I've actually seen them do this (although I think they were using a surf rod). One of the places we like to go kayaking (since we're pretty much guaranteed gator sightings) is the Loxahatchee refuge. Lots of gators hang out at the boat ramp since they get fed by people. Unfortunately this desensitizes the gators to humans and they become a nuisance. To keep control the refuge has to capture the gators and put them down. Never mind that the gators were there first. I have a couple pictures of the gator capture on a website:
http://www.pbase.com/kstaples/everglades It's kind of cool watching them cast to and then catch the gator, unfortunately I don't think the gators think so! I wonder what would happen if we tried it with the people who feed them...... ;-> Ken > A State of Louisiana Conservation officer was being interviewed on the radio > today about the problem of people moving into Aligator Country and having > problems with the gators, ie finding them under their cars, in their swimming > pools, and the irrigation canals going through many of the coastal towns. He was > an advocate of hunting the beasts since the meat is quite good and the hide > tans into a fine leather. He did say that the price on Aligator is down, > however, > as the market was weak. His choice method for capturing these beasts was with > a heavy Fly Rod and a large treble hook. He snags the gator and after a > tussle brings the gator up to his boat for a quick kill with a gun. Then tapes > the > jaws and brings it into the boat. Most of the gators he snags are in the 4-5 > foot class. He also mentioned that he thought it was a "fair" fight since many > times the gator usually gives the hunter/flyfisherman a puncture or two. > Anyway, after hearing this report, I started to imagine a Dave Whitlock article > in > one of the flyfishing mags on how he switched from flyfishing for carp or gar > to 'Gator but that he practices "C&R". > Steve Schalla
