a small float atop the net itself. Because of this setup it's easy to tell which was the line runs off the net and therefor you have a better chance of avoiding it......if you know what you are looking at.

So we cast about on the side of the net float where we though he had gone down. It was about 9 feet deep. After about 5 minutes we decide that based on the way he was facing when he sounded there was a good possibility that he was actually on the oposite side of the net.

Passed over the net line and then started casting about again. After about 10 minutes I suggested that he had indeed swam off and that we should try for another one that had surfaced a few hundred yards away. I had even stowed my rod and was headding towards the trolling motor when Yul says that he has the gator.

I suggest that he is wrong and that based on how his line is going into the water that he has managed to snag the net line. I even go so far as to tell him to try and shake it off and I actually started moving towards the spot with the trolling motor so we could get it unhung..........

And then the net line started swimming off!!

Yul had the gator hooked on 30# test on a light spinning rod so all we could do was follow and wait for him to stop so we can get a bigger rod in him. We knew it was a big one because it stopped after no more than 50 yards.

It just sat on the bottom while I got a bigger rod and snagged him with it. What was amazing is that he still did not take off. So I start putting a lot of pressure on him trying to hoist him to the top.

He comes up slowly but does not swim. Meanwhile Yul, still keeping the light rod tight, fishes out the harpoon and just as the gator reaches the surface next to the boat he lets lose.

Now when a fresh gator, especially a big one, is hit like that all heck can break lose. This guy went nuts. He pulled the boat a LONG ways before he started to tire.

Finally got a second harpoon in him......and then a few minutes later hit him with the bangstick.

And then the work began.....hauling that thing in the boat.

11' 7" and about 500#.....very fat...... Young gator based on size of head and good condition of teeth and hide. Really FAT!!

And yes, you are right.......it looks like Yul is making sure it's dead while he puts the tag in. Not a bad thought either as one of this guys teeth is broke off in the side of the boat......

davlandrum · October 20, 2010, 07:25 PM

I absolutely love your posts - good story telling, great pictures! Plus it is a form of hunting so far out of my experience that it is really amazing to me.

They should cancel "Swamp People" (it took me all of 2 episodes to tire of it) and send a film crew along with you!

Xfire68 · October 20, 2010, 07:28 PM

What a beautiful Gator! Congrats!

Cowboy_mo · October 20, 2010, 07:58 PM

Congrats on a great catch. Thanks for a fantastic story. Someday I hope to be lucky enough to go on a good gator hunt.

hogdogs · October 21, 2010, 10:36 AM

That is a nice, healthy bugger sho nuff!
Brent

Daryl · October 21, 2010, 12:27 PM

AWsuone story, and looks like a great gator!

I'm envious! Congrat's.

Daryl

hooligan1 · October 23, 2010, 07:17 AM

What the??? bswiv??? what are you thinking about???Remind me to never go fishing with you.

Thanks for getting that one out of the swimming hole!!!

Uncle Buck · October 24, 2010, 07:58 AM

WOW! What do you do with them? How many do you catch each year? What is the average size of them?

I am know in some circles as a chicken, and if I was with you, I would have been at the other end of the boat. Preferably, I would have been in another boat.

I love the way you told the story about this catch.

October 20, 2010, 06:07 PM	#1
bswiv Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: NE FL....... Posts: 1,081	Out there this morning......hunting...sort of.... Backed the boat in a little before first light and as there was ZERO wind we headded for open water. About sunrise we spied a big one about 300 yards from shore. Set off in his direction with the trolling motor. Got about 100 yards from him before he sounded. As he was in open water we had no reference point as to where he actually went down but being hard headded we started casting about. As we're fruitlessly dredging the depths for him we see the one in the picture come to the surface another 400 yards to the west of where we were. Set after him on the trolling motor again. He too goes down while we are over 100 yards away. But to his bad luck he went down not to far from a hoop net set up. Using the net float as a reference point we got close and started casting about. Now hoop nets are set with long lead lines, usually with a marker float on the main line and then a small float atop the net itself. Because of this setup it's easy to tell which was the line runs off the net and therefor you have a better chance of avoiding it......if you know what you are looking at. So we cast about on the side of the net float where we though he had gone down. It was about 9 feet deep. After about 5 minutes we decide that based on the way he was facing when he sounded there was a good possibility that he was actually on the oposite side of the net. Passed over the net line and then started casting about again. After about 10 minutes I suggested that he had indeed swam off and that we should try for another one that had surfaced a few hundred yards away. I had even stowed my rod and was headding towards the trolling motor when Yul says that he has the gator. I suggest that he is wrong and that based on how his line is going into the water that he has managed to snag the net line. I even go so far as to tell him to try and shake it off and I actually started moving towards the spot with the trolling motor so we could get it unhung.......... And then the net line started swimming off!! Yul had the gator hooked on 30# test on a light spinning rod so all we could do was follow and wait for him to stop so we can get a bigger rod in him. We knew it was a big one because it stopped after no more than 50 yards. It just sat on the bottom while I got a bigger rod and snagged him with it. What was amazing is that he still did not take off. So I start putting a lot of pressure on him trying to hoist him to the top. He comes up slowly but does not swim. Meanwhile Yul, still keeping the light rod tight, fishes out the harpoon and just as the gator reaches the surface next to the boat he lets lose. Now when a fresh gator, especially a big one, is hit like that all heck can break lose. This guy went nuts. He pulled the boat a LONG ways before he started to tire. Finally got a second harpoon in him......and then a few minutes later hit him with the bangstick. And then the work began.....hauling that thing in the boat. 11' 7" and about 500#.....very fat...... Young gator based on size of head and good condition of teeth and hide. Really FAT!! And yes, you are right.......it looks like Yul is making sure it's dead while he puts the tag in. Not a bad thought either as one of this guys teeth is broke off in the side of the boat......

October 20, 2010, 07:25 PM	#2
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	I absolutely love your posts - good story telling, great pictures! Plus it is a form of hunting so far out of my experience that it is really amazing to me. They should cancel "Swamp People" (it took me all of 2 episodes to tire of it) and send a film crew along with you! __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

October 20, 2010, 07:28 PM	#3
Xfire68 Senior Member Join Date: March 31, 2010 Location: Communist State of IL. Posts: 1,562	What a beautiful Gator! Congrats! __________________ NRA Life Member, SAF Member

October 23, 2010, 07:17 AM	#7
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	What the??? bswiv??? what are you thinking about???Remind me to never go fishing with you. Thanks for getting that one out of the swimming hole!!! __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 24, 2010, 07:58 AM	#8
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	WOW! What do you do with them? How many do you catch each year? What is the average size of them? I am know in some circles as a chicken, and if I was with you, I would have been at the other end of the boat. Preferably, I would have been in another boat. I love the way you told the story about this catch. __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.

October 20, 2010, 07:58 PM	#4
Cowboy_mo Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,039	Congrats on a great catch. Thanks for a fantastic story. Someday I hope to be lucky enough to go on a good gator hunt.

October 21, 2010, 10:36 AM	#5
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	That is a nice, healthy bugger sho nuff! Brent

October 21, 2010, 12:27 PM	#6
Daryl Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2008 Posts: 2,350	AWsuone story, and looks like a great gator! I'm envious! Congrat's. Daryl

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