Choke Canyon- the Good, the Bad and the Awesome

I have never caught a fish at choke- until today. I cautiously took my inflatable kayak to choke this morning, based on a positive report. I didn't have any luck for quite a while, I think Choke doesn't have the volume of fish that some other places do, probably because of the alligators. I thought the alligators were an overhyped scare story- until I saw one approaching the far shore where I was and then turn towards me. It wasn't very close, but I high-tailed it back across the lake anyways. I'm crazy, but not stupid. Anyways, after a while I caught a little catfish, or maybe bullhead, it's kind of yellowish. Then I made my way into a sheltered bay and finally hooked into the largest bass I have ever caught (I think). That PB didn't last long as I soon caught another one even bigger. I don't know what it weighed but it felt like 10 pounds to me, at least while lipping it for a picture. I'm sure everyone here will says it's only 5, but it was a beautiful fish nonetheless. A true bucket mouth, it looked like it could swallow a coke can. I caught a few more big bass and then had massive line tangles and decided to call it a day. 4 big LMB and one small catfish, not a bad day for me at all.

Just want to tell you, you are nuts for taking anything that requires air to float to the stump hole known as Choke. But congratulations on your fish and obviously you didn’t pop your boat, so congratulations on that too.

Thanks. It's a high quality inflatable with a separate bottom and inflatable floor and 3 ply nylon. These kind of boats don't pop from branches or rocks, only the Texas sun if you overinflate it.

Nice bass, and looks like you had a great day!
As mentioned above, south Texas is tough country and everything there either sticks, bites or stings.
There are mesquite thorns that will go through a truck tire like a knife through hot butter.
Not to mention the stumps that have sharp points like a knife blade that are just under the surface that you don't see.
This post isn't meant to try and scare you because it's all true, and just a friendly warning in case you aren't aware, so I guess if you are extremely careful your boat might survive.
I've got some deep gouges and scratches in my fiberglass hull that are complements of some of the many trips down there.

The gators are just going to do their thing, but something floating and moving through the water that feels soft like food might make them act differently.

I was fishing in an inflatable kayak once. I caught this longnose gar. A great fight, it tail-walked like a barracuda. I got it in the boat, and it just started thrashing around. And that's when I heard the hiss . . .