Hello Fellow Fisherman;

I just got off the phone with the gator specialist that is over Choke Canyon Lake. We are planning on going to the site in the lake where we are having the issues. Please feel free to send me your experiences so I can share them with him. We are going to start a plan of action in regards to the gator population in the lake. Please advise to remove yourself from any situation until further notice. Just to restate it is against the law to shoot or cause harm to a gator in a public lake. I assure you that action will be taken soon.

Your feedback and support in this matter will only help this process move faster.

Thanks again,

Thank you, thank you, thank you,
I'm skeered of them gators. Ever since I saw one, we haven't been back to camp (in our motorhome) at Choke Canyon. We have two ittle lap dogs, and one of them invariably wants to go out to pee, in the middle of the night. I'm sure if the circumstances were right, a gator just might come after a little dog, or a big dog as well,....or ME.
I want to go fish the lake, really bad. But, if the law is so strong against shooting gators in self defense, it gives me pause. Heck, it seems you've got a lot more rights shooting a human, in self defense.

Well if it would ever rain and fill the lake up again those poor old gators would have another 1,000 acres to play in.

Cloud, how many gator attacks have you heard happening in Texas? Muchless Choke? If that really scares you then you better never go back there again because you have a better chance of being killed by a rattlesnake than a gator, now your mutt, thats a different story!

Somebody always has to be first, be a trailblazer. And, I simply do NOT feel THAT lucky. Therefore, I will proceed with caution.
FYI I'm also skeered of the snakes in Lake Dunlap. I've seen quite of number of them, and they all look like water mocassins to me.......

Yeah snakes on land do not bother me BUT a snake in the water is a different story.

I have fished that lake many times now, camped out at Calliham, never had an issue with gators. Seen them a few times and they always headed the oposite direction as humans. They wnat nothing to do with you. Part of the beauty of that lake is the wildlife, don't go trudging into their territory and think we need to eliminate them....They have never attacked anyone.... If your scared, don't fish there.

@parttime.. I am not scared but I don't like to charged for no reason.

what issues have been happening?

Only issues are in their heads!

You got too close to her nest.

I can't even imagine what kind of issues people are having with the gators?

Is it seeing them in their natural habitat that is bothering people, or maybe it's because they want to water ski in the cove there at Caliham that they have a problem being in the same water where there are gators?

All these years, no attacks, and now someone says there is a problem, and something needs to be done sounds like there is an alterior motive.

Took this yesterday morning near telephone. The one in back was at least 6 foot maybe 7. I could see the entire body, head to tail. The one in front made the one in back look like a little baby.

Those gators are old, and have been there for years and won't bother anyone as long as people give them their space, and if harrassed they will move on and avoid people.

Yes they are big and powerful and could be dangerous if forced to defend themselves, but they are just part of the landscape and shouldn't be worried about unless one is attacking boats or trying to jump into a boat, which I don't see ever happening unless someone is trying to entice an attack by teasing the gators.

i set drop lines in my 13ft kayak at the daughtry wma and iv had a gator longer than my kayak 40yds from me swim along side me and have no worries. leave them alone and they will leave you alone.there was a gator hunt there this past weekend i sure hope they got him.nothing aginst gators.just a little scary!!

A big female protecting her nest can be intimidating. Just move on away and leave her alone and no problems.

Momma said alligators are so angry because they got all dem teeth but no toothbrush.

I heard a story years ago and I can't confirm the truth of it, but it goes like this....There were a group of guys wading in water about knee deep setting out duck decoys on the upper lake and one of the guys that was known for his practical jokes and clowning around started yelling and thrashing around and the other guys thought he was playing around....Well, he wasn't!

Suppossidly a gator had grabbed his leg and clamped down but the guy was able to work free as it wasn't a very big one and wound up with some scratches and hurt pride.

Anyway that's basically the version I heard, and how true, I don't know?

