Got Lucky

**CUduckreeper** · 10-06-2025, 09:20 PM

Drew my third tag for the Pee Dee region this year. Had gone three previous times this year before today and wasn’t having much luck. Had seen a couple good ones but they always seemed to slip away. My goal is always 10 foot plus but will settle for around 9 foot. This morning was more than likely going to be my last shot at a gator this year. Went back to an area where we had seen a 10+ and a 9’ in hopes of seeing anything 9’ or above. Idled up a creek where we had seen the 9 footer a couple weeks ago and didn’t see anything. On the way out we see a good amount of bubbles in the middle of the creek. We drift past and cast a line behind us and hook into an alligator. Granted at this time we have no idea how big this gator is. We get a second rod with a hook in him and manage to get a glimpse of his tail before the first hook pulls out and we are down to one rod again and he is stuck to the bottom not moving. Finally get another rod in him and he starts dragging us and my 22’ bay up a little side creek. We catch a glimpse of his head and I take a shot with the harpoon at his back. I fail to get penetration hitting one of his bone armor plates and the alligator rolls breaking both fishing lines and we have lost him. Thankfully he had pulled us into about 4’ of water so we could see his bubble trails. After a little cussing and a prayer we get more rods out and I somehow manage to cast on him and get a new hook in him. Now he drags us back out to the main creek which thankfully is only about 7 foot deep. We forgo a second rod hook this time and opt for the large treble hook tied to a rope. We manage to get that in him which only further pisses him off but thankfully we now have more control. After a short battle we manage to get to harpoon in the side of his neck which gives us enough control to lead to a quick kill shot.

Now the real fun begins, we tie off the harpoon and hand line and take a moment to celebrate and catch our breath. Then we start adding more lines and removing hooks. As it is only two of us in the boat, it doesn’t take us too long of sweat drenching pulling to realize we are going to require some more assistance in getting this rascal over the rail. Thankfully I have a good friend, SCDiver on here, who drove down to the ramp to help us load him in the boat. So we lashed gator to the side of the boat and drug him home just like in “The Old Man And The Sea”.

He measured 12’1” at the processor and tipped the scales at 474lbs. I don’t know that I will ever get to catch a bigger one and count this as a true blessing. Sideways pictures SMH.
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