this is for every body including kayakers ive seen alot of people feeding the rather large gators at bushy park they throw food right off the dock, and the gators come right up to them.they arent very afraid of humans apparently right there because everyone feeds them:angry:. just a heads up look out they didnt flinch when i was charging one in my 17 footer[:0]
interceptor
It’s going to be all fun and games until somebody gets snatched into the water. I think a lot of people don’t understand that there’s a difference between animals in their natural habitat and the ones at Sea World. The last thing I want is a gator cruising up to the yak expecting a free lunch.
I fish when you’re at work.
Some friends of my folks had neighbors on Fripp Island that used to feed the gators marshmallows. They did it all the time. Then one day their little white poodle came up missing. Guess it looked like a marshmallow to the gators.
Most of you probably know but for those of you who don’t. It’s not a good idea to associate yourself with food when it comes to feeding things that may eat you.
I have been seeing a lot of gators at bushy park on the salt side lately but they have all shyed away from me… thank god 
I hear there are bigger ones on the fresh side… I hope they stay put. I ran across a 12 footer and in my 11 1/2 foot yak I was a little nervous but it took off when I got too close taking pictures
Of course the second photo was NOT taken of the same gator 
but they were about the same size…
“Carpe Diem” does not mean “Fish of the Day”…
I one “encourage” me to move along last Friday in Bushy Park. I was about 20 yds away and got the picture taken, but I must have been there a little too long. The gator was probably 6-7 ft long, made a nice turn towards me and started coming in my direction with a bit of a purpose (back and tail riding high in the water). Needless to say I paddled rather quickly in the other direction.
Saw many other smaller one that were no bother though.
John
1996 Sunbird Spirit 170 - 112 Johnson
15’ Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro
Jerms has a rather interesting kayak gator story involoving him and the wife…let’s hear it jerms
2005 236 Sailfish
225 Yamaha 4-stroke
w/ all the chicken in the water at the dock from the crabbers (dock crabbers) it’s no wonder! now people are feeding them?! somebody is gonna get hurt!
…but it’s a flat bottom!
quote:
Originally posted by 23SailfishJerms has a rather interesting kayak gator story involoving him and the wife…let’s hear it jerms
2005 236 Sailfish
225 Yamaha 4-stroke
from last fall -
Anyone have any experience with this scenario? My wife and I went kayaking in the upper Ashley river Saturday evening and had an unnerving run in with a big gator. Saw a small one head into the water (4 feet maybe) when all of a sudden a really big guy rammed the wife’s boat with it’s head and sunk back into the muddy water. He hit the yak hard enough to raise it up quite a bit and it was really loud. We were maybe 4 feet from each other and both saw him. Water was about 3-4’ deep and we were in a small creek.
Needless to say, we got out of there and headed back to the ramp. Met a couple while loading up who said they kayak there all the time and the same thing happened to them a few days before. They even believed that gators would follow them beneath their yak out of curiousity.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling?
mating season maybe? keepin his pimp hand strong?
…but it’s a flat bottom!
The likely scenario is they were protecting the little ones. We used to do quite alot of “catch and release” with the young gators around here when we were young and had several run-ins with the big mamas.
Would probably yak in another area til later in the year.
Trojan F30
Twin Chevys
Kenner V90
90HP Johnson
This one I am referring to erupted after I put the paddle down to se how deep the water was and it touched him right beneath my yak. It was definitely not there to protect the little guy we saw.
It sounds crazy, but I think he had been following me, just below my yak, for a little while.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling?
quote:
Originally posted by jermsThis one I am referring to erupted after I put the paddle down to se how deep the water was and it touched him right beneath my yak. It was definitely not there to protect the little guy we saw.
It sounds crazy, but I think he had been following me, just below my yak, for a little while.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling?
The small one you saw, you said about 4 ft, could very well have made a “distress call” to the mother. Mother alligators generally will protect young until they are 3 yrs old. About 4 ft long.
Most gators, unless they are around a very populated area and get fed will try to stay away from you.
That’s what makes me think it was a mother looking after a young one. Possibility of some smaller young ones around that you may not have seen. Could have just been coincidental on the paddle.
The original post here is scary because feeding will cause problems at some point.
Trojan F30
Twin Chevys
Kenner V90
90HP Johnson
Regardless of the reason for the aggressive attitude of that gator, we don’t paddle up there anymore.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling?
Jermz.
How far up in the Ashley. My wife is wanting to get a yak soon and I was thinking about launching from the Oakbrook area ramp to practice some. Is this where you were, cuz she will go nuts if she sees a gator anywhere near her.
ive seen some big gators right by that landing
interceptor
The first picture I posted up above was about 500 yards from the landing… I love hearing the water roaches (read jetskiers) talk about how “safe” it is on the salt side
“Carpe Diem” does not mean “Fish of the Day”…
yeah i hate them river roaches. the ones the people were feeding were about 15 feet from the landing.
interceptor
quote:
Originally posted by FishFoFunJermz.
How far up in the Ashley. My wife is wanting to get a yak soon and I was thinking about launching from the Oakbrook area ramp to practice some. Is this where you were, cuz she will go nuts if she sees a gator anywhere near her.
Do not, I repeat DO NOT take her to Oakbrook if she will freak out just by seeing one. That is exactly where this took place, and I have seen tons up there each and every time I have ever been in that area.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling?
quote:
Originally posted by jermsquote:
Originally posted by FishFoFunJermz.
How far up in the Ashley. My wife is wanting to get a yak soon and I was thinking about launching from the Oakbrook area ramp to practice some. Is this where you were, cuz she will go nuts if she sees a gator anywhere near her.
Do not, I repeat DO NOT take her to Oakbrook if she will freak out just by seeing one. That is exactly where this took place, and I have seen tons up there each and every time I have ever been in that area.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling?
LOL great reply Jerms thats funny!~ DO NOT! HE REPEATS DO NOT! LOL:smiley:
2006 16ft actioncraft flats 115 etec
quote:
Originally posted by jermsquote:
Originally posted by FishFoFunJermz.
How far up in the Ashley. My wife is wanting to get a yak soon and I was thinking about launching from the Oakbrook area ramp to practice some. Is this where you were, cuz she will go nuts if she sees a gator anywhere near her.
Do not, I repeat DO NOT take her to Oakbrook if she will freak out just by seeing one. That is exactly where this took place, and I have seen tons up there each and every time I have ever been in that area.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling?
Thanks for the warning. I guess I will put her in one of the neighborhood faux ponds.