A New Face!

  Mark and I headed to the pier late yesterday evening.  It had been a hot, tiring day of shed-building and we needed a little rest and relaxation.  A bit of fishing would suit the bill just fine.  Earlier in the day, he had emptied the crab traps of their dozen or so fat crabs and noticed that there was still plenty of bait but we would soon have to refill them if we wanted to continue to get crabs.  We were in hopes of catching a few catfish to use as bait and perhaps a redfish or flounder for the next day's lunch.  When we pulled up the crab traps once again, they were all torn open.  Hmmm? Something was definitely amiss here!  The trap doors were closed once again and we started our fishing.  Mark caught a huge flounder but that was the only bite we got the whole evening.  Still it was interesting.

  Just about dark, I noticed a small blob out on the water.  It seemed to be getting closer and closer as the sun started to set.  I knew that "blob"! That was a gator!  I had been missing Big Mama and the youngster from last year but this one seemed a lot smaller.  This was surely not Big Mama and not even the eight footer that had been hanging about the pier.  This was a new face..one I did not recognize!  We watched for a bit as the little rascal drew near the pier.  We knew all to well what that little fellow wanted!  He was the culprit that had left the crab traps in such a mangled condition!  The bait was too much of a temptation for the gator.  

  Mark came to the conclusion that he was going to have to find stronger wire to make new traps.  The standard coated wire was just not gator-proof.  It seems that every summer we spend a good deal of time and effort to outwit the critters of the Bayou.  Our efforts seem to be in vain, though, as the critters always manage to feed upon our bait.  They are just a bit too wily or perhaps a bit too strong.  It is a battle of the wits with the critters winning at this point.  Given time,  I am quite sure that Mark will come up with a sturdy trap that can withstand the otters' cleverness and the gators' strength.  Until then, I will just sit back and enjoy the company of the gators, otters and any other critters that wish to pay me a visit!