Interesting post... perhaps the bass fisherman saw an oversize flathead catfish or a big alligator gar? Maybe the creature is a "hodgepodge" of brief glimpses of various native critters, including 'gators. We had a similar situation in Lake Conway in central Arkansas, where I went to college. It was a manmade lake created by damming a small stream and was very swampy. It had its own lake monster tradition. The local paper ran a photo in 1991 (I believe) of an alligator snapping turtle (caught by fisherman) that must have pushed 100 lbs. Maybe that explained at least some of the "real" reports?
I think "normal" animals - large catfish and sturgeon, for example, definitely explain many reports, and certainly snapping turtles too.
There was a case in Britain a few years ago that got the media all hyped up, but that turned out to be a crocodilian released into a pool by an exotic pet owner who couldn't cope with it anymore.
I think where that scenario falls apart, however, is re the long-necked variety of lake monster.
I think there's something different at work in these cases, that takes it beyond the realm of catfish, sturgeon, snapping turtles etc.
Interesting post... perhaps the bass fisherman saw an oversize flathead catfish or a big alligator gar? Maybe the creature is a "hodgepodge" of brief glimpses of various native critters, including 'gators.
ReplyDeleteWe had a similar situation in Lake Conway in central Arkansas, where I went to college. It was a manmade lake created by damming a small stream and was very swampy. It had its own lake monster tradition. The local paper ran a photo in 1991 (I believe) of an alligator snapping turtle (caught by fisherman) that must have pushed 100 lbs. Maybe that explained at least some of the "real" reports?
AWT:
ReplyDeleteI think "normal" animals - large catfish and sturgeon, for example, definitely explain many reports, and certainly snapping turtles too.
There was a case in Britain a few years ago that got the media all hyped up, but that turned out to be a crocodilian released into a pool by an exotic pet owner who couldn't cope with it anymore.
I think where that scenario falls apart, however, is re the long-necked variety of lake monster.
I think there's something different at work in these cases, that takes it beyond the realm of catfish, sturgeon, snapping turtles etc.