Fisherman Reels in Catch Straight Out of the Florida Everglades — Leaves Pennsylvania Cops Scratching Their Heads
A 77-year-old Pennsylvania fisherman, Ricky Sanchez from North Philadelphia, accidentally hooked an alligator while fishing in his kayak on Magnolia Lake near Bristol Township on August 6.Sanchez realized he had caught an alligator and managed to record the encounter on his cellphone before the animal broke free. Following the incident, local police warned visitors to exercise caution around the lake and shared Sanchez’s videos. They also informed the Wildlife and Game Commission. Florida alligator wrangler Kyle Asplundh, who was nearby, returned at night to capture the alligator safely. The reptile was handed over to park rangers and later transported by Asplundh to Florida. It is believed the alligator had been kept as a pet before being released into Magnolia Lake,where it would not likely have survived the winter.
77A Pennsylvania fisherman unintentionally hooked an alligator in Magnolia Lake last week.
Ricky Sanchez of North Philadelphia was fishing in his kayak near Bristol Township on Aug. 6 when he snagged the crocodilian, according to WPVI-TV in Philadelphia.
“I hooked onto something and I brought it closer and I was like, ‘Oh no, that’s a gator. That’s definitely a gator. That cannot be here,’” Sanchez said.
The small alligator thrashed hard before severing Sanchez’s fishing line, but not before he captured video on his cellphone.
“If I never recorded it, nobody’d believe this,” he said.
Following the incident, Bristol Township Police warned visitors in a post to use caution around Magnolia Lake.
The Aug. 7 post included two videos of the alligator that Sanchez had recorded.
WARNING: The following video and post contain vulgar language that some readers may find offensive.
2/ Ricky plans to go back tomorrow with hot dogs for bait to try & catch the alligator again…this time with fishing line FOUR TIMES as strong as he had when the gator took his fishing lure.” His story with gathering crowds searching at Magnolia Lake on @FOX29philly at 10pm. pic.twitter.com/QbsyKPa9ci
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) August 7, 2025
The police department’s post also said it had notified the Wildlife and Game Commission about the reptile.
But Kyle Asplundh, a Florida alligator wrangler who happened to be in the area, took the situation by the jaws.
“It’s only like half an hour away, so I decided I’d wait until dark, when it’s easier to catch these animals. And I’d come down and try for myself,” Asplundh told WPVI-TV. “At night their eyeshine is very apparent when you shine a spotlight on them.”
A native of Pennsylvania, Asplundh was visiting from Florida, where he runs Jupiter Alligator and Wildlife Sanctuary.
“I was able to get close to it and then I was able to secure it and put it in the car,” he said.
Asplundh handed the gator to park rangers, who kept it overnight before returning it to Asplundh, who said he would take it to Florida.
Someone had likely kept the alligator as a pet before releasing it into Magnolia Lake, Asplundh said.
It likely wouldn’t have survived the winter, he added.
“This animal is definitely not a pet. I have hundreds of these animals and I would never consider any of them my pets,” Asplundh said.
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