They keep the jet fleas away:) Nuff said

From TP&W:

�If the alligator is not approaching people or otherwise posing an obvious threat, wait a few days if possible - even up to a week - before contacting TPWD. In spring and summer, alligators are moving to breed and find new habitat. Most of the alligators moving around are smaller ones that have been pushed out of their normal habitat by larger alligators. Usually, these smaller alligators will move further on in a week or two.
�If you hear an alligator hiss, it's a warning that you are too close.
�Alligators have a natural fear of humans, and usually begin a quick retreat when approached by people. If you have a close encounter with an alligator a few yards away, back away slowly. It is extremely rare for wild alligators to chase people, but they can run up to 35 miles per hour for short distances on land. Never make the mistake of thinking that an alligator is slow and lethargic. Alligators are extremely quick and agile and will defend themselves when cornered. A female protecting her nest might charge a person who gets close to the nest, but she would quickly return to the nest after the intruder left.
�It is not uncommon for alligators to bask along the banks of a pond or stream for extended periods of time. These alligators are usually warming their bodies; they are not actively hunting. Often times a basking alligator may be seen with its mouth open; this is a way to cool its body temperature down, since alligators do not pant or sweat. An approaching human should cause these alligators to retreat into the water. (In some cases, the alligator may be protecting a nest - see below.) However, an alligator may be considered a nuisance if it leaves the banks of the water body to spend time near homes, livestock pens, or other structures.
�If you walk near the water and an alligator comes straight toward you, especially if it comes out of the water, it is definitely a nuisance alligator that needs to be reported to TPWD. In many cases, these are alligators that have been fed by people or have been allowed to get human food.
�If you see an alligator while walking a pet make sure that your pet is on a leash and under your control. Your pet will naturally be curious, and the alligator may see an easy food source. Alligators have a keen sense of smell. In areas near alligator sightings it is wise to keep pets inside a fenced area or in the house for a few days, during which the alligator will often move on.
�If you see an alligator in the roadway, DO NOT attempt to move it! Notify local authorities so the alligator can be handled safely.
�If you see a large alligator in your favorite swimming hole or pond, do not swim with it. Although alligator attacks in Texas are rare, it can happen. The "attack" reports in Texas are usually more accurately described as "encounters." As with all outdoor activities, realize that wildlife encounters are a possibility.
�It is not uncommon for alligators to pursue top-water fishing lures, and this activity does not constitute a threat to humans. As with fish, alligators are attracted to these lures because they mimic natural food. Most alligators can be easily scared away from boats or fishing lures. However, alligators that repeatedly follow boats, canoes, or other watercraft, and/or maintain a close distance without submersing may be considered nuisance alligators.
�If you see a nuisance alligator, consider why it is there. Did someone clean fish and throw the heads into a pond or river? If so, they created a potential alligator problem and could be breaking state regulations. Since October 1, 2003, it has been a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 for anyone caught feeding an alligator.

choot um!!!! choot um Elizabeth!!! had to do it. sorry guys.
really leave um alone and they will leave you alone.

This is a main part of the problem right here. I have seen people feeding the gators while cleaning fish at the 75 acre Lake fish cleaning station.

Also, I have been growled and hissed at twice on Choke. Scared the carp out of me and I went the other way. This past Thursday I had a gator in Opposum creek actually follow my boat a ways - maybe 75 or 100 yards. I was fishing a bank and did not even see her. When I got near the cove I hear the loud growl behind me, and saw her when I turned around. This gator was at least 10 feet long. I turned the boat to head away and she actually followed me in the water a ways. She never got closer than 25 or 30 yards from my boat. This is the first time I have ever seen this, been growled and hissed at once before but never followed. After following me for about 75 maybe a 100 yards she went under the water. I could not see her any longer, but after about 5 mins on the trolling motor I saw her head poke back up in the cove where I started.

I can say I have been fishing Choke since 1998 and the Gator population has grown signifigantly in the last 13 years. They are very intriguing to watch and look at, but I don't see why you can hunt everything else around but can not hunt gators. Seems to me there should be a season for them - There is no way Gators should be on the endagered species any more. I call BS and they need removed from the Endagered species list - Every lake in Texas and Florda has Gators - Heck I think there is enough Gators in choke to get them off the endagered species list.

I dont see why you could not get a tag for 1 gator a year and allow hunting them at some point in the season. They will over populate choke if they are not thinned out a little. With no natural predators in the area what would weed them out besides a dwindling food supply.

Alligators are no longer on the endangered list, however they are still on the protected list. There are public hunt permits issued at Choke Canyon. Numbers are based on surveys done by TP&W.

Did not know that, thanks. Hopefully some gator carne for me.

As Troy on that show, "swamp people" would say!

Chooooot um, Chooooot um Elizabet!!!!!

