The Massive Creature That Caused Fisherman to Call it Quits [Video]

fisherman

Man may be at the top of the food chain but not always, especially in the Everglades. As Florida fisherman Tommy Lee reeled in a tarpon, he suddenly found himself on the menu. The fishing line runs both ways and Huffington post notes he nearly ended up as the “catch of the day.”

Fisherman for lunch

If Tommy Lee hadn’t had his video camera rolling, nobody at home would have believed his story about the one that got away. That’s one fishing hole which the Floridian will be staying away from for a while.

The fisherman thought he would snag a few tarpon recently and almost ended up as lunch for an alligator.

He reacted with a lot more calm confidence than most folks would, when eye to eye with an 11 foot reptile and nothing but a fishing pole in between. The footage he posted to his YouTube account shows the whole incident from start to finish.

Reeling in a lively one must have caught the gator’s attention and it followed the fish to shore. “Oh, Jesus Christ,” the fisherman declares as it’s outline becomes visible in the water.

Tommy knew it was a good idea to get away quick but Murphy’s law was quick to strike and the fisherman “fell while fleeing.” The tarpon appetizer may have saved his life.

The gator looked hungry but seemed to think it over for a while whether it was hungry enough to tackle a full size human right then. After pondering the problem, it decided to go back to the swamp.

I am out of here

After that sort of encounter the fisherman decided to play it safe and head for home. “And I am out of here,” he was recorded saying. “Screw that.”

He didn’t get out a tape measure but he thinks that the beast he encountered was around 11 feet long. The experts advise that now isn’t a good time to be fishing in places where alligators like to hang out.

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife “it’s mating season in Florida, which means the gators are more active and encounters can become more frequent.”

Especially with sportsmen like any fisherman who dares invade the reptiles’ natural habitat. The game wardens advise residents “to be vigilant.” They say you especially need to watch your pets around water.

You don’t have to live in the swamp to encounter alligators and the outdoor fisherman types aren’t the only ones at risk. They can literally be anywhere there is water. “First of all, you need to watch every body of water, your bathtub, your swimming pool, your backyard pond, your mud puddles that your kids play in.”

Residents especially need to watch out for “the smaller ones that are easier to hide.” Gators are “on the run,” because “the big bull alligators are pushing all the little ones out because they want all the ladies to themselves.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts