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Expert: Jack Gaither - 7/2/2009


Question
I am going to be in Tampa for several weeks and I am looking for places I can use my float tube to fly-fish for bass without worrying about what is in the water with me.  Any suggestions?

Answer
WT, Probably most if not all of the lakes and ponds in Central and South Florida have alligators.  While alligators are generally not aggressive and will leave a person alone in a boat I am not so sure about a belly float.  I do not think I would feel good about being in the water with some of them that I have seen.  Even as far north as I am, (very southwest corner of Georgia) the lake I live on has gators that are over 12' long.  There have been occasion when these toothy critters have attacked people.  Mostly this is around small ponds or lakes where the gators have been fed and have lost their fear of people.  I still would not trust myself in a belly float.

Another thing swimming in Florida waters is the cotton mouth which is one of the four poisonous snakes in the United States.  Not as bad as the cobra of your area they are still considered dangerous.  They, like the gators, does not go around looking for people to bite as in the movies, but when you invade its world it will certainly defend itself even if you know you mean it no harm.

To be perfectly honest I would not go into any Florida lake or stream in a belly float.  Sorry to give you bad news but I would not want to tell you someplace is safe and have you get bitten or worse.

Thanks for calling on me to answer your question.

I am
Jack L. Gaither
Lake Seminole, Georgia
U. S. A.

Fishing

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Jack Gaither

Expertise

PLEASE, PLEASE, READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE ASKING YOUR QUESTION. THANK YOU. PLEASE, I HAVE BEEN GETTING MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANTIQUE RODS, REELS ETC. I hate to refuse questions but I really can not be of help in this. If you have an old rod, reel, lure etc. try contacting the maker if still existing or try antique fishing tackle on the web. I am genuinely sorry that I CAN NOT ANSWER SUCH QUESTIONS. I have been bass, crappie, brim and catfishing for over 70 years. Most of my recent experience has been on the Apalachicola R. in Fl. panhandle, and Lake Seminole. I can answer many questions on places to go and some ideas on tactics especially for largemouth bass in these waters. I can`t tell you what fish will bite but can give some lures and methods that have worked well for me over the last 33 years in this area. I am also well versed on boating safety and small boat handling.

Experience

I am not a guide nor a writer or publisher of any magazine on fishing. All of my ideas would come from my experiences and those of fishing partners in local bass clubs in Panama City, Florida or from reading many books and magazine articles over the years.

Organizations
Basmasters. Past member (25 years) and instructor in boating and navigation classes in the United States Power Squadrons.

Publications
ST. Andrew Bay Power Squadron local publication "Stuffing Box"

Education/Credentials
United States Power Squadrons courses in Piloting and small boat handling, celestial navigation, trouble shooting on outboard engines and other non eletronic equipment in boats.

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