Last year I saw one I KNOW went around 18'+ on the East/North end of the lake...

Can anyone else confirm they saw here? How big is she?

I cannot believe you guys are so scared of those things. They might follow a boat, prob ou of curiosity. Not like they have tried to get in yet. Cmon!

Did you get any fingerprints off that arrow sticking out the side of the gator in Four Fingers this past weekend? I reported it to the park ranger Sunday afternoon 5/15.

Leave the gators alone. There is no problem on Choke except maybe the goofballs shooting them and feeding them.

The fishing was pretty good by the way.

I've got a gator on video somewhere around here that was longer than my old 20 foot Cobra. Bryan over at the Calliham store will tell you there at least use to be 4 or 5 that were around 20 foot or longer on Choke. Wonder what ever happened to those???

+1000
You guys are acting like you have a rattlesnake nest in your shoes. These gators are doing nothing to harm you, so why harm them? If I broke into your house, what would you do? Same concept applies to them. They just want to live their lives and not be bothered by us. Repsect nature and it will respect you.

Sometimes the eyes fool us.

Florida gator may be a star, but Texas grows them bigger


AP photo from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Robert Ammerman, a nurse who traps gators as a hobby, poses with the 654-pound Florida alligator he caught in the Lake Washington area of the St. Johns River in Brevard County .


Florida may be all abuzz about the monster alligator that towed a boat around a lake for 45 minutes when a trapper tried to snare it, but Texas gets to keep its bragging rights on big gators.

The Florida alligator set a state record at 14 feet, 3½ inches, but Texas Parks and Wildlife reports that the largest gator on record here was half an inch larger: A 14-foot, 4-inch gator was taken near West Columbia in 1998.

Texas may not have any bigger alligators lurking out there undetected, however. Houston Chronicle outdoors writer Shannon Tompkins recently reported that alligator populations are starting to come back from the devastation of Hurricane Ike, but it will take decades for the young alligators to reach the size of the behemoths wiped out by the storm.

Texas doesn�t have records on file for alligators caught before endangered species protections were lifted here and hunting resumed in 1985, so it�s possible that Texas alligators used to be even bigger.

Louisiana, meanwhile, still lays claim to a record that has stood for over a century. The biggest alligator ever recorded in the United States came from Louisiana in 1890. Its length: 19 feet, 2 inches.

Best tent camping there is around Choke is near "Watch for Gators" signs.

I compete against alligators,....for LMB. They win, I lose, I don't like them.
Their hide makes for gorgeous boots, shoes, and belts. IMO it's time to see some of the benefits of their existence on Choke. Man built the dam/lake for OUR benefit. Alligators belong somewhere else. I want to take my G-kids to Choke, were it not for the alligators.
It sure looks like we're going to let them win again. Therefore, I will ask for a refund of my tax dollars........

I had an issue with a very aggressive gator at Choke and I know this gator was acting overly aggressive and was not the natural reactions of most gators. This gator was not provoked and the time of year was not even close to natural times of breeding and nesting. This particular gator swam up to my boat and approached my boat with aggressive behavior. He opened his mouth and hissed and then did a very low growl and then blew up his body to tell me just how big he his. These actions are what they do to show an opponent just how big they are and to scare off an aggressor. This gator did not back down after I turned the boat away. He followed the boat and swam next to it for a while. Then the gator was acting even more aggressive when he swam straight towards the boat in a faster swim like he was going to attack my boat. He got within 10 feet of my boat and I knew if I did not take action and scare him he was going to attack. I did not strike or touch the gator. All I did was slap the water with lots of force with my fishing rod and make a lot loud noise in an angry low tone like a growl and look him in the eyes. I slapped the water a few more times and he did turn away and go underwater. I know you guys will say what you want to say about gators being territorial or just reacting to an intruder in their world, but you can not allow big gators to become that territorial in a public lake. That gator will become a threat to humans and to other alligators. Since you can not regulate human or alligator intrusions into the area that gator needs to be removed.

