Snakes on a Boat!! 2024

2tall79 reply :

I was fishing a lake in E Washington yesterday when a 4' rattlesnake swam by. I've heard stories of snakes slithering up your outdrive and becoming your new best fishing buddy. Anybody have any experience with these critters? I've lived on the left side of Washington for 64 years and this is only my second sighting.

Darren. reply :

Just pay them respects, use your rod to nudge them in a

different direction if they're getting too close, and call it

a rare sighting

I've had to nudge water moccasins out of my way, as they're

probably our most belligerent, aggressive snake. Most others

including rattlers, are not as aggressive...believe it or not.

38 Super Fan reply :

The ones I've seen here always keep their distance. I seem to see at least one snake every trip to the lake this time of year.

visagelaid reply :

I was trout fishing in SW Virginia a few years ago, and I had one foot up on a rock slightly higher than the water level and one foot down in the fast moving water. I looked down to see this snake (unk type) just slithering down stream in between my legs. It didnt pay me any mind, but it was unsettling to say the least.

Maggiesmaster reply :

If you're in a boat, the only snake worry you have is one that falls on the boat from a limb. Good news: most tree. Limbers are banded water snakes, not cottonmouths. Bad news: while not poisonous they're still aggressive & will bite.

scaleface reply :

I wouldnt recognize a 4 inch baby rattlesnake swimming by .

geo g reply :

In our areas snakes are one of the favorite foods of gators. Over the years I have had to out run one, with the trolling motor, that had its mind made up to seek the shelter of my boat. I don't see them very often in the glades, during the day time, because of the number of gators. I do see snakes on the bank, especially in Weston.

jimf reply :

Closest snake encounter was wading a local river when a 4 foot Fox Water Snake was just hauling down the water after something. I was in water a little above my waist, and when I saw him out of the corner of my eye I just reflexively raised my arms so he could swim under. I also reflexively peed my pants.

Never had one in a boat.

Team9nine reply :

This guy let me get the boat right next to him

NCbassraider reply :

Had a large black snake try to climb in my boat last summer. I think they just think it's land and they are vulnerable in the water to fish and birds of prey so they just want to get out.

Luckily, here in central NC, we don't have to worry about venomous snakes in the water. Too far north for mocs and the copperheads don't like to swim. Mostly just black snakes and northern water snakes posing as mocs here.

NCbassraider reply :

On 5/25/2017 at 7:17 AM, Team9nine said:

This guy let me get the boat right next to him

We have a lot of those here in NC. It's a Northern water snake posing as a copperhead. At first glance, it's tough to tell though

Gundog reply :

At a local state park I was wading in the water fishing and saw a small snake swimming towards me close to the bank. It passed by me without even noticing me. I saw a lady walking toward the bank ahead of the snake so I hollered up to her to tell her there was a snake in the water. Her reply was "Another snake. That's it. I'm leaving. That's the 3rd snake I've seen." Must have been one of those people that thinks the outdoors shouldn't have all the icky things in it.

wisconsin heat reply :

Bankbeater reply :

I've had those water snakes go after jigs before, but I have never had one in the boat with me.

Troy85 reply :

A few years back me and my brother were fishing some golf course ponds one morning. My brother was working a top water popper right next to a little stick that was just sticking out of the water. He had a hit on the his popper and set the hook, turns out the little "stick" was the head of a water snake and it bit his popper as it went by....well setting the hook snagged the snake and it came flying out of the water and landed at his feet....I was down the bank about 30 feet laughing to tears and glad it didn't happen to me....I'm terrified of snakes and had that snake came flying out of the water at me, I probably would have had a heart attack.

frosty reply :

Those water snakes we have up here aren't poisonous but they are very aggressive! I had one grab a little bluegill I caught and was throwing back from out between my legs. It no more than hit the water and he shot out and grabbed it. This fat boy nearly climbed 10' of steep bank in record time!

Hog Basser reply :

I've had a moccasin come aggressively at my boat, looked like he wanted in with me. I popped him with my judge and that was the end of that. I see water snakes almost every trip and generally leave them alone.

Bluebasser86 reply :

I've never had one get in the boat, but had a couple try. Usually I have the high pitched screams from @gardnerjigman to repel them from the boat though.

Jeff H reply :

Never dealt with snakes on the water, but I don't like em' nohow. If I fished in snake country I'd have a machete in the boat and wouldn't give a second thought to dividing one up.

Ain't no snake getting in my boat alive!

dirvin21 reply :

Had a 6 foot eastern brown snake (2nd deadliest snake worldwide) try and join me in my boat a few years back, a paddle to his head changed his mind but had he got in I was getting out

We also have a non venomous tree snake that has a habit of randomly dropping out of trees to the ground which can lead to a hell of a fright

scaleface reply :

Snakes . Its part of being outdoors .

Chaddy reply :

On 5/25/2017 at 11:11 AM, NCbassraider said:

Had a large black snake try to climb in my boat last summer. I think they just think it's land and they are vulnerable in the water to fish and birds of prey so they just want to get out.

