Kayak Trip Report, Limestone Bay/Creek - Baby Gators!

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Originally Posted by Ditch Basser

FYI, females seldom get over about 8 or 9 feet. They're typically 6 to maybe 8 feet . Males keep growing with maturity about 8 feet and 10 to 12 feet fairly common on the Southeast and Gulf Coast. The two biggest I've seen in North Alabama is the male in Limestone and one even bigger in Blackwell Swamp (north of Huntsville Airport).

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about 15-20 years back an article in the huntsville times had a photo of "stumpy" in our fav gravel pit and identified her as a 9ft female......if shes still around she could potentially be quite a bit longer but none of the ones Ive seen will be still on the bank long enough to check for the missing foot of tail that begot her name...obviously she would be a larger than normal example of a female gator so could be that the 10 footer you guy's saw the other day was her...

They are enjoyable to watch from a distance. Very interesting animals

river boss I was gonna ask you about stumpy. Also there was one that always stayed in that big pitt on the peninsula. I saw it over 20 years ago lots of times there. It was a good 9-10 ft.


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Originally Posted by Damion Kidd

river boss I was gonna ask you about stumpy. Also there was one that always stayed in that big pitt on the peninsula. I saw it over 20 years ago lots of times there. It was a good 9-10 ft.


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I dont know how far a gator ranges from its fave spot or if thats something that changes but all that area is real close quarters and could be that one you mention is one we see in the connected pit.....maybe stumpy herself...I never saw that gator but could see where it entered a "den" if such a thing exist in an undercut bank across from the road that passes it regularly as I walked past the pit to fish from the bank. I also havent fished the creek downstream of the iron bridge but theres a pit adjacent to that stretch that I have fished from bank in the winter and now see video of a big gator in that pit which is near I believe to where DB described seeing baby gators so we are amongst them fishing out there and I dont believe I will wade any if I can help it......

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Originally Posted by riverboss

I dont know how far a gator ranges from its fave spot or if thats something that changes but all that area is real close quarters and could be that one you mention is one we see in the connected pit.....maybe stumpy herself...I never saw that gator but could see where it entered a "den" if such a thing exist in an undercut bank across from the road that passes it regularly as I walked past the pit to fish from the bank. I also havent fished the creek downstream of the iron bridge but theres a pit adjacent to that stretch that I have fished from bank in the winter and now see video of a big gator in that pit which is near I believe to where DB described seeing baby gators so we are amongst them fishing out there and I dont believe I will wade any if I can help it......

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I always thought that was stumpy. We used to go down there at lunch just to see it. It was always laying up on the bank when the sun was out. Seems like the end of the tail was cut off. I’ve fished that one down stream from the bridge till after dark several times. Not anymore. Lol


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And at this time last year I was down there dragging fish all over the place on a stringer. If I get the nerve to go I’ve got to find me another way to keep them.


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This is pretty cool news. I've always wanted to see some
babies out there. I'm a huge reptile nerd. Like you said, they probably won't make it through the winter. The vast majority of babies (of almost all animals) die or get eaten anyway. And we're at the edge of their survival range here, so it's especially tough to grow up.

I've also seen the same two (probably) big bulls as you in the gravel pits and Blackwell.

Piney Creek has a small spring and so does Beaverdam Creek. If the winter isn't too cold they may have a shot if they can stay close to the warmer water. Blackwell Swamp has several springs in the North end also. That may be the key to them successful breeding in the area.

That right there is enough to make you want to give up on kayak fishing and buy a tin boat. I sure don't want to be that close to them in a kayak. White Flag Icon

All my fault, not momma Gator.

There could have been a Water Moccasin that I spooked and been in the kayak with me just as easy. When you picking through trees in the back of a creek in two feet or water you've got to learn to slow down. Sometimes I forget.