Careful where you step

[airborne_angler]

Went to the closest lake to where I live today,just like I do on alot of other days during the week. I was fishing a rocky dam with lots of Rip Rap . I wanted to walk to another spot on the dam and as I started out I heard a "sizzle" .I figured out what it was and got a bit scared. It was a Rattlesnake and I couldnt get a view of him. It could of came out of any crevice in the rocks and gotten me. I gingerly walked away but for the rest of the day was crossing the rocks like they were eggshells.

[Cajun1977]

time for a boat ;D

[bassdocktor]

Definitely got lucky with that one.

[Wildbillb]

I would have learned to walk on water real quick.

[CrazedL.IFisherman]

Not a fan of the snake, one good thing about long island fishing in ny, no poisonous snakes

[cartoonist]

Been there had one try and climb in my boat!!

[slappy]

i got bit by a black water snake while bank fishing i must have walked up on its nest. It was about 3 ft long it didnt hurt as much as it scared the hell out of me luckily they arent poisonous. I was the last person that snake ever bit

[Other.]

How do you all fear snakes? They fear you more then you fear them. They just have the guts to protect there nest and fight people 100x there size. If a gaint were to try and kill you all of you would run like wussys. But anyways you should be carfull were you step. Esspecialy on hallow logs. I onced steped on a old rotten log and it broke and 2 copperheads flew out. Im lucky that I did not step on them or I would be a gonner.

[Snakemover]

As you can probably guess from my name, I remove snakes from peoples houses and other places they're not supposed to be. Most snakes are not agressive. Snakes rely on camouflage to keep from being seeing by predators and thier prey. To them WE are potential predators. They figure that we can't see them so they use the rattles as an audible warning. It's their way of saying "I'm here, so be careful where you step." You can step right next to a snake and just step away and MOST times it won't even strike. I say most times because it all depends on the temperment of that particular snake. If a snake is scared or in a bad mood, it will strike. Also, snakes are more likely to strike at ANY movement when they're at a certain point of their shed. When their eye scales are opaque, they can't see and they get nervous. As long as you're careful and don't actually threaten them, you can mind your biz and the snake will mind its own. Just my $.02 from experience with lots of snakes.

[Matt Fly]

Not a fan of the snake, one good thing about long island fishing in ny, no poisonous snakes

I never have thought about what states didn't have posinous critters.   I assumed they would be every where.   Being from the South, your taught to look at an early age.   Any other states boast of such.    Not worrying about snakes would be nice.

Hookem

matt

[Valascus]

I normally don't worry too much about snakes. They are definately quite a few of 'em in the areas I fish, but I generally keep a good eye out, step softly, and when one is sighted, give it a wide berth. Usually not a problem. Last time i was out fishing I sighted probably at least 5 different snakes. Don't know what kind they were, didn't really care to get that close to check. Just minded my own business and continued feeshin'.

[Flatfish]

I don't like Snakes, period, I probally hurt myself worse than the snake would hurt me. I was taught early in life to respect and identify them, still don't like them. There are no snakes in Canada and after a couple of trips there I figured out why, the Mosquitos ate them to.

[Raul]

Yup, we us southern boyz sure have to learn where we step at a very early age: rattlesnakes, fire ants and scorpions are what we have to deal with. Not to mention those red wasps that carry more fire power than an Apache helicopter, those black bumble bees ( who needs B52 when you got those ? ), all our thorny vegetation like huizache, mesquite, catnail and cacti, that grass that cuts like a knife and to finish, cow patties.

Man you gotta love the South !

[BassKing813]

I was bank fishing one time and almost stepped on a moccasin. I was about five feet from him and he bolted out and headed for the water. I got real lucky. Usually moccasins are extremely irritable and bad tempered.

[Bud]

 A 44 Mag with birdshot will take care of any snake I run across.

[Hale]

Your idea of snakes not being on the mind would change real quick when you trample anywhere around the water down here in Florida. Cottnmouths (mocassins) are everywhere and they dont play; aggresive, and territorial! I was bit when I was 8 and it was not fun. I watched my friend (on the same lake) get bit six times from one of these. It tagged his calf a couple times in seconds and he fell down, it then took a couple bites into his hand and arm. My friend passed out from shock and the snake was going nowhere (coiled up poised by his head). All I could do was stand there and cry/shake uncontrollably (I was 12). He ended up loosing his leg from the whole thing.

Ask any of the florida boys here what happens when a cottonmouth gets in or near the boat. You would get less of a reaction out of a fisherman if you threw a bucket of AIDS riddled blood on them.

[Toddn76]

I am from Michigan and here we don't have to worry too much about snakes!  I have heard that we do have water mocosins around here although I have never seen one.  Has anyone from Mi. ever seen one?

[Pond Hopper]

Same here in Illinois/Iowa.  Although there are some poisonous snakes they arent that serious and also not very common.  I normally am bank fishing ponds and have never ran into anything other than gardner/bull/water snakes in ten years.  Although if they were a threat I would have to agree with the .357 with birdshot, or whatever caliber it was.  

Corey

[fishingrulz]

If a gaint were to try and kill you all of you would run like wussys. But anyways you should be carfull were you step. Esspecialy on hallow logs. I onced steped on a old rotten log and it broke and 2 copperheads flew out. Im lucky that I did not step on them or I would be a gonner.

so your telling me you wouldn't run away? that makes no sense. humans have a natural instinct to survive so if a giant came and tried to kill us and running away is the only way to survive then so be it your instincs tell you to run. you would run to. we would be running because we wouldn't have anything to combat this "giant". same thing with snakes...people don't like them because you can't see them and all it takes is a split second to go bye bye.

[Tucson]

As another AZ resident I can testify that the first time you hear one buzz you react RIGHT NOW without thinking - lemme outta here!  Must be some kind of automatic reflex action.

BTW - what lake are you referring to?  Doesn't sound like Roosevelt.

[Minuteman]

Found a fantastic spot last summer at a "shore fishing only" place near me. I couldn't believe other anglers were too scared to walk down the steep bank to get there. As I'm being very careful not to slip and slide down the bank into the water, I found myself standing right on an underground wasp nest.

I'll bet the fishing is better there than I even thought. Got stung about 30x and had them up my shorts and down my shirt.

Now that I think about it, if you ever find a nice spot and want to keep others away just scream BEES( or RATTLER) at the top of your lungs and run out of there. Maybe the word will get around and you'll have it to yourself next time.

[senko_77]

ouch!! did you run away, or did u jump in the water or did they just think you had enough stings

[Troutfisher]

Don't care who I offend, I hate snakes.  

[Whopper-Stopper]

I occasionally fly fish a small creek for bass and it is loaded with snakes. None of them are venemous. They are actually called northern water snakes. A few years back I got bit by one and it got infected really bad. So when I go fish that creek I usually carry my .22 on my shoulder. I make sure the first round is bird shot so I don't shoot myself in the foot if one popped up between my legs while wading. Ouch! :'(

Snakes don't really protect their nests.

[Troutfisher]

A few years back I got bit by one and it got infected really bad. So when I go fish that creek I usually carry my .22 on my shoulder..

Amen brother.