Went this past weekend. As you may have heard wind was the story. Here is what pattern I was catching them on.

Opossum Creek; first and secondary points. fishing stick lines in 5-10 foot of water. Plum weighted worms and white spinnerbaits. The bite was slow but they were biting. Watching your line versus feeling the bite and will land more fish. Fished the creek for about 4 hours with a total of 15 fish. One 7lbs and the others ranging from 2-5 lbs. If your going for "that big one" then working the same stick/tree four or five times will land you a bite.

WARNING!!- while fishing in opossum creek the gators are VERY aggressive. The third inland to the right as you enter the creek there is a 15 footer that is very protective. BE WARE they maybe nesting. This gator charged me and followed me 400 yards. Now, I haven't done anything different than before, but this gator pasted up two different boats to follow me. From the growling to the head arched and tail out of the water this gator was pissed. I am informing all of you as not only was I there and trying to get away, but my motor battery for whatever didn't charge so I was stuck until I could switch over the batteries. I had 2 friends in the boat with me and we had nothing to fight this gator off. When trying to switch the battery the gator got within 5 feet of me. Not a good situation...

But they say where the gators are the fish are and it is true. It has been a while since I have tore them up like I did this past weekend.

I hope this helps the average fisherman like myself.

You are correct, it is definitely nesting time for them. Very good idea to stay your distance.

Debra

Thanks for the report. Keep them coming. I've got a small club tourney down there first of June. Good luck sir.

I've had the same thing happen to me once at Mason Point area.
Most of the time they just keep their distance and keep on Sunning.
The tail raised with the motor sound they make is a breeding call and territorial display.
Choke is getting loaded with Gators-- Time for a Parks and Wildlife Gator hunt draw.
The tail section- fried up --tastes like Chicken.
Rio

Yes, i called the Game Warden that works the lake to let him know. He said yesterday that he would go and check it out and post warning signs at the park. It is time for them to do something. They are getting HUGE!

TP&W does offer 5 permits a year for a draw hunts on Choke for gators. 0% success last year. I have never been drawn. I guess they are waiting for somebodys kid to be killed at one of the swimming areas before getting serious about the gator population. I have seen a twelve footer 800 yards from the state park boat ramp.

Yes, I have seen the same gator there at the state park as well. When i was talking to the game warden i mentioned that i was calling him just so he was aware and to prevent someone from getting hurt. he agreed with me.. I just don't think they really know how many are out there and how big they really are. The gators in opossum creek are just huge.. i have never seen gators that big.. even in FL ..

I seen one by the dam this weekend had to 13'- 14'.There are two goats that hang around there won't be long when it's just one goat. Also seen a bunch hogs in the water in the back of four fingers they have to be munching down on them

I hate to high jack a fishing report but I had to comment on the gator issue at Choke...

Those gators are really big in that lake and for whatever reason they are becoming more aggressive. A few months back I had a 12+ footer nudge my big motor and turn my boat a little bit...

He first popped up on the side of my boat about 20 feet away and blew up his body with a ton of air to show me just how big he was then opened his mouth and hissed at me. He came within 8 feet of the front of the boat and was swimming along side the boat. I screamed real loud and hit the water with my rod right next to his head and he backed off a little but then turned and swam toward my boat and went under right at the back of the boat. I guess he hit the motor with his tail because you could feel a big bump and the power as he swam past and the boat actually moved. He went down and never resurfaced again. I powered up the trolling motor and took off.

I grew up around big gators in Louisiana and I have harvested a ton of them in my life. But that was the first time I have ever had one get that close with so much aggression and all that without any harassment. AND to hit the boat that was just crazy! They usually will just lie on the bottom and wait for you to move on. If they have a nest close by they will get aggressive but not rush in on a boat like that without any harassment. Just not something I have seen before in my past experiences with gators.

You are right about them pigs too. Those gators will take a pig with no problems. Them ol' gators are having what I call a good ol' fashion "Cochon de Lait" [coo shon du lay] Which basically means a come together to roast a pig!! hahaha

This Cajun can show yall how to hunt big gators...if you just give me a few tags you will have a new state record come from Choke!! And I will have a new belt for myself and a new purse for the lady! lol

I kinda enjoy watching the gators and you guys are wanting to kill them all? How many of you have ever harassed the gators? You know, you throw your plastic worms at them to see if you can hit them and to see the explosion when they bolt. How many of you have seen how close you could get before they took off?
Of course they are getting more aggressive, they see boats everyday and have lost their fear of man. There are signs at the park already that say "Alligators exist in this lake". Does anybody remember the lady who had her dog eaten at the now 75 (used to be called 90 acre when it happened)lake. She tried to sue the state and lost. I will say that it is stupid to have a swimming area at the 75 acre lake because the giant gators usually lay just outside the ropes.

I don't think anyone said kill them all. But the gators are top of the food chain except for us. Who is gonna thin the herd ? I as u enjoy looking at the gator but when you pull in a cove and see an abundance of gators its time to start harvesting. I think everyone agrees that a smaller population is healthier for them and everyone else. What would happen if humans never died think the world would be a crowded place same can be said at choke. And it will take more than 5 a year to put a dent in the ecosystem.

Yep, there's too many gators. They eat too many LMB. No wonder I have a hard time catching them.

I love choke canyon and the outdoors and its many animals. We may have to do something with these gators. There are swimming areas and plenty of spots to shore fish. If these gators are getting aggressive due to nest protection, mating season or a lack of fear due to people feeding them it does not negate the potential of an attack. Thinning the amount of these gators is an idea or capturing and moving these gators to other lakes would also be good idea. Having 14 and 15 foot gators roaming around can be more dangerous for our patrons. The larger the gator the more food it will need to sustain. Contemplation of action is needed quickly to avert a accident.

wasn't obama just talking about putting gators in the rio grande?

problem solved!

Remember fellas the lake is a little low. Well hell, it's always low I suppose, but if the lake was full those gators would have alot more room to play. Are you guys seeing the gators all over the lake or just in certain places? I ask because there used to be places that I fished and never saw them and there were places I always saw them. I must admit the places I caught the most fish also had the most gators, not sure if it has any merit though.