Snakes Climb In The Boat

[Rick Howard]

Why did it have to be snake...

[geo g]

I have had a friend that was fishing 50 yards ahead of us when the two of them were in the front scream like a 5 year old.  A wm had climbed up the motor and in the back of the boat.  The two of them used rods to get it out the boat.

i have had a snake follow my boat and I had to step up the TM speed to out run it.  Followed for about 30 yards.

[SoFloBassFiend]

On April 14, 2015 at 4:31 PM, southernson1989 said:

Here's the deal. I've been fishing all my life same as the rest of my family. I was talking to a herpetologist who hangs out at a local book store and he doesnt believe me that a snake especially a water moccasin will climb in the boat when your fishing. It happened to pawpaw twice decades ago. I've personally had a water snake try it when fishing flooded grass 10 years ago on the fourth of july. I tried to outrun him with my troller motor but butterflies routinely pass me so that didn't work and a girl in the boat was freaking and nearly tipped us so I tapped it with my weedless worm. Somehow I hooked it and the paddle had to be used. Anyone have any video of a snake especially a moccasin climbing into the boat while fishing?

 

Not the cottonmouth you were looking for but proof enough snakes in general can get into a boat. 

[scaleface]

Snakes dont frighten me . 

[68camaro]

I was member of Wilderness SAR group snd snakes were all around. While in woods there are ways to announce yourself so they flee, as far as water moccasians, just respect them and they will respect you.

I almost put foot down on cottonmouth once and when I saw it colied under my foot I backed off slowly and went around it. It was on fall day and I think he was pretty lethargic since he was sunning himself in small sun spot.  I also teach American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid and know not all snakes bites have toxin released. 

 

Snakes I am OK around...gators not so much:)

[Derekbass02]

From reading this thread, I'm glad there are no poisonous snakes where I live.

[LittlePineyAngler]

Never had one try to climb into the boat but i've had a couple fall on me in the night checking limb lines. Probably the worst experiences of my life. ONLY GOOD SNAKE IS A DEAD ONE

[N Florida Mike]

Get down in the cypress trees in the st johns river and you'll see aplenty of them.I was fishing near Welaka one day with 2 friends that were brothers that I grew up with.Big brother in the front, little brother in the back, and me in the middle.We kept seeing moccasins in the trees and knocking em out withe the paddle.So it was on our minds a little.Big brother is an outdoorsman  from day 1.Little brother is the same.So little bro. says to me " watch this".He Ties a big plastic worm to his line and sneaks up on the seat by me.Then he plops the wet worm on big bro's neck.As Charlie Daniels sang in one of his songs"He let out a yell that would curl your hair"As he was about to abandon ship he heard little bro. laughing and his look of total fear turned to one of total anger.I was just barely able to keep big bro from hurting little bro. I can still see this in my mind even though it happened 30 years ago.

[MIbassyaker]

Please, please, please do not tell my wife that "Snakes climb in the boat" is a thing that happens...

[papajoe222]

southernson1989

Try outrunning a moccasin when you're fishing from a float tube! You're looking at the dang thing the whole time you're attempting to get away from it.

The only time I've ever seen a man walk on water was when I told a buddy:" look out for that snake" as he was getting into my boat. I swear he took at least four steps before he realized what he was doing.

[southernson1989]

On 2/9/2016 at 11:10 PM, papajoe222 said:

southernson1989

Try outrunning a moccasin when you're fishing from a float tube! You're looking at the dang thing the whole time you're attempting to get away from it.

The only time I've ever seen a man walk on water was when I told a buddy:" look out for that snake" as he was getting into my boat. I swear he took at least four steps before he realized what he was doing.

I can only imagine how much that would suck. When I was about 9 or 10 I reckon when it was the middle of the day and everyone said it was too hot to take the boat out til late afternoon they would let me get in a little inflateble raft with a rope connecting it to the dock and not get carried off by the current if they opened the dam so I could paddle just out of casting range from the dock to catch the fat bluegill that liked to hang out around this tree that had a bunch of leafy branches hanging in the water. Looking back now I can't believe I never saw a snake in that tree. But if one tried to climb up in my pool toy forget the paddles I would have been hauling my butt back to the dock with rope in record time lol. 

[N Florida Mike]

When I used to fish tournaments we had one on the ocklawaha river and my partner draw was a BIG UN .In fact, he was and still is the biggest dude I've ever known.500 pounds. 6 ft 8  or 9.My poor little boat wouldn't hardly go.So we're fishing.Wild river,with current.Twists and turns.Cypress trees with moss.Huge hornet nests in the trees.Y'all get the picture.So we drift up into a Matt of debris mostly a bunch of roots that had come loose from a dead tree.I think"perfect place for a cottonmouth " and I look and there's one all entangled in the roots.My policy then was to either shoot or knock em out with the oar.So I tell big un I'm going to knock out the snake.I said it kind of casual like and he said huh?And when I said it again I got to the word Snake and he suddenly hollered SNAKE!!!,  got up, and started RUNNING towards me in the boat with his arms outstretched. Since it was only a 14 foot boat,it didn't take him long to get there.The whole boat stood on end like a seesaw and water starts pouring in the back I'm yelling at him to stop and go back and he keeps hollering.Nesting birds were all flying out of the trees.I promised Big un we wouldn't bother the snake and would leave if he would just sit down and shut up.Later on that day he said"There's something wrong with my seat " He was so big that he had cracked the tube that the pedestal seat was on.Unrepairable.And we did NOT win the tournament.

 

[Maggiesmaster]

Once a couple of high school boys borrowed my boat at sunup and returned it to my dock later that morning.. As I went to the dock later that afternoon I saw a BIG cottonmouth trying his best to get in the boat from the water. After I dispatched him with my shotgun, I looked in the boat and saw that the boys had left several small bass in the boat--the snake was attracted to their smell.

[N Florida Mike]

Another time I was training a co- worker and we were way out back of a house that was on a big creek off the st johns river.SHE got to the dock ahead of me and suddenly let out a scream.There on the dock was the biggest cottonmouth I had ever seen.We watched it for a few minutes and it never moved so I think its dead so I go up and prod it.No movement. Then I realize it looks a little weird and then I realized it was a "scareduck" a fake snake to keep ducks from pooping on the dock!!