KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
April 6, 2022
By Natalie Cook Clark
A Beck Junior High student had an alligator snatch his catch from his line this week when fishing in Cinco Ranch. The student caught the encounter on camera and kept a safe distance.
Video screenshot courtesy of Logan Dark.
Katy Residents Live Close to Wildlife
In another reminder of how close Katyites come to wildlife, a Beck Junior High student caught the moment on camera when an alligator snatched his fishing catch. Logan Dark kept a safe distance and shows great respect for the animal through the encounter.
Junior High Student Loves Katy Fishing
Logan Dark, a student at Katy ISD’s Beck Junior High is an avid fisherman. He films videos of him fishing in Katy with his GoPro camera and posts them on his YouTube Channel.
“In Katy I love the fact that if you look then you can find plenty of fishing spots for all kinds of fish within biking and walking distance,” says Logan Dark, who moved to Katy last summer with his family and loves the fishing here.
On Monday, April 4, 2022, the student was fishing near Cinco Ranch Boulevard when he caught a gar. You can clearly see in the footage when the alligator took his catch before Dark cut the fishing line.
“While I have had encounters with large gators in the past, a gator ripping a fish off of my hook is a new one,” says Dark.
Fortunately, Dark was elevated and out of reach from the gator at the time of the encounter. You can see in the video how he maintained a safe distance throughout the encounter.
Watch the Video
Video courtesy of Logan Dark.
“I do encounter gators pretty regularly and I think that if I wanted to go out and see gators I could,” says Dark. “While gators will be in the spot year-round, you can choose when to avoid them.”
Dark feels that it’s easier to avoid the gators during the winter months and high water. He will return to that fishing spot but after a rain.
Alligators are frequently seen in the Katy area near lakes, ponds, and neighborhood water areas and ditches. According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD), "Most Texans in 'gator country' will live in close proximity to these native reptiles with no confrontations."
Safe Practices for Katy Families
The best preventative practice is to maintain constant supervision of children when they play near any bodies of water like bayous. Teach children to be aware of their surroundings and to back away if they encounter a gator.
Do not let children play around lakes, ponds, or swamps unsupervised.
Let children know where gators could be, and to stay alert in these areas.
Warn children about the dangers of gators and what to do if they encounter one: leave the alligator alone, maintain a distance of approximately 30+ feet, and leave the area.
Remind children to stay away from the edges of lakes, ponds, or swamps.
Advise children not to go after balls or toys that landed in a lake, pond, or swamp.
Keep pets enclosed or on a leash in areas where there are gators.
Be aware of fishing lines or hooks that can attract gators due to their similarities to natural food.
If the gator is a nuisance, such as seen to be approaching people or is an obvious threat, the TPWD advises calling the law enforcement communications center at 713-779-8977.
“While gators are scary and you shouldn’t mess with or get close to them, they are a vital part of the ecosystem and throwing rocks or disturbing them isn’t fair,” says Dark.