Ron in Atlanta Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 I've been seeing reports of American Crocodiles in Lake Ingram for years here on the Forum. Now I know you guys use those coolers for more than just keeping caught fish cold, so I looked upon these reports with some skepticism. Until... Holy $hit! Now there is nothing near this guy to give an accurate idea of his size but he was about 15 - 16 feet, about 1,500 to 2,000 pounds, which makes him around 100 years old. That's right, he was most likely alive during the first World War. Somehow, other critters spotted that day, including this Long Billed Curlu with a Fiddler Crab in her beak... and this flock of Avocets and this Osprey seem less exciting. Lake Ingram has become a favorite spot for us now that Snake Bight Channel doesn't seem to host the huge numbers of birds that it did in years past. The rangers I spoke with talked about the significant recent rain is South Florida which has reduced the salinity of the bay which may have caused this changed behavior. Another shout out to Marc Woods in Delray Beach for graciously allowing me to park Miss Laurie at his house for a few days thereby saving me a from a battle with the HOA at my mother-in-law's gated community. Thanks Marc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 Ron, was just thinking about you the other day when I was looking at the photo forum. I was thinking "no new pics from Ron lately", what's up. Anyway, I had no idea that the American Croc got that big. Where is Lake Ingram? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 Beautiful photos. 2 questions: what camera/lens, and are you editing the photos at all or is that directly what the photo looked like? I'd love to get photo quality that good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron in Atlanta Posted January 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 Well, I usually don't show folks the original image but since you asked... That is exactly what the camera saw and what got captured on the camera's sensor. I do not use Photoshop. I do not like the idea of Photoshop! I feel that you ought to capture what was actually there, not create a fake photo in the computer. I do use Lightroom, mostly to crop the image, lighten a shadow, etc. So, the image above is the original of the top photo in the original post. The camera is a Nikon D610, a full size sensor, digital, single lens reflex (DSLR). In this case, the lens was a Sigma, 180 - 600mm zoom lens HAND HELD in the boat. It was at full zoom for this shot. Thanks for your interest. Lake Ingram is an almost land locked, saltwater "lake" just a few hundred meters north of the main part of Florida Bay, maybe 5 miles or so west of Flamingo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 Very cool, thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smooth move Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 very cool, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localangler Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 I didn't realize the American Crocodile got that big either. Thanks for sharing and teaching me something new today. Are they as aggressive as their saltwater relatives from the southern hemisphere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce J Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 That is one Alpha Reptile! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron in Atlanta Posted January 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Are they aggressive? Good question. As we approached this guy in muddy water a foot deep and less, I first was thinking, "don't disturb wildlife by getting too close". We were about 50 meters from the animal. Since the freeboard on the 20 foot Pathfinder is minimal... my second thought (as Laurie stood up on the bow casting deck shooting photos like crazy) was of the Discovery Channel documentary about the Wildebeest migration. We've all seen it, the Wildebeest herd comes to a river which they must cross and the crocks are waiting, then they leap up onto the bank grabbing the poor animals by the neck and pulling them into the river. I pulled the shift lever into reverse and slowly backed out of there! Now alligators are not aggressive but Crocks are (sort of like New York retirees fighting over a strip mall parking space in Boca Raton). They only eat once a month or so (the Crocks, not the Boca retirees, they eat every day at 4:00 PM for the early bird special) so I guess we were lucky that this guy had already eaten (anyone seen Dino around lately?). Seriously, I think I made a mistake by being that close in the excitement of getting a cool photograph. I don't recommend it to anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localangler Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Big gators don't bother me but I would give him a bit wider berth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lap it Up Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Although they share the same name, American or Florida crocodiles are no where near as aggressive as the species in Africa and Australia. Not saying I'd be swimming around with them for fun, but they are nothing like the ones they constantly show on NatGeo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodWorks Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Cool shot! We see one every year in the canal we stay on in Lower Matecumbe. Not as big as that guy though... Nice meeting you in Apalachicola this past October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishtails Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 I hate to say it, but that croc will probably end up as someone's trophy. I saw an article where someone had killed a monster gator somewhere up in Mississippi or there abouts and retrieved two or three civil war bullets from the carc***. What a shame to waste such a majestic creature. I wonder how many there are like that. Sorry to come off in a negative sort of way. Terrific photos Ron. I think Benzo posted a few pics like that a few years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Well, I usually don't show folks the original image but since you asked... That is exactly what the camera saw and what got captured on the camera's sensor. I do not use Photoshop. I do not like the idea of Photoshop! I feel that you ought to capture what was actually there, not create a fake photo in the computer. I do use Lightroom, mostly to crop the image, lighten a shadow, etc. So, the image above is the original of the top photo in the original post. The camera is a Nikon D610, a full size sensor, digital, single lens reflex (DSLR). In this case, the lens was a Sigma, 180 - 600mm zoom lens HAND HELD in the boat. It was at full zoom for this shot. Thanks for your interest. Lake Ingram is an almost land locked, saltwater "lake" just a few hundred meters north of the main part of Florida Bay, maybe 5 miles or so west of Flamingo. Great Shots Ron.... Now that I'm back in the game with the 17T, I'll be doing some more shooting with Capt DonH. How you liking the 180-600mm Sigma I've seen the reviews, but, I always trust a review by a trusted person vs. internet Curious, why not the D810 or 800 ? DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron in Atlanta Posted January 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Well, unlike alligators, American Crocodiles are an endangered species, there are only about 500 left in the United States. Anyone foolish enough to try and shoot one would be violating federal law and hunting in a national park would certainly be aggravating circumstances. As you may know, the park rangers do a good job patrolling the park. Of course, I have the exact coordinates, date and time of the photograph which I have provided to park authorities and other South Florida environmental groups. Note that I did not publish that information here. I remember a few years ago seeing a post here from some yahoo who got his jollies driving his boat up to alligators and shooting them at point black range. A real he-man sport. I think this crock is safe and will continue to be a source of amazement to Florida Bay visitors for many years to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conocean Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Love your pics, Ron!! :thumbup: Forgettoremember (Clint), our friend Tom and I were fishing the coast just south of Big Sable one day in 2007(?)....what appeared to be a huge downed log that we were fishing near turned into a HUGE croc that swam past my 17MA and straight out to sea on the surface. (I think Clint has a pic of it swimming out to sea) The creature had to be at least 15-16' long! It was like the loch ness crocster and it scared the buh-jeezus out of us!! A few months later I went into Browns Creek and saw a small boat full of tourists taking close up pics of a croc about the same size we had seen that was laid up on a mud bar. I've seen several 10-12' crocs in Lake Ingraham and Browns Creek over the years. Such a shame there's no more sea gr*** in that area, it's all mud now. We used to catch trout in there one after another after another. The good ole Army Corps of Engineers changed all that with their bright ideas on how to save the cape! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue dolphin Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 Saw a 6 ft version of the same in a salt pond next to the bunkers behind the Key West airport on sunday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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