Florida Swamp Lizards
- Thread starter KayakMacGyver
- Start date
publichunter1
Well-known member
Congrats! Our season opens tonight.
BrentD
Well-known member
Definitely hunting. A very different sort of hunting though. You sure rack up a lot of groceries in a hurry that way.
RobG
Well-known member
Thanks. I didn't even realize people hunted gators that way.
LuckyGoose
Active member
Good stuff congrats on those nice gators.
Alabama has a recreational tag draw. I got one this year and just filled my tag a few weeks ago on a 7' gator. I have wanted to ask an experienced hunter though...how do you consistently keep them hooked (especially the big ones)?? I hooked up 7 times on 7-9' gators and had them pull off before we could get a second line in one. I used a glass offshore jigging rod that seemed like a nice action, a bit of tip but a lot of backbone, 80lb. braid, and a standard 12/0 weighted barbed treble and a 14/0 weighted barbless treble and gators pulled off them repeatedly. Also, it wasn't because of slack line or lack of knowing how to keep pressure on the line, they would just pop off. I feel like some of it is luck in just getting the hook in the right place (the pit of a leg or similar soft spot).
Alabama has a recreational tag draw. I got one this year and just filled my tag a few weeks ago on a 7' gator. I have wanted to ask an experienced hunter though...how do you consistently keep them hooked (especially the big ones)?? I hooked up 7 times on 7-9' gators and had them pull off before we could get a second line in one. I used a glass offshore jigging rod that seemed like a nice action, a bit of tip but a lot of backbone, 80lb. braid, and a standard 12/0 weighted barbed treble and a 14/0 weighted barbless treble and gators pulled off them repeatedly. Also, it wasn't because of slack line or lack of knowing how to keep pressure on the line, they would just pop off. I feel like some of it is luck in just getting the hook in the right place (the pit of a leg or similar soft spot).
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3855WIN
Well-known member
They got a good one down around Natchez. 12’-7”.
3855WIN
Well-known member
I grew up in PC. Curious what lake y’all were hunting on if you don’t mind sharing. Congrats.
3855WIN
Well-known member
publichunter1
Well-known member
We also caught one 12' 7" and over 700 lbs (Shown below). We caught 4 over 10'8" in three nights.
publichunter1
Well-known member
It's not easy getting the big ones in the boat.
Rhino Hunter
Well-known member
KayakMacGyver,
Awesome write up and pics. Thanx for sharing. I had four buddies go gator hunting for the first time in August. They all scored. I didn’t end up going due to work.
But it is on my bucket list now for sure.
I just bought a place in Florida this year. Hopefully I can make this hunt happen in the future.
Thanx again for sharing.
Awesome write up and pics. Thanx for sharing. I had four buddies go gator hunting for the first time in August. They all scored. I didn’t end up going due to work.
But it is on my bucket list now for sure. I just bought a place in Florida this year. Hopefully I can make this hunt happen in the future.
Thanx again for sharing.
