Gator Bait??

Back safe and sound from FL... Another lovely trip.

A very low wind day afforded us a nice trip out to Cabbage Key in the Nautique with plenty of dolphins. Jackie even saw a dolphin in front of the rental house in Cape Coral.

Another day we took the Nautique from the Franklin Locks to the Ortona locks which are 27.9 miles upriver. Next year we might try for Okeechobee which is another 15 miles upriver from Ortona. I understand there is a restaurant in Clewiston on the water named Scotty's Tiki Bar at the Roland Marina. It's another 5 or 10 miles. If we headed out early enough that might be doable.

We hit a local car show and museum another day at Rick Tworgey's Muscle Car City. Also did a nice little hike nearby where we saw a big 12 foot+ gator and respected the "Do Not Approach Gator" signs. Also walked around a place on Charlotte Harbor called "fisherman's wharf". No fishermen are there anymore, just foo-foo shops.

Other than that we just skied out collective asses off!

It was awesome...

John, happen to have a pointer to someone to hire for some Gulf Deep sea fishing? thx

Good news Rick,I measured 70 degrees in the Caloosahatchee main section this afternoon. Should be all good.
john

Great gator pic! My stones aren't big enough to have my hands that close to his feeding end. Agreed on the wetsuit, but it's a shortie in case you guys bring in some of those FL 50s or lower 60s.

What's the wetsuit for?

Pete...I think the bigger threat is for those boaters who imbibe a bit too much. Need to be careful with the "hoog" while boating on the Chain. Not having your "Fox Waterway Sticker" is a big red flag for Johnny Law to come and get you. $15 for a one day pass isn't too bad. I highly recommend a designated driver.   

John....Once or twice a summer, its a blast to get a good size crew together and take a boatful of folks on a cruise around the Chain. We start at Pistakee Lake, and go in a big counter-clockwise circle into several lakes, and passing through narrow channels that were dug to connect the lakes, and then back down into Grass Lake to stop at Barney's Island, which is a manmade island (wood pilings) in the middle of Grass Lake. You can only get there by boat.

After a day of partying at Blarney's, we usually stop at a Mexican restaurant to have dinner. Attached is a link that tells a bit more about the Chain, including a map. It would be a great CCF weekend outing. And....NO GATORS!!

Chain O' Lakes

davidg wrote: Now Pete....I am starting think YOU kind of like Blarney's What's not to like? "Somebody" just posted this link recently, but, here it is again. Blarney's Island Does the wife go?? She loves it! Says it makes her feel young again Next summer....you have to join us on our annual Blarney's pilgrimage. Gotta bring your wife though

Dave, The place looks awesome. I bet you can have a fun time there.Thanks for the post.

Yeah, there is a course on one of the oxbows east of the Franklin locks. My wife says "you want to ski here?". I look around and say "If I were a gator, this is where I'd want to be, no thanks".

But yeah the section near Jacks is very nice... Oh wait... It's terrible there, no one should ski there. The conditions are horid there, you really want to go somewhere else.

Rick,used to ski that stretch down by the 31 bridge all the time.The darn gaters an snakes were east of the locks,didn't ski up there.Used to have a course an all set up there back in 84,had a lot of fun on that part of the river.   Mel

vixen wrote: What area on the river are you going to be skiing.   Mel

West of the Franklin locks and east of the power plant.

Rick

Now Pete....I am starting think YOU kind of like Blarney's

What's not to like? "Somebody" just posted this link recently, but, here it is again.

Blarney's Island

Does the wife go?? She loves it! Says it makes her feel young again

Next summer....you have to join us on our annual Blarney's pilgrimage. Gotta bring your wife though   

Here in Chicago, no alligators, but we do have to deal with ill-tempered, mutated seabass! They're especially bad on the Chain o' Lakes up by Blarney's. Nasty buggers!

Okay, back to my secret, underground lair!

Yea this time of year they are kinda lethargic but wait til late march through mid May they get a little Territorial! Breeding season.   

Morfoot wrote: bhectus wrote: There are more gators on the St. John's River than most lakes in Florida. Our annual SJRR is there in 2 months. ...and here I thought those were just black, dirty bouys, with lumps that I've been skiing around for the last couple of years.

LOL! Tim, that's one of the yearlings!!!

So far every year at the SJRR more people have eaten gators than gators have eaten people.. hopefully we continue the streak in March!