TARRANT COUNTY, Texas (WFAA) – A Texas fisherman who accidentally reeled in an alligator got a ticket and a fine – not so much for catching the gator but for what wildlife officials say he did with it afterwards.
Mark Everett says what started as just another day fishing for catfish on March 22 at Lake Arlington turned into the wildest catch of his life. Instead of a fish, he reeled in an alligator.
“The line starts going around the boat… The whole boat starts spinning around in circles. I said, ‘That’s a freaking alligator.’ So, I get my camera,” he said. “This is an unreal story, man. Nobody’s gonna believe that.”
Everett recorded the encounter and posted video online, saying he later released the alligator near where he caught it. He says the next thing he knew, he was getting a fine and a ticket for possession of an alligator and feeding a free-ranging alligator…