# I really dislike alligators.



## bearintex (Feb 7, 2006)

My Granny has been on my butt to bring her some more catfish. Had this past Friday off, so I thought I would go set a trotline to get her some. I fish a private lake that is infested with alligators. One of them decided to clean my line. The staging on the left of the pic is how they are supposed to look. Those are 7/0 hooks. 7 hooks out of 23 on the line. And broke the line to boot.


----------



## obiewan57 (Sep 14, 2005)

Yow, keep them gators in your pond, if they do that to baited hooks, think what they do to fish on a daily basis


----------



## nikki (Apr 14, 2011)

were they tree shakker size or just limb shakers?


----------



## GeauxGet'Er (Jul 15, 2011)

i think dey be hand burners rite der.


----------



## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

Choot "em!!


----------



## McDaniel8402 (Dec 7, 2011)

If those hooks are giving up like that and that snap swivels are still intact, you need some better hooks. Those snap swivels ought to be breaking waaaaaaaaaaaaay before those hooks give up.


----------



## bearintex (Feb 7, 2006)

McDaniel8402 said:


> If those hooks are giving up like that and that snap swivels are still intact, you need some better hooks. Those snap swivels ought to be breaking waaaaaaaaaaaaay before those hooks give up.


Eagle Claw 7/0, dunno what I could use at that price point that would be any better. I'm not going to spend $2 a hook when I have 100 stagings.


----------



## That Robbie Guy (Aug 11, 2009)

bearintex said:


> Eagle Claw 7/0, dunno what I could use at that price point that would be any better. I'm not going to spend $2 a hook when I have 100 stagings.


http://www.proanglertackle.com/CatfishHooks.htm

Though, regardless of hook, you're still going to have an issue with them gators.


----------



## bearintex (Feb 7, 2006)

That Robbie Guy said:


> http://www.proanglertackle.com/CatfishHooks.htm
> 
> Though, regardless of hook, you're still going to have an issue with them gators.


Thanks, just ordered a mess of them.....


----------



## That Robbie Guy (Aug 11, 2009)

bearintex said:


> Thanks, just ordered a mess of them.....


Me too - i'm told the 6/0 Circle is out of stock and won't be in for 3 days.

Anyhow, i'ved used these on limb & trot lines and in the bay chasing big reds.


----------



## big-john (Jan 6, 2011)

I think I'd scroll down to the bow fishing or hunting boards and invite a few people to a gator hunting party. Just ask Granny if she wants some gator tail with her catfish.


----------



## bearintex (Feb 7, 2006)

big-john said:


> I think I'd scroll down to the bow fishing or hunting boards and invite a few people to a gator hunting party. Just ask Granny if she wants some gator tail with her catfish.


Unfortunately the lake owner (my employer) won't let us hunt the gators out there. I'd be first in line if they did! I have seen many 10' plus gators in there.


----------



## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Here is one from crappie fishing days last spring. I'm guessing 6 to 7 feet long. One that size could break hooks up to 13/0 I bet, depending on the hook. 
If you go swim with them, like the new show, to catch them I guess you use a BIG /0 snare! 
I sure would,... not get in the water with them, LOL:rotfl:!
Also today's striper catch. It was action!


----------



## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

That gator looks bigger than 7' Mr. Loy. Hard to tell in your pic but I would say close to nine maybe ten.


----------



## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Fishin' Soldier said:


> That gator looks bigger than 7' Mr. Loy. Hard to tell in your pic but I would say close to nine maybe ten.


That's what a couple of folks said back when i took it, it looked pretty big to me and was cold so it let us get close. Most likely about 10"


----------



## Justin C (Dec 11, 2006)

*Pro Angler Hooks*

I saw that those hooks were suggested in this thread. Just curious if anyone has any reviews on them as far as how strong they really are and if fish stay on them well. That price is unbelievable and I'd like to buy a bunch of them.


----------



## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

McDaniel8402 said:


> If those hooks are giving up like that and that snap swivels are still intact, you need some better hooks. Those snap swivels ought to be breaking waaaaaaaaaaaaay before those hooks give up.


 Very true!!!


----------



## TXDRAKE (Jun 24, 2004)

Look on the bright side!!! At least the gator wasn't still on the other end on the hook when you pulled it up!!!


----------



## blackghost_98 (Jan 31, 2006)

Just wondering if you think that all of the gators are the reason for the decline in the fishing at that location?


----------



## bearintex (Feb 7, 2006)

blackghost_98 said:


> Just wondering if you think that all of the gators are the reason for the decline in the fishing at that location?


No. It started going downhill 7-8 years ago when the owners decided to kill off all the grass. Then it got worse 3 years ago when the peninsula was closed and the boat lane cut in to it. The boat lane screwed up the original engineered water flow. They recently filled it back in and the water quality is already improving.

An electro-survey a few months ago was enlightening to say the least. They gathered NO bass and only a handful of crappie. It's a catfish and crab lake for a while until we get a couple good hatches.

They also can't seem to maintain a level in there. The main intake pumps from the Brazos into the settling pond have been problematic to say the least. It's gotten to where I won't just go on a whim without at least calling first to verify level. It got bad enough last year that you couldn't launch a boat.


----------



## blackghost_98 (Jan 31, 2006)

My thoughts, we were catching limits of crappie from along the bank in 4-6 inches of water. There was no cover then and had not been in the past several years. Then our company decided to repair the levee walls and dropped the level 5'. If you take into account the size and the amount of crappie along the edges (not to include the wind break where we also was catching limits) than that was a lots of crappie that did not spawn (have been told that they absorb their eggs). Have not caught very many crappie since.


----------



## That Robbie Guy (Aug 11, 2009)

Justin C said:


> I saw that those hooks were suggested in this thread. Just curious if anyone has any reviews on them as far as how strong they really are and if fish stay on them well. That price is unbelievable and I'd like to buy a bunch of them.


Get some - I use them for the river and the bay.


----------



## Reloder28 (Apr 10, 2010)

Sounds like that gator raked that line like an Oleander switch.


----------

