Well, I’ve been busy with family time, so I’ve had to fish evenings on weekdays lately. We were going to go Monday night, but a huge rainstorm rolled in. We headed out later than we wanted to Tuesday. We launched the boat, and while my buddy was parking my truck, I looked over and saw mullet jumping like crazy right near the landing. Three throws of the cast net and we had a live well full of finger mullet and even got two shrimp.
We ran to the spot and trolled around a little bit. I was throwing a top water spook, and my buddy was throwing a curly tail grub on a jighead. He got lots of bites, and I was getting none.
Once the sun went down we switched to live bait. We each had a Carolina rig on the bottom. He put a live mullet on his jighead, and I tied on a popping cork with a mullet underneath. We both got lots of bites, but I couldn’t get anything to stay hooked. My buddy landed two good sized ladyfish and three trout (one keeper and two twelve inchers).
When we were about to leave, I heard my popping cork rod move. I picked it up, reeled up tight, and BAM! I had something big on! I turned on my headlamp, shined it toward the other end of my line, and it’s a 4’ long “Bushy Park Beast”! “It’s a stupid alligator,” I said. I fought with it until I got it right under the boat. I cranked the drag down as far as it would go and pulled up. As it came to the surface, the hook finally came out. I hope that taught it a lesson, and I’m glad I didn’t have to mess with it up close and personal. After all the commotion the bite turned off, and we headed back to the landing.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
The Bushy Park Beast! Someone should write a story about that!
“you win some, you lose some…but nothing beats getting some!”
I wore him down for ya, Hoof. At least you got to see him. Did he tow you all the way out to the jetties too?
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
A 4’ alligator is pretty good eating 
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
quote:
Originally posted by Redfish_matt
I wore him down for ya, Hoof. At least you got to see him. Did he tow you all the way out to the jetties too?
No. I wasn’t using the pork loin and 20/0 hook. I think you had the granddaddy of the one I hooked.
I think when he rolled, my leader wrapped around his mouth. When it got under the boat and I pulled up really hard it felt like he rolled again. I think the second roll unwrapped its mouth so that the hook could come out.
I really thought an alligator would fight harder than it did. It was no match for the ugly stick and penn reel, which surprised me.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
quote:
Originally posted by Cracker Larry
A 4’ alligator is pretty good eating
I’m not gonna lie. The thought crossed my mind.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
I hooked a small one (maybe 3’?) at the small pond on CSU campus back before I graduated in 2006. He came out of the weeds and grabbed the plastic worm I was using. I have to agree with you, he didn’t put up much of a fight either but dug in the dirt at the edge of the pond, where my line snapped.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza