Bubba you get one yet?

[lakejessup]

dang a guy that wants to practicew before he hits the water. wow glad to hear it. but than i v'e been choking the last couple of times my kids telling me i need to start practicng. what size snatch hook are you using bubba. cant get a weighted 12 # at bass pro anymore

[mbeck]

http://www.huntfishsupply.com/

Check this guy out!
I've dropped by a couple of times during gator season.
I'm very impressed with his quality.
His name is Dennis.

[bubba z]

I use 4x kingfish treble hooks usually two of them 6-8" apart then a weight on the bottom so the weight slides on the bottom and the hooks are around 5" and 12" up the line like a small snapper chicken rig. Sometimes I put tie the wright on with 20lb mono and use the braid for the hooks.that way if your weight gets hung up you can break it off pretty easy. The smaller sharper hooks sink in real easy and font pop off but I use them mainly as a locator until I can get a harpoon in the gator then put the pressure on him. When I use the weighted treble hooks I stay hung up and break them off toouch where I'm at there is a lot of sticks on the bottom. With the smaller hooks you can buy a box of 50 or 100 and a bunch of weights and you don't have much in them.

[bubba z]

here is my new girl with one from a week ago going to get after them again pretty soon.

[lakejessup]

wow congrats on both. dang how big is that one looks close to 11' i might be going out this weekend also . the wind is supposed to be up saturday and lay off a little sunday it will be nice to get out

[psycho]

Imagine that!  Another big water lizard!  Fantastic Bubba!

[bubba z]

That one is 11'1" . The cooler weather starting tonight fir a few nights may slow them down this weekend. Although if you get up on one they usually stay up a little longer. I was out looking yesterday evening and saw a few nice ones. Up my way most if the people have stopped going during the week and only one or two on the weekends since bow season has started.

[lakejessup]

we are going out in the morning for a try at another one wind didnt help them this morning

[gt19]

Man you guys are getting some nice ones.  I lost 2 on Friday night, had the treble come out after the first bulldog run on one that was 10+, then turned around 15 minutes later and had the same thing happen to one a little smaller around 8 ft.  I sharpened the hooks before the hunt, not really sure what happened.

Do you guys keep your drags tight and keep constant pressure on them, or try to "finesse" them more?  I've never had any trebles pop out before then it happened twice in 15 minutes.  Talk about wanting to pull your hair out

[bubba z]

That's why I use the kingfish hooks they sink in and don't pop out I use a medium drag and I run to the shore and they go towards the middle usually away from the boat and I herd them and try to get a big handling treble or a harpoon in them as fast as I can but where I am it usually isn't over 10' anywhere and usually 6' or so.so u can reach them easier than deep water .sometimes I use just the rod and fight them but the big ones take over an hour and a lot can happen in that amount of time. Once you start seeing him releasing a bunch of air bubbles you know it isn't long before he gets close to the surface do u can harpoon them.

[lakejessup]

well dang bubba gave you most of the secrets. but we hook them hard and never let up i dont horse them to the boat but i dont let a bit of slack in the line i want that gator pulling my boat around not shreading my reel. i have the drag cranked down pretty hard on a 750 penn reel on a heavy to med heavy rod 7' not a whippy surf rod. it has worked on about 17 gators last year and about 7 this year. dont let them have a bit of slack and the first chance to stick them get a harpoon in them

[bubba z]

Yeh That's about my setup too but with a hair lighter drag. The braid is the only say to go but I tie the weight on the bottom with 15-20 lb mono so if it gets hung up or anything it will break off and then all I have is the two hooks on the line. The real bigs one don't scream drag all the time a lot of the time they walk or swim along the bottom and sometimes you can ease them up and stick them . Other times you fight them over an hour. They are just like real big fish every one does it different .a good way to get them now since the pressure is off is baiting with two rods and reels. If you are patient you can put two baits on top of one back off a few hundred yards anchor up with the clickers on and wait bit it could be awhile. When I was really after them I would bring sleeping bags and a pillow and put baits on them and go to sleep until the clicker goes off.

[lakejessup]

havent really tried baiting that much didnt have much luck with it to many guys out running and gunning. but a buddy has done pretty good with it. we tried out the two hooks had already ordered the 12 # hooks than we use 400lb steel shark leader with the weight hung on the bottom with a smaller leader. worked great they snagged up a couple last weekend in the lke with that setup. now on the river its a differnt story i have a hard enough time trying to keep one hook from geting hung in the logs and snags . boy those gators sure know how to pick their hidy holes 

[gt19]

Well thanks for the advice guys, it is very much appreciated.  It sounds like I was doing the right thing, just got some bad luck.  That's the way our season has been going so far, but I think the tides are starting to turn in our favor.  Hopefully these cooler nights will keep them in a relaxed mood now that a lot of the pressure is off.