Bedford Lake 'Gills

[Jack Hise]

Doublewide and I hauled his bass boat up to Bedford Lake last Friday.
Bedford Lake is a TWRA "Permit" Lake and if you are over 15 or under 65 requires a $5.00 daily permit or $40.00 yearly permit. The Lake is 47 acres and holds Blue Gills, Shell Crackers, Crappie. Bass and Catfish. We were using small droppers under poppers. A dropper under a strike indicator did not work as well as under a popper and all fish were taken on the droppers. The night before everything was taken on white poppers!?
On both days the fishing was very slow until after 4 pm.
We went back Monday as a cold front pushed through but did get a little action on droppers after 4 pm.

[SteveGibson]

That looks like a lot of fun!

[waders]

Youre killing me I spent half my child hood on bedford back when they had flat back canoes for rent. Loved fishing the rocks down near the spring and for big bream along the dam. Was my father's favorite place to fish. We even saw a gator there years ago. Funny story.

Nice pics. Hope the lake is doing well. Have to get back up there soon.
waders

[Jack Hise]

A Gator!! Got to hear that story!

[WarrenP]

Jack,

Yes, there use to be a gator in Bedford Lake. Someone turned him/her lose and it lived there for quite awhile before people started getting scared and reported it. They have removed the gator. Whatever you do, don't get out of your boat on the bank with the woods and rock ledges. I have heard many reports of copperheads in them thar hills!!

[waders]

Jack,

Yes, there use to be a gator in Bedford Lake. Someone turned him/her lose and it lived there for quite awhile before people started getting scared and reported it. They have removed the gator. Whatever you do, don't get out of your boat on the bank with the woods and rock ledges. I have heard many reports of copperheads in them thar hills!!

Yep dead on! Years ago a family pet got to large to keep and was released into the lake. After several years of missing ducks, people started reporting missing dogs at the lake as well. Several people had spotted it over the years but no one really ever talked much about it. Dad an I were near the dam fishing for bream and bass when we spotted what looked to be like a muddy log on the bank that had the unique shape of a gator. We jokingly said wow look at that log when it moved.
After a brief moment of silence and blank stares at each other I recall him saying... Did you see what I just saw? Almost in disbelief. It was about 4 1/2 feet long and had the coloration of art clay. Light grey. Total shock. We even discussed wether we should tell anyone. The concern that most thought we were already crazy and this would just add additional ammo to their already convinced plethora of idiosyncrasies they had seen from two men waving long funny sticks with glowing line in a gheenoe.
After asking the man in the shop about it we breathed a long sigh knowing we were not the only crazy people to have witnessed a gator. Several years later a report came out in the paper I think about having to capture and kill the gator. Not sure what year.

Man I just had memories of the BBQ sandwiches we ate a few weeks after that...."Get the boat to the bank and quick" not what you want to hear with a small trolling motor! Not sure If I have ever been that sick before or after. Yuck!