My case for selective removal is based on my experience. I am no expert but I grew up hunting these gators in my home state of Louisiana and I have legally harvested many many gators in my lifetime. I have never encountered such aggression like I have in Choke. Not even in areas in Louisiana that has more concentration of gators than Choke. Most cases a gator will go underwater in an encounter not turn and charge, especially when they are in water. Only time I have seen a gator charge is when they are on a hook and your pulling on it and they have only one choice for survival and that�s to charge you. But retreat is just a safer route for them to take. Why do think they have been around for a million years! They are not dumb reptiles. I think the gators at Choke are caught in a world that human interaction is now becoming an every day occurrence and those gators are learning from that interaction. I think some people feed them and I think some people pester them as well. All these interactions are causing these gators to learn and maybe they see us as a source of food or just food?

I think the gator population is very healthy in Choke and a few large more aggressive gators can be harvested to help the situation. I will never say kill them all but to make the lake a safe place for everyone you have to take the gators that are very aggressive out of there. The lake will be safer and actually more productive.

Also, if you think a gator won�t eat a catfish off a trotline you have another thing coming�and how many trotlines are set in Choke??? Those gators will rip that catfish right off that line and you would never know it was taken.

"He" was probably a "she" and she was telling you that you were too close to her nest.

are those records correct? We have gators in our ponds at one of the ranches and the longest one we have right now is over 17'. We have a couple more over 14'. We killed one about 4 years ago that was over 20' cuz it was attacking calves that came to the pond to drink. after it killed 2 calves in one week, he went in the fryer.

Yes, the records are correct.

Is the 11 footer still on the counter at Callihan check-in?

Yes. its been that long since ...

**I know you guys will say what you want to say about gators being territorial or just reacting to an intruder in their world, but you can not allow big gators to become that territorial in a public lake. That gator will become a threat to humans and to other alligators. Since you can not regulate human or alligator intrusions into the area that gator needs to be removed**. I agree!

@skeeter151... where was that gator at choke located? I am going with the biologist tomorrow to scout out the gator that did the same thing to me.. I am thinking this might be the same gator as his actions best off your description is exactly what happened. Only difference was I lost power to my boat and was stuck.. SCARY!!

I say report all encounters with TPWD and let them determine if there is a problem.

They can remove a problem gator if there is one that needs to be removed.

Let's face it, in this country the search for the solution will begin AFTER the problem becomes very serious, AND is voiced by MANY voters. Heaven forbid a government that's pro-active. My word,.....2 times.
All I know is what I myself plan to do about it.

Go right ahead because the TPWD probably can use the funds anyway.

I'm sure one of the local news stations would like to take you up on your story and do some investigative reporting on the attacking gators, and then maybe it would bring it to light.

That is usually the way it works though. There has to be some sort of evidence that there is a problem or a danger, as in documented attacks.

I would be more worried about getting bitten by a rattlesnake going to get your truck in the parking lot, than the gators.

The danger is there if you don't use common sense and get into the water with a gator, but then the same can be said of snakes. It's south Texas and most things that live in south Texas out in the wild have sharp teeth or fangs and even the bushes will not be too friendly if you don't respect them.

I'll have to say south Texas isn't for the weak of heart, and trying to do away with those critters just because they scare people isn't the answer, because they were there first, so you have to adapt to their environment or stay out of it, simple as that.

The alligators ARE monitored at Choke Canyon. That is how TP&W determines how many to harvest each year.

Had a big gator follow me and my brother around for about 15 minutes up possum creek last year while we were trolling around a cove. We finally found the reason. There were a bunch of little ones around the bank sunning. Most were 14-18 inches long. We just stayed away from the bank and she finally submerged and then reappeared about a few minutes later. Since we were not catching a lot of fish anyway we left the cove to her and the younguns.

And that is what is supposed to be done. But some people think it fun to aggrivate the animals and then when they get the [censored] scared out of them, they go crying to the game warden. Then the game warden has to take some kind of action that is usually not good for the alligator that simply wanted to be left alone.

The gators are good for the environment because Choke is about the only lake that doesn't have a bad infestation of jet fleas.

Those jet fleas or probably ten times more of a danger than any of those alligators on a bad day.

Count your blessings and leave the gators alone!

You my friend, would be considered a sissy. Alligators belong somewhere else? Oh o.k. how about in your backyard, ummm maybe the mall, or hmmm maybe a baseball stadium? There are plenty of lakes for you to fish that don't have gators but guess what they all have gar in them. Do gars scare you too? The lake was built for flood control & to help supply water to Mathis, not for Cloud Dancers fishing habit.

maybe you should stop watching movies like lake placid, and try to understand the animal and its natural behaviors. just because they are large and would probably enjoy having two scrumptous dogs for lunch does not mean they are pose a serious threat.

like Parttime said "If your scared, don't fish there".

