| Lakes in certain parts of the country contain more | | | | coming at me. What do I do now? |
| than something you want in your livewell. Alligators. | | | | Well, I can't see what it is, but I can tell it's not a |
| They can be no more obvious than a rock or a log, | | | | dog. So I get aggressive towards it to see if I can |
| so be careful. You want to get a bite, not get bit. | | | | scare it away. Fortunately, it worked. I pointed the |
| Let me share one of my bass fishing experiences | | | | tip of my fishing pole towards it and it scampered |
| with you. | | | | away. |
| This is bayou country. When I go to the lakes south | | | | As it left I thought it looked like a large raccoon. |
| of Houston, I have to watch for gators. So I'm | | | | Probably nothing to worry much about after all, but |
| always keeping an eyeball peeled for 'em. But | | | | they can be aggressive and rabid. But it's creepy in |
| sometimes ... | | | | the woods in the complete dark not being sure |
| So last night I look and everything is clear so I walk | | | | what's around you. |
| down to the water and start bass fishing. After a | | | | Then, in the water, I see the outline of this huge |
| few minutes, while I'm looking around I see this big | | | | catfish swim right up underneath me below the pier |
| log. This big log that gets oddly thinner at the end up | | | | I'm on. Wow! That's a big one! I've got to move bait |
| on the shore and thicker in the water, and has odd | | | | up and fish under the pier and catch him! |
| bumps on it. Hold on .. that doesn't look right. I look | | | | So, I decide to put a light on it and see if I can get a |
| further up the log to see how far it extends into the | | | | better look at this monster. I aim the spotlight |
| water and... | | | | straight down into the water and... |
| It has 2 big ol' eyes ... lookin' at me!! And it's only 10 | | | | Hey, look at that weed ... there were no weeds along |
| feet away (just a quick couple of steps for a gator). | | | | this pier earlier. Hmmm. So I lean further over the pier |
| Ooookay! | | | | to get a better look at this mystery weed .... YIKES! |
| I slowly and calmly reel in my line (on the outside - on | | | | THAT'S NO WEED - IT'S A CLAW - A BIG CLAW! |
| the inside, I'm in total panic) pick up my gear and | | | | There is a gator right underneath me!! |
| move on. | | | | Apparently (and I was able to confirm this on follow |
| So I go over to this other part of the lake, and now | | | | up visits) the gator is savvy to the fact that people |
| it's dark so I get up on a pier. I'm sitting in the woods | | | | catch fish and put them on stringers around the |
| in the dark and I hear something walking down the | | | | dock; making a great free and easy meal for the |
| pier towards me. Not heavy enough to be human | | | | gator. |
| footsteps. With what little bit of starlight there is, I | | | | That's enough. I'm goin' home. Forget all about that |
| can see something about the size of a medium dog | | | | macho stuff and learn how to play guitar. |