How to Target Florida Gators in Deep Water

Monsters dwell in the deep, a notion that’s fascinated and frightened all who’ve floated upon murky waters since humans first learned how. This holds true with Florida’s gators. Deeper lakes and river systems provide ample food and security, allowing them to reach Beast Mode. Gator hunting the depths, though, requires refined strategies and stouter gear than those searching for mud and bubble trails in the shallows.

The trouble with deepwater gator hunting is two-fold: locating one and heaving the animal boat side. I lack the mathematical talent to calculate the resistance a 10- or 12-foot gator creates when 10 to 20 feet underwater, but it'll test your tackle and lower lumbar. Hitting a gator early with a harpoon or crossbow line gives the hunter more of an advantage than when dealing with snatch lines or baits, but not all hunts unfold this way, and the deeper the water, the easier for the animal to avoid Ahab.

Kevin Brotz, owner of Get Bit Outdoors in Oviedo, has been a hunting guide and custom rodbuilder for 17 years, participating in the harvest of approximately 1,000 gators. He knows better than most the challenges of hunting stud gators. In 2023, he and two friends bagged a 13-foot, 3-inch leviathan weighed on a certified scale at 900 pounds. The hunters and their catch went viral shortly thereafter, garnering international attention.

According to Kevin, gators that have been hunted learn quickly, and big ones are even smarter, but the most important consideration is to be ready when preparation meets opportunity; having the correct gear is critical.

Depending on the situation, whether they can sneak on the gator or have to attack from afar, Kevin keeps a selection of gear choices handy. “I’ll have two 9-foot harpoons and two 7'6" custom built spinning rods loaded with 50-pound Kast King braid that we can cast 120 yards,” he says. “I can reach out there and get them where they think they can’t be touched."

For close quarters snatching or lifting, he keeps three heavy spinning rods with 150- or 200-pound braid, four buoys with 30 feet of flat rope rigged with harpoon tips, and a 20/0 treble for hand-lining. For the coup de grace, he prefers his company’s .357 bang stick loaded with Hornady SST bullets.

What people don't often consider when hunting deep water the first time is the difficulty and stress of putting an insurance line or two into a gator hugging the bottom when the boat is hovering over top. The near-vertical angle will troll a lightweight snatch hook up through the water column and over the animal. You need heavier weights to effectively drag a snatch hook across the animal.

“In deep water or if there is current, I use a 10/0 or 12/0 hook with more weight because it allows me to get the hook under the gator rather than skip over him,” Kevin advises. "When a big gator goes deep and holds the bottom, the 20/0 treble on a hand line is a great way to get them to come up. When hand-lining, always wet the rope first. That keeps it from burning you when a gator is ripping it through your hands.”

For weight, Kevin states the situation might dictate that, but he uses weighted hooks up to four ounces. He also suggests keeping equipment as organized as possible since a clean deck is a safe deck.

As for finding big gators, he says there is no substitute for time on the water. Big, deep waters offer ample sanctuary, and scouting is the key.

“Being able to anticipate what a gator is going to do is never a sure thing— they are wild and they are sneaky.”

Gator Baiting

Given the difficulty of snatching and harpooning in deep water, baiting is an effective first strategy. Hunters generally use rotten chicken or beef lungs, but the idea is to glass a gator from afar, watch it submerge, dump a couple of baits nearby, and motor the boat a fair distance away to watch and wait.

When baiting in Florida, remember hooks are illegal and all restraining lines must be connected to the boat or a fishing rod in the boat. Unsecured baits are prohibited. Baits must be tied to a wooden dowel less than two inches long. If a gator does swallow a bait and submerges into the deep, then the fun begins. The bait line is insufficient for hauling a large gator to the surface. Get another snatch line, hand line, and/or harpoon into the gator to haul it onboard.

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• This article was featured in the August-September 2024 issue of Florida Sportsman. Click to subscribe

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