I seriously doubt that he-men have ANY sissy friends. On the other hand, friends of alligators, now that's a different story.

The dam was built for the benefit of human beings, I agree. The fact that I might benifit from it is incidental.

I have had two situations happen to me.

The first was in a cove on the east facing side of four fingers. The gator was in the big cove on the left as you enter four fingers. Here is the gps cords
28� 30.502 N
98� 16.934 W

The second situation was up river next to a big cove. These gps cords will get you close.
28� 31.470 N
98� 24.229 W

The largest gator I have ever seen in my life was in that cove up river. He was most likely over 16 feet, but thank god he was not the one that was so aggressive.

Hope the info helps.

Leave them alone! That�s one of the many things that makes fishing that lake fun and interesting. If you�re afraid of them then go fish somewhere else. If you just feel like you need to change something then why don�t you go get rid of the jelly fish at the coast, or how about mosquitoes they are bothersome but don�t mess with the Gators at Choke.

So far it's only about three people who have had issues with the gators who have posted on the topic and have felt threatened, and I think TPWD realizes that people and the gators are going to cross paths but a gator isn't going to go too far out of it's way to attack a boat, and if you see an animal that appears territorial then you are in it's territory then you are too close so it's time for you to move on, and that's just common sense.

If you insist on fishing among those alligators then you just have to accept the fact you are going to pizz them off if you get into their space.

I'm sure TPWD is aware and will access the situation, and will take action only if they feel there is a problem, and I doubt they will make too much out of complaints just because a few people don't like having gators around them when they are fishing.

I had one chase me out of the area by Telephone. That small creek that feeds into the little cut just around the point.

I had nosed into there and she came off the bank like a missle. She followed the boat near the drivers seat all the way to the next cut. I never even noticed her.

She seemed a bit pissed but none of the others I have ever seen there seemed all that aggressive.

And Cloud needs to cowboy up a bit. Im a yankee transplant and they dont bother me any....

Are you guys worried about them climbing in the boat? Excuse my ignorance, maybe I don't know any better, but I guess I could have been "chased out" of an area a few times but I didn't leave and just kept fishing. They get right along side of my boat but wtf are they going to do? Jump in with me?

I see the Gators there all the time. Im withing 40 ft at times and they have NEVER done anything in an agressive way. Im lucky to see ANY movement out of them. I wont get out and take a pic...but, they havent tried to climb into my boat either !!

i been fishing that lake, since it was made, slept in a tent, in a truck, a boat, been everywere you could go on the lake, seen lots of gators big and little, never had a problem, beats me where all this wild b.s. come from ooooooo scarry

Our fatherless boys want to go see them. One said he wants some boots and a wallet lol.Heck they may want to ride them for all i know lol.

Maybe if you do like this guy and ask for it!

Stupid is, as stupid does!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfpuVRBzQ8k

They r harmless. Last spring i had to get in the water with three of them within a cast of the boat. They just sat there and watched me trying to get my boat unstuck. I think they were actually laughing at me like everyone else in that cove was.... I like to catch them! they are a he!! of a lot of fun on heavy braid! They eventually straighten the hook. But I had one on for about 15 minutes once... was starting to get worried it wouldnt come off... The girl I was with was not having near as much fun as I was... as usual... hahahahahahahaha

next time you get out of the boat with them, just remember they preferred fresh nad...

It always makes me laugh when people take things way too serious. No one is asking to remove ALL the gators at Choke. Just a selective harvest to balance the heard a bit.

Kind of funny to me to hear people say the things they say about these reptiles and then go apply a different thought process to other wildlife like deer.

I love these gators at Choke and its really cool to see them. But, I am a lot more cautious around them knowing some people feed them. Also, I am concerned for someone that has no idea how to react to a mad gator.

BTW- a gator CAN launch himself into a boat. Matter of fact they can lauch themselves about 1/3 the length of their body out of the water. This is how we catch the large gators by hanging the bait at least 2 feet from the top of the water. I have caught gators with bait hanging 3 1/2 feet out of the water.

I think I need to apply for some of those tags next time they come around.

I have fished around gators my whole life. Never really a problem. I usually leave once they show up. Fish are not sticking around with a Gator next to your boat. Dont feed them. If they become use to boats feeding them then you never get any fishing done. They like to chase bobbers.