Luckily, here in central NC, we don't have to worry about venomous snakes in the water. Too far north for mocs and the copperheads don't like to swim. Mostly just black snakes and northern water snakes posing as mocs here.

I live in Chatham county North Carolina and there's cotton mouth water moccasins here. Got one two years ago out of the pool skimmer. You're lucky if y'all don't have them. I can't stand a snake of any kind.

NCbassraider reply :

Wow, that's pretty far north to find a moc. Most of the confirmed sightings of mocs in NC are in the SE part of the state. The rest are mistaken identities. NC Wildlife has Chatham out of the range of the water Moc on their map which means there has never been a confirmed sighting there.

The Northern water snake has evolved over time to take on the colors, patterns and behaviors of mocs and copperheads for defensive purposes. They will even hold their mouth open and show off an adapted white mouth to mimic the "cottonmouth". They are much more convincing as a water moc than a copperhead.

Most experts will tell you that the majority of sightings of mocs in NC are mostly mistaken identity. Also, pool owners in FL will tell you that a moc will rarely get itself caught in a skimmer. They are too good in the water and typically push the skimmer lid right off.

Kyhokie reply :

On 5/28/2017 at 10:59 PM, dirvin21 said:

Had a 6 foot eastern brown snake (2nd deadliest snake worldwide) try and join me in my boat a few years back, a paddle to his head changed his mind but had he got in I was getting out

We also have a non venomous tree snake that has a habit of randomly dropping out of trees to the ground which can lead to a hell of a fright

Lol, had to look where you were from mate! I know Texas has it's share of venomous serpents, but we don't hold a candle to the land down under lol. Also, what type of fish is that in your background pic? Not the profile picture, the background one.

NCbassraider reply :

On 5/30/2017 at 3:56 AM, Chaddy said:

I live in Chatham county North Carolina and there's cotton mouth water moccasins here. Got one two years ago out of the pool skimmer. You're lucky if y'all don't have them. I can't stand a snake of any kind.

Brayberry reply :

On 5/30/2017 at 10:58 AM, NCbassraider said:

Wow, that's pretty far north to find a moc. Most of the confirmed sightings of mocs in NC are in the SE part of the state. The rest are mistaken identities. NC Wildlife has Chatham out of the range of the water Moc on their map which means there has never been a confirmed sighting there.

The Northern water snake has evolved over time to take on the colors, patterns and behaviors of mocs and copperheads for defensive purposes. They will even hold their mouth open and show off an adapted white mouth to mimic the "cottonmouth". They are much more convincing as a water moc than a copperhead.

Most experts will tell you that the majority of sightings of mocs in NC are mostly mistaken identity. Also, pool owners in FL will tell you that a moc will rarely get itself caught in a skimmer. They are too good in the water and typically push the skimmer lid right off.

There are plenty of confirmed sightings of Cottonmouths in Virginia, just a FYI

dirvin21 reply :

On 5/30/2017 at 10:56 AM, Kyhokie said:

Lol, had to look where you were from mate! I know Texas has it's share of venomous serpents, but we don't hold a candle to the land down under lol. Also, what type of fish is that in your background pic? Not the profile picture, the background one.

that's an Eastern freshwater cod (Maccullochella ikei)

scaleface reply :

It just amazes me how many people are afraid of snakes . How many of you actually know someone who has been bitten by a venomous snake . I know of nobody . Its unheard of around here and we have plenty of Timber rattlers and Copperheads .

Or even a non-venomous one .

NCbassraider reply :

On 5/30/2017 at 12:37 PM, Brayberry said:

There are plenty of confirmed sightings of Cottonmouths in Virginia, just a FYI

Not plenty, very few. Like NC, they are very limited. The link below shows how limited they are.

Again, most are mistaken identity.

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/venomous-look-a-likes/cottonmouth-look-a-likes/images/Virginia-cottonmouth-map.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/venomous-look-a-likes/cottonmouth-look-a-likes/cottonmouth.htm&h=344&w=778&tbnid=NEM4Go6vcPLzBM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=211&usg=__uGswyNBq13VpHHg5hlWEzk_0KIs=&vet=10ahUKEwjm9P3FipjUAhUCNiYKHZu0AbwQ9QEILzAA..i&docid=_mbToSI58MP-PM&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjm9P3FipjUAhUCNiYKHZu0AbwQ9QEILzAA

hunterPRO1 reply :

snakes.... KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!

Tyler21 reply :

The only good snake is a dead snake

hunterPRO1 reply :

On 5/31/2017 at 1:07 AM, Tyler21 said:

The only good snake is a dead snake

really ? what about king snakes ? which are harmless to us but eat rattlesnakes.... seems like you might would want to keep those around rather than kill them

Choporoz reply :

This guy in Australia WISHES it was a rattlesnake trying to get into his boat

http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/29/world/great-white-shark-boat-australia-trnd/

Darren. reply :

You guys that just want to kill snakes are wimps

On 5/31/2017 at 12:57 AM, NCbassraider said:

Not plenty, very few. Like NC, they are very limited. The link below shows how limited they are.

Again, most are mistaken identity.

