What's a Gator?

[americanrobster]

30"

[DaveR]

OK then. It's official. I have never caught a gator trout. How many of you have caught a trout of 30" or above on the west coast of Florida?

[justabucup]

OK then. It's official. I have never caught a gator trout. How many of you have caught a trout of 30" or above on the west coast of Florida?

3 that I am absolutley positive of largest was 36 inches.

[kneedeep]

Only on the East Coast for me. Banana River to be exact. Came real close up in the Big Bend area with 28's and 29's. I usually catch the larger Trout when chasing schools of over slot Reds!

[Mark R]

OK then. It's official. I have never caught a gator trout. How many of you have caught a trout of 30" or above on the west coast of Florida?

3 that I am absolutley positive of largest was 36 inches.

buc, are you still using that ruler you use with your girlfriend?

[DaveR]

I've know Buc about ten years now. He must have caught some damn big fish in the 80s and 90s.
Although I can say, the first time we met he outfished everyone with this silly thing called a DOA shrimp.

[Paul]

here in the greater Tampa bay area.

I think the important part of that question is the part above. 30" in Tampa Bay is a Monster Gator Troutzilla. How many have ever caught or even seen a picture of a Tampa Bay 30" or more trout?

Now, on the east coast, 30" is ho hum, nice fish, how many of them did you catch?

In Tampa Bay west coast I caught trout in the 25" to 27"

I've never even seen a 30" trout

[CooKnFish]

I haven't been able to break 28" on the west coast.
I got broke off by a trout on the east coast a couple of years ago during the DOA tournament. I was in shock!

[Vlap]

I've know Buc about ten years now. He must have caught some damn big fish in the 80s and 90s.
Although I can say, the first time we met he outfished everyone with this silly thing called a DOA shrimp.

Buc used a doa shrimp?

[justabucup]

I was much more patient back then Jeff.

[X-Capt Bill]

Tampa Bay area: I believe you've got a Gator over 26".

East Coast: Over 32"

I've been fishing Florida waters over 40 years. I have seen VERY few 30"+ trout on the west coast. I've caught a few, last one was in Tampa Bay about seven years ago.

30"+ trout on the east coast are more common. I have seen 15 pounders on several occasions. Biggest I have caught is 12 Lbs in the Indian River over 15 years ago.

[seeinred]

I agree with X Capt Bill, at least as far as Tampa Bay is concerned, I believe anything over 26" is a gator. Since I've never fished anywhere for sea trout besides the west coast of Florida I cannot comment on that.

I doubt many people on this forum have caught a trout over 30" on this coast, and if they have, I'm sure it hasn't been many. I'll even bet that most people on here haven't caught one over 26" in a while, to me that is the most fair measurement for our coast.

With the way our trout fishery is improving though, maybe we'll get to see more fish in the 30" range being caught, wouldn't that be great!

[IRISH]

30+

And here is your Gator. I got this pic off Todds visor.

now that is REALLY scary