The only time I have ever seen one attack a boat, was a big gator gaurding its nest. A guy fishing beside us trolled up into the cove and we heard splashing and yelling. The guy started his motor and pulled out of the cove. came over to us and showed us what had happen. The big gator had grabbed hold of his trolling motor and tried to kill it. You could see the tooth markes as deap scratched on the motor. Both prop blades were broke off.

Selective harvest?

Seems they are already doing that by allowing some to be hunted, and I haven't seen one post that is appossed to that, and what it seems is there is maybe someone trying to stir the pot to make it appear there is a problem when there actually isn't.

What is funny, is those who are over reacting like there is some major problem and it's not safe, and the gators are about to take over the lake.

Go back and read the OP if you don't believe that to be true, and if the motive is to allow more hunting of the gators, then why not just come out and ask TPWD to allow it, instead of scare tactics to try and force the issue.

So far, from what I can tell the consensus in this thread seems to be to leave the gators alone, and they'll leave you alone!

This is just one of many internet forums. You post your information, your question, and/or your opinion. And, I do the same. Just because the Choke alligators are not a problem to you does not mean they're not a problem to someome else.
If you're an activist, and you want to do something about changing the alligator population, an internet forum is a good place to start. We know it takes a large group of people pulling in the same direction, and making 'a lot of noise', in order to bring about "change".
IMO nothing is going to be done about the gator population at Choke,....until something sensational happens. It would have to stir up the interest of the news media.
All I have time for is to go fishing, and to take care of myself. Somebody else can do all the work.

Talking about change! What the heck is going on with that park, is it the red headed setp child of Texas? They never, ever open South shore headquaters anymore, pulled #2 dock a while back, pulled the fishing pier they had built that was so fancy (been gone along time too). At Callighan they filled the pool with dirt and seem to be catering to the bird watchers now. It's almost like they don't want people to come visit the park.

Ive only had one of them shoot off the bank, and I honestly thought the t-motor was a goner. However, I was showing one to my at the time girlfriend, and truth be told I got a little too close

aside from that, they have never bothered me one bit...heck, my mom and dad fish together there all the time and I swear they have names for most of them.

How about this....instead of harvesting them....why don't we trap them using funds raised by those who believe in the cause, and turn them loose just below amistad and just north of zapata.....reserve a few really big ones for the river just south of zapata?

I'm in, and I'll be the first to send in my contribution.

That wouldn't work Chad and you know it! LOL!

They would have them turned into boots in a heartbeat!

yes, but the few who die trying.....focus on those....

Wonder how many SAL's the gators eat every year during the spawn?

Go gators there good luck
They mostly eat dead fish floating by if a bass gets eatin probably was something wrong with it

I live withing an hour of Choke Canyon and have been fishing the lake for a very long time. The way I see it, the gators of Choke are like a treasure. There arent many places in the world were you can see a gator/that goes 18 ft long. Choke has two! And several others over 14 ft.

These gators can easily take you off your boat if they wanted. However, it is just not what they do. In all my yrs, I have never heard of anyone ever being harmed at choke canyon by a gator. The only time they ever become problems is when people start feeding them and they get used to it and start following you around. People mis-interpret this as aggression but its not.

Sadly, two weeks ago I was at the ramp after a tourny and the game wardens told me that they got a report that one of the big ones had been killed by some idiot bow hunter. Shot him for no reason. No respect, this animal was at least 100 yrs old. What a shame!

Now, I dont suggest that you go swimming in Choke canyon, but just leave them alone. Try to appreciate them cause you wont find anything like em anywhere else. Ive taken guys from the everglades out to choke and they were amazed at the size of them. Respect!

I saw one down there with an arrow in it also. It was down from the 99 bridge ramp towards the lake. It is neat to see something like the gators the are not camera shy got some good pics of them.

My brother and I were fishing near mason point several years back and we saw one of those huge gators swimming across not far from the launch. We were rounding the bend along the shore and there was a guy in a float fishing tube.

We had been disgusing how big that gator was and we asked the guy in the float tube if he had seen it?

He asked us where, and we showed him since it wasn't that far away, and I know you've seen those ducks how they run accross the top of the water before they take flight. That is what that guy looked like scrambling to get out of the water and back to his truck.

