Has Anyone Ever Seen A Bass Blow Up On A Real Snake?

[roadwarrior]

Never seen a snake get eaten but I'm sure it happens frequently.

 

Well, I don't know about live snakes, but in all the years I have been a BR member I don't

recall anyone every reporting catching a bass on a snake lure other than those associated

with marketing the bait. If it worked I would think some of our trusted FL and LA members  

would know.

[RoLo]

I've heard story that a fisherman caught bass with a water moc in it's throat, the snake bit the guy on the thumb.  As I say it's a story.

 

Prey that's immersed in powerful gastric acids does not survive very long in a predator's stomach.

I can almost visualize that happening if the bass was in the process of regurgitating that moccasin,

which dovetails into their dislike for snakes.

 

Roger

[bassin is addicting]

no, never seen a snake eaten by a bass...

but..

one time i was fishing from the bank, standing on top of a metal culvert with some rip rap on either side.  i caught a small bass, about 8".  at i was lifting it out of the water it came off.... just at the edge of the water, in the rip rap.  all the sudden BOOM...at freakin' snake came out of nowhere in the rip rap and bit the bass...striking it 3 times.  it was freaky scary.  the bass flipped around a little bit and got back in the water and swam off.  it was a water mocassin, about 3 foot long (no,maybe 10 foot long...lol).  i watched that snake slither back in the rip rap, right on the edge of the water.  i was throwing a pop-r, the next cast that snake came out and started following the pop-r. 

what is scary is that i used to fish right down next to the water and stand in the rip rap in that exact spot until i go the nerve to go stand on the culvert, which sits about 6 foot out of the water.  i haven't been back since.  but i did buy a snake bite kit...lol...i joke with my son that if i get bit, they'll probably find that kit in my backpack, never used....i'll have died from a heart attack after getting bit... lol..

[porkleaker]

lol that's hilarious. I've caught bull frogs with hula-poppers and weedless frogs, they're evil cannibals. Never caught a snake though.

[Weld's Largemouth]

Yea i saw a snake fall out of a tree in florida into a pond and wham a big bass nailed it. Never saw the snake again

[RoLo]

Yea i saw a snake fall out of a tree in florida into a pond and wham a big bass nailed it. Never saw the snake again

 

Did you actually hang around waiting for the reappearance of that snake? 

 

All predators prefer eating to starving, so the impulsive "wham" is merely an instinctive reaction (what anglers call a 'reaction' strike).

In any case, if you perused the water surface for another 5 minutes, the odds of seeing that snake again

ran between excellent to guaranteed (alas, a spent snake can easily get lodged beneath floating vegetation).

 

Later in this same thread, I'd like to relate another personal account regarding bass & snakes that reinforces the same conclusion.

 

Roger

[Stlbob]

i fish a lot of farm ponds some up to 7 acres.I have seen black snakes,corn snakes,rat snakes swim across these ponds and i KNOW they have some hefty monsters in there my PB came from one of those farm ponds and have never seen a bass strike a snake.

 

I have seen them take ducklings.

[RiverFisher13]

I've never seen one hit a snake. But i caught this smally with about a 10" one hanging from its mouth.

 

[bassguytom]

I have never seen a bass take a snake. I have seen a Muskie swim with it's head out of the water and then a little later I saw it take a baby duck.

[Weld's Largemouth]

Did you actually hang around waiting for the reappearance of that snake?

All predators prefer eating to starving, so the impulsive "wham" is merely an instinctive reaction (what anglers call a 'reaction' strike).

In any case, if you perused the water surface for another 5 minutes, the odds of seeing that snake again

ran between excellent to guaranteed (alas, a spent snake can easily get lodged beneath floating vegetation).

Later in this same thread, I'd like to relate another personal account regarding bass & snakes that reinforces the same conclusion.

Roger

I stayed around for about an hour, i was fishing. That snake was lunch. I have also seen ducks , frogs , dragonflies and other small birds snatched up by bass

[Crookedneck]

Yeah...I am pretty sure I would scream like a woman...,just saying

[Backwoodsbasser]

I've seen a bass take a small 10" snake don't know that it was swallowed and kept down. But they wouldn't make 10-12" worms of bass wouldn't atleast snap on them. What would really shock and awe me would see one takin a baby duck or alligator as someone mentioned in here. The feelin of one of those 2 animals In a mouth would be horrible so I think

[gulfcaptain]

So from what I can see from both sides, bass will react to a snake and strike it, consume it, but then if they don't like it, regurgitate it.  Looks as though both sides have a reasonable case.  So it would be a far statement to say that a bass will strike anything it deems possible prey or easy meal, but will spit it out if it's not to it's liking.  Hmmm, seems they like snakes as much as crankbaits since they seem to be able to suck them in and spit them out with ease as seen on tv (gotta love Bill Dance).  So it would be a reasonable statement to say you could catch a bass on a snake.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

It was what we call a red bellied water snake, which I believe is actually a northern water snake.

Good to know my snakes serve a purpose in the tackle bag. Lots of small black snakes in my lake. Ill b throwing it with more confidence this year

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Yeah...I am pretty sure I would scream like a woman...,just saying

Haha me too!!!!!

