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Gator looking for a free meal caught on camera snagging tackle box was no match for a Tampa angler

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Published  May 23, 2024 4:47pm EDT
Tampa
FOX 13 News

Gator grabs tackle box

An angler never imagined he would have to cast a line to retrieve his tackle box from the mouth of an alligator when he went fishing with his fiancé in Tampa Palms earlier this week.

TAMPA, Fla. - An alligator who may have needed a little extra help catching the fish of the day in Tampa came up with a sly scheme to steal an angler’s tackle box, but the reptile was no match for the experienced fisherman. 

Sean Kennedy says he fishes for largemouth bass several times a week and often sees alligators. 

He says for the most part the reptiles keep their distance, but that wasn’t the case earlier this week. 

Kennedy says he was fishing with his fiancé on Tuesday in Tampa Palms. When she caught a bass, they saw an alligator run up to the shore to get a free bite. 

READ: Florida deputy chomps at the bit to wrangle gator from 104-year-old woman’s home: 'We can't cuff him'

The couple quickly moved away, and that's when the reptile got its revenge by stealing Kennedy's tackle box. 

Credit: Sean Kennedy

Video shows the alligator swimming away with Kennedy’s gear, but that’s when the gator’s plan went awry. 

Kennedy cast a line, caught the box, and pulled it back to shore, hook, line, and sinker.     

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