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/venomous-look-a-likes/cottonmouth-look-a-likes/images/Virginia-cottonmouth-map.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/venomous-look-a-likes/cottonmouth-look-a-likes/cottonmouth.htm&h=344&w=778&tbnid=NEM4Go6vcPLzBM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=211&usg=__uGswyNBq13VpHHg5hlWEzk_0KIs=&vet=10ahUKEwjm9P3FipjUAhUCNiYKHZu0AbwQ9QEILzAA..i&docid=_mbToSI58MP-PM&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjm9P3FipjUAhUCNiYKHZu0AbwQ9QEILzAA

You are correct that most are mistaken. I find the majority

of sightings are Northern watersnakes. And as your linked map

shows, they're in my area.

My sons and I, and my brother, have been snake hunting around

one of our local reservoirs and have caught (my bro handles the

venomous) cottonmouths and copperheads. One is attached from

around Harwood's Mill Reservoir maybe 8 years ago, not sure.

I really need to find/post my cottonmouth video at Harwood's Mill...

Edited May 31, 2017 by Darren.
Spelling corrections...

gardnerjigman reply :

On 5/27/2017 at 3:16 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

I've never had one get in the boat, but had a couple try. Usually I have the high pitched screams from @gardnerjigman to repel them from the boat though.

Gator ain't ever been about that lol

NCbassraider reply :

On 5/31/2017 at 3:13 AM, Darren. said:

You guys that just want to kill snakes are wimps

You are correct that most are mistaken. I find the majority

of sightings are Northern watersnakes. And as your linked map

shows, they're in my area.

My sons and I, and my brother, have been snake hunting around

on of our local reservoirs and have caught (my bro handles the

venomous) cottonmouths and copperheads. One is attached from

around Harwood's Mill Reservoir maybe 8 years ago, not sure.

I really need to find/post my copperhead video at Harwood's Mill...

That is a very light colored cottonmouth you have pictured there but you are correct, it is a moc. A lot of people would think its a copperhead and that makes people think that they share the same habitat. They also see Northern water snakes with a similar pattern and associate copperheads with water.

Copperheads prefer dry habitats and will rarely swim. Obviously, mocs will be found in water habitats. Most of the time, in the Southeast you either have cottonmouths or copperheads in you area but not usually both, although there are exceptions.

Here in the Charlotte area, we have copperheads, no water mocs.

The Northern water snake makes it confusing as they are everywhere and have adapted color patters to mimic the copperhead and cottonmouth.

Here is good rule of thumb, if you see a snake swimming and the entire body is on top of the water, you are looking at a cottonmouth. If only about half of it's body is buoyant, it is not a cottonmouth and chances are very slim it is a copperhead, even if it looks like one. It's most likely a non-venomous water snake.

Darren. reply :

On 5/31/2017 at 10:29 AM, NCbassraider said:

Copperheads prefer dry habitats and will rarely swim. Obviously, mocs will be found in water habitats. Most of the time, in the Southeast you either have cottonmouths or copperheads in you area but not usually both, although there are exceptions.

Here in the Charlotte area, we have copperheads, no water mocs.

The Northern water snake makes it confusing as they are everywhere and have adapted color patters to mimic the copperhead and cottonmouth.

Here is good rule of thumb, if you see a snake swimming and the entire body is on top of the water, you are looking at a cottonmouth. If only about half of it's body is buoyant, it is not a cottonmouth and chances are very slim it is a copperhead, even if it looks like one. It's most likely a non-venomous water snake.

We've got copperheads, cottonmouths, and canebrake rattlers

here, though the canebrake is quite rare to find. I've not seen

one in the wild yet, but plenty of cottonmouths and copperheads.

Here's another of the young CM, as well as a large CM I had an

encounter with years before, same reservoir. I found the video,

but is too large to upload...

Darren. reply :

On 5/30/2017 at 11:40 PM, scaleface said:

It just amazes me how many people are afraid of snakes . How many of you actually know someone who has been bitten by a venomous snake . I know of nobody . Its unheard of around here and we have plenty of Timber rattlers and Copperheads .

Or even a non-venomous one .

I know of one. My brother in 1981, canebrake in his collection,

over over 40 snakes, a number of which were venomous...thankfully

he pulled through!!

I've been tagged numerous times by non-venomous snakes I can't tell you

the number, but both captive and in the wild. Every snake handler/collector

has been tagged in the line of work/hobby. Something you get used to, and

it'll happen even with proper handling.

fishwizzard reply :

A few weeks ago I was wading by a ruined mill. I saw about 3' of a shed snake skin laying on the bank, with more of it under a flat piece of rubble. I wanted to see how long it was, so I flipped the rubble only find the very cranky owner of said skin.

I should have expected it, but I still yelled a little.

frosty reply :

On 5/31/2017 at 11:17 PM, Bunnielab said:

A few weeks ago I was wading by a ruined mill. I saw about 3' of a shed snake skin laying on the bank, with more of it under a flat piece of rubble. I wanted to see how long it was, so I flipped the rubble only find the very cranky owner of said skin.

I should have expected it, but I still yelled a little.

At least when you peed your pants you can blame it on wading

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