The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is a 400,000 acre swamp that straddles the Georgia-Florida border. It’s a place that has rich human history and it’s one of the world’s largest intact freshwater ecosystems. It plays an invaluable role in supporting a huge number of bird, amphibian and plant species – most notably, the American alligator. Kayak fishing in the Okefenokee amongst alligators is a unique experience.
Is Kayaking with Alligators Safe?
There is great comfort in knowing that over the past 75 years tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people have paddled the alligator-filled waters of the Okefenokee swamp without major incident.
It’s a strong testament to the fact that alligators don’t look upon humans as prey. With my first day of paddling in the refuge, I quickly developed a comfort for paddling among the large reptiles. I adopted a very simple philosophy – respect the alligators, and they’ll respect you.
Kayak Fishing in the Okefenokee
My second day in the Swamp involved kayak fishing. The first tip I received from my guide from Okefenokee Adventures, was to land and release any fish I caught quickly. A hooked fish, thrashing about the waters trying to break free, is like a dinner bell to gators.
Doing what I was told, upon hooking my first fish – a bowfin (mud fish) – I quickly reeled in the fish and dropped the lively creature into my kayak. Still full of energy, the bowfin went berserk between my legs in the kayak. After a few moments of chaos, the fish broke-free and bounced its way over the side of the boat. I had just learned the second lesson of fishing in the Okefenokee Swamp – be prepared to land a green fish in your kayak!
The Pelican Catch Mode 110
In the end, we had a great day of fishing in the Okefenokee. I also used the opportunity to test the Pelican Catch Mode 110 fishing kayak, which is one of the more affordable fishing kayaks on the market.
We test paddled the kayak the year before, but hadn’t ever used the boat in a real fishing situation. I can tell you that it doesn’t get more real than fishing in the beautiful, alligator-filled waters of the Okefenokee Swamp.
Check out my full review of the Pelican Catch here: Pelican Catch Mode 110 Review – Best Fishing Kayak.
Kayak: Pelican Catch Mode 110
Paddles: Aqua Bound Manta Ray Carbon
PFD: NRS Odyssey PFD (Touring and Rec)
Clothing: NRS Short Sleeved Guide Shirt
Sunglasses: Wiley X
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