[Ratherbfishing]

No, but I've seen a penguin blow up on a television set

[Grizzn N Bassin]

So from what I can see from both sides, bass will react to a snake and strike it, consume it, but then if they don't like it, regurgitate it.  Looks as though both sides have a reasonable case.  So it would be a far statement to say that a bass will strike anything it deems possible prey or easy meal, but will spit it out if it's not to it's liking.  Hmmm, seems they like snakes as much as crankbaits since they seem to be able to suck them in and spit them out with ease as seen on tv (gotta love Bill Dance).  So it would be a reasonable statement to say you could catch a bass on a snake.

Pretty much what i was thinking. If the bass strikes a snake youll,see the blow up and then set that hook. Even if the bass just inhales it trying to kikl it thats more than enough time to hook em.

[Crappiebasser]

All this talk of bass jumping out of the water eating snakes, I'm never peeing over the edge of the boat again.

[AK-Jax86]

No bass would be able to eat this thing!!! Hell even a large mammal would have a hard time turning this anaconda rattlesnake offspring into a meal lol

[basshole8190]

image.jpg

The only good snake i know is a dead one. but that thing looks down right terrifying. probably would die of fright if i saw it.

Just noticed the beer next to the guy. That's the only way id be brave enough to mess with that big old rattler. and it would take quite a few. lol

No bass would be able to eat this thing!!! Hell even a large mammal would have a hard time turning this anaconda rattlesnake offspring into a meal lol

[RoLo]

I'm no herpetologist, but I'll share what I do know about snakes. The diet of a snake is an extensive list, and frogs and toads

are on the menu. For the most part, American frogs are harmless, but many toads are toxic. Although snakes and raptors are immune

to the toxin, it sickens other animals such as fish. Toxic toads are generally distasteful, which serves as a warning

to would-be diners. Interestingly enough, snakes that devour toxic toads also become toxic and also become distasteful.

I'm convinced that this is the reason why the bass in my backyard pond regurgitated toads and snakes.

Then after continued exposure they totally ignored all toads and snakes I offered.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

As promised, below is another personal experience relating to bass and snakes:

Though I might have a photographic memory, I recorded the details of the following account in May of 1999.

 

My wife & I were fishing in Nalcrest Canal on the north shore of Lake Walk-in-Water, Florida.

We were both casting 7-1/2" Culprit worms, only the colors were different. Lois cast to a small patch of lily pads

and ended up boating a fine bass that scaled 5-lb 12-oz. What takes place next however was something I'll always remember:

 

We were anchored, so after weighing, photographing & releasing her fish, the boat was still in the same spot.

While restoring order in the boat I noticed a snake slithering across the surface toward our boat. The snake passed alongside our boat

and was headed 'directly' into the same patch of lily pads. I got all excited and said to Lois: "Watch This! 

we're going to see a bass blow-up a snake". We watched in apprehension as the slender serpent entered the lily pads

slowly and seductively, it even paused daringly at one point. Well, to our surprise and to our disappointment there was no explosion,

and the charmed reptile made it safely to dry land.

 

Surprise 2

With nothing to lose, I intentionally cast my 7-1/2" Culprit worm into the lily pads, 'exactly where the live snake had just passed.

The worm barely sunk 3" when it was grabbed by a bass. The bass took to the air and came unbuttoned, but we got a good look at her.

My wife & I agreed that it looked like the twin sister of her bass. Losing the bass was small potatoes compared to the unique learning experience.

 

This poses the question: 'Why was the Real McCoy rejected, while the plastic fake was eaten?'

What was the deciding factor: Size, Action, Depth ~ ? We can only speculate of course, but I believe the snake was rejected

because it looked like a snake. It passed within a yard of our boat so I got a long, close-up view of what I carefully estimated

to be 13" in length (never able to identify the species). In any case, I'm sure a large hungry bass would lambast a 13" plastic worm,

and since plastic worms are neither toxic nor distasteful, she'd have no reason to spit it out. Be that as it may,

I've since limited my plastic worms to a maximum 'true' length of 10". At least this removes any suspicions that I might have,

to keep my confidence intact. It occurred to me, this might explain why the Hannon Snake never made the Big Time.

 

Roger

[slainempire]

a buddy of mine had a tiny pond in his back yard years ago and he would throw garder snakes in there all the time and the bass would destroy them. it was pretty cool to see.

[webertime]

I have never seen a bass take a snake. I have seen a Muskie swim with it's head out of the water and then a little later I saw it take a baby duck.

 Saw a Northern do that too. 

[Master Bait'r]

That is awesome !could make out what kind of snake? Im assuming its a water snake

 

 

Pretty sure that's the eel.  Tail flipper and whatnot...  

[shallow thinker]

RoLo, snake lures are a not so secret tournament winning lure in South Florida.  I'll try to dig out the newspaper article written about the winner of the local open series.  These guys chuck those heavy lures all day long to get a few kicker fish.  I've done it in the warmer months in the glades canals and gotten bit by some nice fish.  I can't say that I've seen a live snake get eaten but snake lures do have a following around here.