Alligator hunting and shark fishing pics

[fishshooter]

Wow, it's been almost a year since I've logged onto Bladeforums! Lots of new folks and some fantastic threads in Hunting and Fishing. I've been busy reading some great threads and checking out some awesome pictures the last hour or so. Thought I'd share some pictures from the last few months.
I pulled a couple tags this year, my girlfriend got her trappers agent license and killed her first gator in September. In fact, this is the first animal, other than fish, that she has taken. Using a handheld harpoon, she and my sister in law fought it to the boat and dispatched it. Not a real big one, but I was very proud of them and it made for several delicious cookouts and great memory.

I got one by myself a couple weeks later.

We also spent some time surf fishing for sharks and redfish as fall started coming in. Lots of fun on medium tackle.

My buddy's first bull shark.

Girlfriend's first shark. A baby, but she was excited.

A few of the reds we've been catching.

Lately I've just been throwing the cast net. The mullet seem small this year, but plentiful. Can fill a cooler up with just a couple of throws. Probably my favorite fish to smoke.

Heading out tomorrow for a weekend of camping and hunting, hopefully I'll have a few more pictures to share. In the mean time, I'm gonna check out the threads here I've missed. Thanks everyone for posting some really cool stuff.:thumbup:

 

[Big Chris]

That looks like tons of fun. Great hauls.

 

[sodak]

I'm envious, that looks like fun!!!!!

 

[mjhMN]

Looks like a lot of fun! Days remembered on the sunny coast...

 

[RDog]

Smoked mullet are the best! Man that is one of the foods I miss most from growing up on the Gulf coast. All your pics bring back memories from my teens in Florida...as I look out the window and see snow falling...I took a wrong turn somewhere.

What general area is this?

 

[Brad "the butcher"]

pretty cool taking sharks like that from shore

I have been bringing an 11.5ft extending rod and a big spinning reel the past couple tropical destination trips but am a rookie at surf casting methods and tricks.......caught some reef fish and a 10 lb barracuda last trip to the dominican and pretty sure I lost a big shark, no stopping it.
Do you beach them or have a buddy club em? Released or are they worth eating?
nice pics man

 

[Wandering_About]

Great stuff. Always fancied trying for gators, but they're a bit rare this far north!

 

[gregorio]

And you say it's just medium tackle for that guy, I'de hate to see what you pull out with the heavy tackle

 

[fishshooter]

Smoked mullet are the best! Man that is one of the foods I miss most from growing up on the Gulf coast. All your pics bring back memories from my teens in Florida...as I look out the window and see snow falling...I took a wrong turn somewhere.

What general area is this?

You can't beat smoked mullet, been making a dip with it too. Good stuff. I'm in the Florida panhandle.

 

[fishshooter]

Brad, we release all of them, except the black tips. Each person can legally keep one black tip and they are really good table fare when handled properly.

 

[mley1]

And you say it's just medium tackle for that guy, I'de hate to see what you pull out with the heavy tackle

Ones like this!

We estimated his length, based on the boat, to be approximately 7-8ft. Too big for us, and being a hammerhead we decided it would be best to cut him loose. Took almost 45min's to get him in using some pretty big gear.

 

[Bigfattyt]

Certainly looks like you are having more fun outdoors than me!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[mley1]

Certainly looks like you are having more fun outdoors than me!

Thanks for sharing!

We go shark fishing over at Port O'Connor every year. Usually, May, June, and July are our best months there. Bull reds are pretty good then too. On good weather days we can hit the first rigs off shore and get into some of the other fun off shore fish.

 

[sodak]

Ones like this!

We estimated his length, based on the boat, to be approximately 7-8ft. Too big for us, and being a hammerhead we decided it would be best to cut him loose. Took almost 45min's to get him in using some pretty big gear.

In the dark? You're crazy... That things basically a dinosaur with attitude!

 

[mley1]

Sodak, ha ha. Yes, we are a bit crazy. The boat we fish from is rigged with high powered led lights made by Texasboars owner, Kevin Ryer. The steel leaders we use are typically around 24" or more, if that sorta gives you an idea how large the head on that shark was. We also use 200lb test mono shock leader around 10-14ft long. So if the sharks tail gets anywhere near the end of the shock leader we know it's a biggun.

 

[sodak]

Sodak, ha ha. Yes, we are a bit crazy. The boat we fish from is rigged with high powered led lights made by Texasboars owner, Kevin Ryer. The steel leaders we use are typically around 24" or more, if that sorta gives you an idea how large the head on that shark was. We also use 200lb test mono shock leader around 10-14ft long. So if the sharks tail gets anywhere near the end of the shock leader we know it's a biggun.

More power to you! It does look like fun, although I'll probably just watch it on tv. Butchering hogs is about as dangerous as I get these days.

 

[Flatsman007]

Great pics. Thanks for sharing. Reds, gators, and sharks it doesn't get much more fun than that.

 

[fishshooter]

Ones like this!

We estimated his length, based on the boat, to be approximately 7-8ft. Too big for us, and being a hammerhead we decided it would be best to cut him loose. Took almost 45min's to get him in using some pretty big gear.

Nice hammerhead, but check out this monster shovelhead I picked up a few weeks ago. LOL

 

[fishshooter]

Great pics. Thanks for sharing. Reds, gators, and sharks it doesn't get much more fun than that.

Thanks man. Starting to see the gators out, got me itching. The dog jumped on a three footer in the yard and got his head tore up about a month ago. I see your close to NOLA, I was over there this past weekend.

 

[mley1]

Thanks man. Starting to see the gators out, got me itching. The dog jumped on a three footer in the yard and got his head tore up about a month ago. I see your close to NOLA, I was over there this past weekend.

We go to the Brazos Bend State Park near Rosharon, TX. And, you can hardly fish in some of their small lakes due to alligators. They have LOTS of them. They are fun to watch. I'd love to go gator hunting. But, I doubt I'll get the chance anytime soon.