Too funny. I saw some duck hunters wading chest deep in an area where I big gator used to hang out. I warned them but they looked at me like i was just messing with them,

I was out there Wednesday and we had one swim right at the boat. We left the cove though. He was big, 12 feet maybe. I duck hunt Choke and camp in my boat and on the bank, never had a problem. Give them space and worry about the fish.

FYI according to google alligators live to be 40-50 years old, a long time, but not quite 100.

I grew up in SE Texas and SW La.. Been around gators all my life. Wade fished within 30' of a 12 footer before. Been near 8'-10' gators dozens of times. I've never seen one make an aggressive move toward a human ... ever. Seen a lab taken down in teal season though.


The hype on the TFF about alligators is hillarious. They are simply no big deal.

Yeah, I really don't see what the problem is. If it isn't the gators, then it's something else.

Whats next? Are we going to start pulling up all of the native trees and replace them with more "allergy friendly" alternatives?

Maybe we could hire some scientists to genetically design an entirely new bird population that is visually beautiful, but lacking the ability to sing and make noise. God knows we don't need any of those pesky birds ruining our afternoon naps with all of their jibber-jabber.

And, I don't know about you guys, but all of these hiking trails here in Texas really upset my restless leg syndrome. Maybe we could outfit all of the hiking trails with those nifty escalator things that they have at the airport.

I Googled "Toledo Bend Alligators", and now I'm more skeered than before. An alligator tried to eat a little boy, and took his arm off all the way to the shoulder. Then, I heard there were alligators right there where I usually launch, at San Miguel Bayou:

good grief DP, in a funk???? chill..........

Lol.

Just joking around.

I agree with this. I used to fish the Okefenokee swamp in GA a few years back in my canoe. Around one of the state parks, people used to feed the gators all the time...illegally, but it happened. So of course the gators would form a circle of 5-10 gators around your watercraft if you tried to fish in that area. Just waiting for you to feed them...at least in their little minds. It would have been very easy to thnk this was aggression. Dangerous...maybe...especially if I fell out of the canoe at that point. On a side note, it added an extra exciting element to fishing. Can you reel in the bowfin or jack before the gators got to it?

OK, so we have a small aligator population at Choke. Do as I do and you will have no problems. When They approach, just throw them a dead chicken and watch them swimm off. Of course you could kinda bump your partner into the water if ya do not have a dead chicken handy and ya really do not like him anyway. J/K
Do not bother them or feed them. Leave them alone and go on your merry way if they get closer than you are comfortable with. I have fished around them for years and never had one actually attack, though I thought some might be a little more friendly than I was used to and I moved on.

If you want to stay in the area and have them leave you alone, go right at em when they come at you. Seriously, it scares the h*ll out of them. I did this in the canoe in Okefenokee all the time. I'd paddle like a mad man at them with the 15 foot canoe, and they'd thrash, turn tail and leave. It kept them away for 30 min or so, before they started working their way back to the boat. Small brains, short memory I guess.

this is the reality, and there is no argument, alligators are natural inhabitants to the area ,and it is theyre northern most densly populated area in the US. if you do not like their presence than do not fish there. yes the lake was made for mans functions and as a plus it became a great enviroment for the alligators as well , getting the biologists and wardens involved sounds like a bunch of crying to me , you knew there were gators when you launched the boat , its like going to the beach and complaining about the sharks. and as it turns out , due to the drought the hog population near the lake has thrived , so one very stupid thing for us to do now is to remove any large predators that can assist in controlling the hog population (or at least attempt to), as for me , the alligators are a main attraction at the lake and if i should ever see the harrasment or killing of one of the gators in that lake , a sunken boat will be sure to follow. so my message to all of you complaining about the alligators is to learn to enjoy there presence as one of our last big predators we have left and leave them the hell alone , or go to another body of water that doesnt have alligators. "if you cant swim with the big sharks , stay in the aquarium" .

i launch in the san miguel river as well and yes there are many alligators there , but they DO NOT pose any threat , these folks are just trying to use scare tactics to get rid of the animals, and as a fact there has NEVER been a recorded alligator attack in texas. we can keep it that way if we all just leave them alone and go on about our busines.

wman it must really suck being scared bad enough to go cryin to the biologist, ill be writing letters in protest to this here in a few minutes, including to the biologist chris there at daughtry. a few scared fisherman and we gotta kill the gators . pathetic

There's two sides to this one alright. I'm on the side of the large-mouth bass,.....catch and release. Alligators eat the big ones,...the big large-mouth bass,....lots of them. I've got no use for alligators. They've eaten so many of the LMB that I can't seem to catch any, not like before anyway.
Alligators belong in the Everglades.
Next time I go to Choke Canyon, I won't be looking for any friends.
But, at least I still have freedom of expression.

and to the TFF ,tbadventure.


