Alligator Alley MM39

big g · June 04, 2017, 12:49:32 PM

Alligator Alley MM39 North Side, 6/4/17, 6:30-noon, Temp 87*, wind light, water level up, water temp 82*, cloud cover, no rain.

Went with Dave (CANESFAN) this morning. We were expecting some heavy rains but it totally bye passed us all morning. We started close to the ramp and fished east toward the bridge. I started with a stick-o and started catching at a good rate almost immediately. We caught them in the pads and at the drop-off deep. We caught them on both sides, but you had to work the bait slowly. I switched to a jig and craw and caught a few chunks back in the pad field almost to the sawgrass wall. While flipping the jig it suddenly felt heavy and I set the hook and to my surprise, it was a 7 foot gator, that neather of us had seen. It broke off the 50 pound braid like it was a piece of string. I'm glad for the quick release, but he is now wearing my jig and craw in his mouth. We also had a big gator posture right in front of the boat, with his entire head out of the water, mouth open, back vibrating, and a load bellow. They seem to be more territorial this year, then in previous years. Because of the threat of rain, we stayed in the area of the bridge. We noticed that the north canal had clean water, and the bridge and south canal looked almost chocolate in color, with green slim under the bridge. We caught all our fish in the north canal.

We used stick-o, U-vibe, jig and craw, jig and creature bait, and flukes. We caught 50+ bass, one mudfish, and zero exotics. Conditions were near perfect with cool conditions, no rain, and few boats. Both Dave and I caught some decent fish in the 2 pound range, and a bunch of dinks. Its was great to be out there without the rain, and without the OSCARS!

Capt. BassinLou · June 04, 2017, 12:52:38 PM

Thanks for the report George. Glad you got out there, considering all this rain this weekend.

SFL BassHunter · June 04, 2017, 01:13:34 PM

Thanks for the report George. I'm surprised you ventured out on the boat with the weather like this but it looks like it paid off.
Lots of fish and you did battle with a gator. Good thing for quick release though! The gators are dangerous this year.

big g · June 04, 2017, 01:16:31 PM

Yah Lou, it looked bad around 10:00, I was getting ready to leave, and Dave talked me into staying, and all of a sudden the rain disappeared.

big g · June 04, 2017, 01:26:41 PM

Thanks Rick for posting those. Those bass were not Kodak worthy, but represent a bunch of what we were catching today.

The bigger gator really put on a show for us with all the posturing. That smaller gator is now wearing some jewelry in its mouth. My new swing head football jig.

SFL BassHunter · June 04, 2017, 01:40:22 PM

Quote from: big g on June 04, 2017, 01:26:41 PM
Thanks Rick for posting those. Those bass were not Kodak worthy, but represent a bunch of what we were catching today.

The bigger gator really put on a show for us with all the posturing. That smaller gator is now wearing some jewelry in its mouth. My new swing head football jig.

Time to get another swinging jig.

Lipripper · June 04, 2017, 01:48:19 PM

Thanks for the report George and sounds like a good day in spite of the call for rain. Glad you had a quick release of that gator.

big g · June 04, 2017, 02:15:30 PM

Thanks Lip, we lucked out with the weather. We are now having a monsoon rain!!!!!

Rick I have a bunch of those jigs, just don't want another gator.

Lipripper · June 04, 2017, 02:23:42 PM

Quote from: big g on June 04, 2017, 02:15:30 PM
Thanks Lip, we lucked out with the weather. We are now having a monsoon rain!!!!!

Rick I have a bunch of those jigs, just don't want another gator.

At least y'all got a day of fishing in before the

hit and y'all need some to help bring the water back up a little and help put out some of them fires.

rchiuz · June 04, 2017, 04:06:44 PM

Nice report. Not a pleasant surprise to pull up a gator

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

j102 · June 04, 2017, 07:33:38 PM

You guys are crazy! lol
Great job Big G! Thanks for sharing the report and pictures.

LgMouthGambler · June 05, 2017, 09:57:02 AM

Son of a crap! I was gonna go in the morning, but forecast said rain in the morning, and clear afternoon. My how that was wrong. Nice job boys.

Lipripper · June 05, 2017, 10:04:34 AM

Quote from: LgMouthGambler on June 05, 2017, 09:57:02 AM
Son of a crap! I was gonna go in the morning, but forecast said rain in the morning, and clear afternoon. My how that was wrong. Nice job boys.

What's new they are wrong most of the time.

big g · June 05, 2017, 10:39:24 AM

Quote from: LgMouthGambler on June 05, 2017, 09:57:02 AM
Son of a crap! I was gonna go in the morning, but forecast said rain in the morning, and clear afternoon. My how that was wrong. Nice job boys.

It was a perfect morning with cloud cover, a very easy wind, and no threat of rain. Around 10:00 it looked shaky, but then dissipated.

big g · June 06, 2017, 01:48:59 PM

The everglades bonanza may end as quick as it started, the canals are climbing fast. We have had close to 8 inches of rain along the 595 corridor, in 24 hours. Local canals are way up. I hope Okeechobee got a good amount of this rain. Get up over 14.0 $:{_$ I hope.

LgMouthGambler · June 06, 2017, 01:54:54 PM

Quote from: big g on June 06, 2017, 01:48:59 PM
The everglades bonanza may end as quick as it started, the canals are climbing fast. We have had close to 8 inches of rain along the 595 corridor, in 24 hours. Local canals are way up. I hope Okeechobee got a good amount of this rain. Get up over 14.0 $:{_$ I hope.

Nope. 11.08 ft. And not climbing fast at all

SFL BassHunter · June 06, 2017, 02:35:03 PM

Quote from: big g on June 06, 2017, 01:48:59 PM
The everglades bonanza may end as quick as it started, the canals are climbing fast. We have had close to 8 inches of rain along the 595 corridor, in 24 hours. Local canals are way up. I hope Okeechobee got a good amount of this rain. Get up over 14.0 $:{_$ I hope.

No cause the really smart people that control the water would probably open the flood gates and get it back down to 11 sending us all the extra water.
They do those kinds of smart things sometimes.

The tropical park lake by the equestrian center, I fish was up almost about a foot on Sunday. I am guessing it will be up a lot more by end of today.

SFL BassHunter · June 06, 2017, 02:36:22 PM

Quote from: LgMouthGambler on June 06, 2017, 01:54:54 PM
Nope. 11.08 ft. And not climbing fast at all

They are probably dumping water down here again lol.
Also it's a BIG lake. I'm guessing it would take several more days of rain for it to be up significantly.

big g · June 06, 2017, 02:39:24 PM

Quote from: rickdelprado on June 06, 2017, 02:35:03 PM
No cause the really smart people that control the water would probably open the flood gates and get it back down to 11 sending us all the extra water.
They do those kinds of smart things sometimes.

The tropical park lake by the equestrian center, I fish was up almost about a foot on Sunday. I am guessing it will be up a lot more by end of today.

Yah, and Dade didn't get as much as we did up here. Monsoon rains for sure and still coming down right now.