Dodging Alligators To Find Redfish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRFKG3HG5W4

A few people told me the gators were out in full force around Delacroix. “ It’s the worse we’ve seen in years… you be careful in dat kayak!” They were not lying! I am used to running across gators but I have never seen so many on a single trip. The good news is that there are gator traps all over the place. Needless to say, I had to dodge a few gators to finally get on some reds. In-line spinner was the key today even though I missed more than I caught. At first I thought I need to replace or sharpen the hook, but then I saw that they were attacking the spinner blade. I swapped over to a spoon without much success. So I went back to the spinner to play the odds since I was getting a strike on every third cast. It turned out to be a fun trip despite all the gators and missing so many fish.

Gator season doesn’t open till the last Wednesday in August and only runs for 30 days. The problem is the price is so low that many gator hunters do not even attempt to fill their tags, the price you get for the Gators is not worth the time and expense to catch them. The population of gators in Delacroix will continue to grow and is out of control. Not only do they bother fishermen but duck hunters are risking the life of their dogs if they bring them during teal season and the first week or two of the regular season. They will leave you alone for the most part but a dog to them looks like that spinner bait you are talking about. Good luck and stay safe on the water.

Last year peach jerkin in the upper Caernarvon area was exciting to say the least with Gators of all sizes wanting the float, did notice a reduction after the season but I'm sure they will be back in full force, In one run down the Delacroix Canal bottom of the Big Marr for 30 seconds of counting there was 15 Gators counted on one side of the bank, there were just as many on the other side for the ride. I've never seen the population that high of a full mix in size. Like Proud Pop says I would not hunt with a dog in the teal season have seen way too many big gators in this explosion of population. Not real sure what needs to be done to stabilize the pricing of wild caught gators Vs Farm raised to keep the population in check but something has to give. Also I-10 NO East more and more dead gators starting to be seen on the road what I went down to do a bit of work at my place in Delcroix. 116 Days till Teal not that I'm counting LOL

I have not been fishing nearly as often as both I want to and like to and saw plenty gators on last two trips in the Delacroix Marsh.Last week we saw one easily over 10 ft and my hunch is the explosion of River water all over the SE LA coast has had at least something to do with it.I bet Proud Pop hit de nail on de head with respect to prices paid for gator and dat would certainly be a detriment to someone wanting to harvest some dem big gators or even little ones.Even before the Spillway explosion of River water,Lady P was harboring more than her fair share of big gators and I used to see one,well over 12 ft long,well out in the Lake,over 200 yards from shore.Guess what the salinity might be in the Lake now,bet less that 0.5 ppt!!!

Mandevillian

will soon need an open hunting season for population control. Not sure how it will be handled with landowners but sooner or later something needs to be done.

Definitely some big ones in Delacroix!

That's some big ones Proud Pop!