Hey Cloud, I was thinking (yes it's a scarey thing!). Did the gators eat all the bass at Canyon too? I seem to recall you don't catch many there either. You know it could be, just maybe, and I do too, but maybe you suck at fishing? Since we both suck we should just start fishing together and then we'd both know what NOT to throw for now on .

Prove it.

From TP&W:

Alligators eat potato chips, marshmallows, burned wieners; anything that splashes in the water near them that looks and smells like food. (They really don't know people can be food.....yet!) They normally eat fish, turtles, frogs, crayfish, birds, and mammals such as raccoons, opossums, armadillos, rabbits, and even sometimes deer. They also eat shotgun shells, beer cans, fishing corks, and rocks.

Because alligators are "cold blooded" they use food mainly for growth, repair and reproduction. The can probably go for a year or so without eating if they had to. During the winter they are not known to eat at all.


I don't see big large mouth bass, lot's of them in this list.

I'm certainly not out to change anyone to my way of thinking. I simply was posting my opinions,....just like everyone else does.
The fact that I suck at fishing, in places where there are very few biting fish, has nothing to do with it. Heck, if I were to insist on catching big numbers of fish, I would go to Falcon, OR I would quit. Except, I'm of fan of "Never Give UP" Michael Iaconelli.
If it torques you off that I have no use for alligators, I would suggest excercises which improve your anger management.....

a statement like that sounds to me like you are quite uneducated.
I would surmise being the "sportsman" that you are, you would understand that the gators have been in Tx river systems far longer than we have.....


I think we're getting a little closer to the truth here. you "environmental activist" types really don't hold a lot of water with most Texas sportspersons.
I mean, if you are so afraid of the presence of alligators as it pertains to
the safety of your family, just move or fish/enjoy a non-gator inhabited body of water.
there are plenty of those opportunities in Tx, WITH large bass for the record. If that doesn't work for you, there's HUGE smallmouth in Lake Erie, & no Gators!
why do you think you have the right to change nature to fit your agenda?
are you from california?



stop it with the fear-mongering & pot-stirring. it has been made quite evident in the past pages that the MAJORITY does not beleive as you do. Even the one guy who actually encountered a nuisance animal is still not for eradication.
I think you need to take your argument somewhere else, for the record.

Ahhh come on now, no need to pick on ol' Cloud Dancer. His phobia is obviously reptiles with 4 legs, a tail and big teeth. He may be scared of lizards too for all we know . Some hate snakes, I hate spiders and he hates the gators. The real problem is when you get some idiot bowfisherman who goes around shooting them.

BIG bass love baby gators......... just sayin'.......

sorry if I'm a little harder than most there, CD, but I know
lipstick on a pig when I see it.

I gotta tell you, I'm also afraid of the worst animal on the planet,.....man. However, against man a person can claim self defense.

I personally think that anyone that has a problem with the gators on choke should go fish falcon where the problem is guns in the hands of drug smugglers to get a better appreciation for the peacefulness of choke!

Gators never give me trouble... How is the fishing at choke right now? I assume its super low! I haven't been since Feb... Planning a quick trip Saturday.

I agree with the first part of your statement, no comment on the last. But just because you run across an alligator protecting it's nest is no reason to elimanate all of them. If a gator comes in the established campgrounds, yes, it needs to be relocated. But no, no need to kill just because they make you uncomfortable.

I agree wholeheartedly, grew up on the trinity South of Dayton, Tx with the same experience......

For the record I love reptiles of all configurations, shelled, 4 legged, legless, etc.... my phobia is spiders. but i don't kill 'em wantonly, I just control my fear and avoid them unless they make the mistake of "attacking" (getting on) me, then they are usually killed by the resulting melee/dance of death/panic.

Jerry Reed says: "Amos Moses would just knock em in the head with a stump"... Leave them gators be! And yes, I dont see shooting a spider with AR-15 as over kill.