My driftwood collecting grounds

[Louie]

Stunning area. It has the word "BIG" written all over it .

Big bass-catfish-turtles,water,rat snakes and BIG gators .

Have you ever had any gators follow you stay near you as you paddle out?

 

[CHOMPERS]

LOL...no, gators aren't predatory to humans like the media would like you to believe. Even the largest ones avoid humans. I have paddled up close to many, but they don't stay around if you get too close.

One time I was cruising at a pretty good pace when I saw a huge nose pop up. It freaked me out because you don't want to be in a canoe on top of a spooked monster gator. I stopped paddling and quietly cruised overhead. It turned out to be a manatee, so I reached down to pet it as I went by. It wasn't quite what I thought it would feel like. It felt like I was rubbing a fat old lady's belly that was in need of some lotion.

 

[CHOMPERS]

Everybody back up.....Chompers, I am needing a piece that would be basically a center piece to a 150 gallon tank. Dimensions 72x20x24....have you come across anything that would look nice? I'm kind of wanting to have a piece of a trunk with roots so that the fishy's can swim through them and hide out a little

The trees that can fit into an aquarium don't have quite as impressive root systems as the larger ones. I know of three that are dead, but they are still standing. I'll have to check on the regulations for harvesting dead trees. Root systems are really nice but they are hard to find. To be legal to take, they have to be uprooted naturally. Generally I look for areas that are prone to flooding and erosion. Then after the storm season and the flooding has gone down, the new stuff is exposed. If something isn't down, usually you can tell if it will be down after the next storm or two.

 

[Louie]

LOL...no, gators aren't predatory to humans like the media would like you to believe. Even the largest ones avoid humans. I have paddled up close to many, but they don't stay around if you get too close.

One time I was cruising at a pretty good pace when I saw a huge nose pop up. It freaked me out because you don't want to be in a canoe on top of a spooked monster gator. I stopped paddling and quietly cruised overhead. It turned out to be a manatee, so I reached down to pet it as I went by. It wasn't quite what I thought it would feel like. It felt like I was rubbing a fat old lady's belly that was in need of some lotion.

----------

lol I know in theory they arent but people have been attacked by them. Granted think most of the attacks took place at night .

Though few attacks since than like that guy who lost his arm . I always think of this woman because the gator went on land to get her..

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/3569870/detail.html

 

[pdbrady]

Damn, Chompers, that's awesome. I wish I had somewhere like that around here. I need to go looking again, I need a nice piece.

 

[CHOMPERS]

----------

lol I know in theory they arent but people have been attacked by them. Granted think most of the attacks took place at night .

Though few attacks since than like that guy who lost his arm . I always think of this woman because the gator went on land to get her..

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/3569870/detail.html

You have a better chance at winning the lottery than being attacked by a gator. There is a winner every week (sorta) but that gator attack was almost five years ago. (I don't recall how long ago the guy with the arm was (two-ish years?)) When there is a gator attack, it is normally from a gator that has been desensitized to humans (typically from people feeding them). That gator was living in a pond in a residential area. There isn't enough food in a pond for a 12 ft gator.

They aren't something you have to fear as long as you give them some respect.

 

[L A R R Y]

The trees that can fit into an aquarium don't have quite as impressive root systems as the larger ones. I know of three that are dead, but they are still standing. I'll have to check on the regulations for harvesting dead trees. Root systems are really nice but they are hard to find. To be legal to take, they have to be uprooted naturally. Generally I look for areas that are prone to flooding and erosion. Then after the storm season and the flooding has gone down, the new stuff is exposed. If something isn't down, usually you can tell if it will be down after the next storm or two.

Whatever you could possibly find, and looks nice I can work with. Please don't take this as a request to specifically locate it, but if you are out on one of your excursions, and you happen to run across a piece, just remember that I someone here (ME) is only a paypal account away from reimbursing you