Stop the Snake talk!!

[foxfire]

Was out splashing around the local stream last week and must admit was a little apprehensive about crawling around on my hands and knees to get the ideal approach. I normally have no fear of snakes - actually find them very interesting, but suddenly the thought of fangs in my body has impacted my ability to fish!!! Thanks Forum!! :-x

 

[JackM]

Fishing with my son, I tripped over a stump and fell face first in the grassy area near the creek. A rather large snake, which I don't believe was poisonous, must have been inches from my partial face-plant. It scurried away before I could really ID it, but my son laughed after he stopped pooping himself. I was not even aware of the proximity of the snake to my face until he pointed it out as it scurried away, just a foot or so from me.

 

[bigslackwater]

I'm always on the look out for snakes when I'm fishing. The thing is, I've had more snake encounters this year in my own yard and garage than I have on the water. I had an old roll of carpet in my garage up in a loft. I carried it down the ladder and unrolled it only to discover a large black snake. Had a friend recently find a timber rattler in his garage. Just be on the look out. They can be anywhere!

 

[evw659]

I'm pretty paranoid of snakes now when fishing, especially brookie streams. About 3 years ago, me and my brother dId a 2 night backpacking trip in a wild area in Sproul sf. During our hike out, we were both constantly looking ahead on the trail for snakes (we saw a rattler during the hIke in). On the way out, we rounded a corner on the trail to a particular scenic section (small stream w/ short waterfalls, moss everywhere, steep terrain etc., just beautiful) and I briefly lost my focus on the trail ahead. Just seconds after that, I heard my brother yell behind me. It startled me, and I jumped backwards, thinking there was a snake in front of me. As it turns out, my brother yelled after I had already stepped over the snake, and when I jumped backwards, I literally hopped back over it. When I looked back, I saw a large rattler coiled up on the trail, roughly 6 inches in diameter and 6 feet long. My brother looked like he saw a ghost. He said I literally stepped directly over it, and then jumped back over it again.

 

[foxfire]

Wow!! My deer camp is in Sproul. Must admit I've never seen any there?? Though I'm rarely there in the summer.

 

[JackM]

I dreamed about snakes last night. I wonder what Freud would say.

 

[wgmiller]

The most common snake a fly fisherman (or fisherman for that matter) is likely to encounter is the harmless northern water snake. While their disposition can be a bit temperamental at times, they are completely harmless. I can understand though how all the "snake chatter" has lodged a seed in the back of your brain with regards to streamside encounters :-D

 

[JackM]

I don't like spiders either and most of them are harmless, even the ones that crawl in and out of your mouth while you sleep.

Saying that, I keep spiders around because flying insects are generally more annoying, and I tolerate snakes because they keep me from having mice in the house.

 

[dsmith1427]

A, the name of the thread is stop the snake talk, yet the conversation continues... :lol:

Don

 

[JackM]

Be careful what you wish for, I guess.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

I think about rattlers all the time this time of year around the stream I'm very gun shy

 

[PennypackFlyer]

Freud would probably say, "you wish you were bigger"

 

[steveo27]

We encountered a few snakes this weekend while fishing.

On Friday, I saw a little water snake and my girlfriend heard a rattle snake. I didnt see it or hear it but she was about 10 yards up stream from me and started crying and came running down the stream like a crazy person.

On Sunday, I saw 2 more water snakes.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

I was fishing the Upper Delaware when I stopped for a wild mushroom snack. Shortly thereafter I saw an enormous snake that may or may not have been a Titanoboa. THis invasive species has been spotted in NY: http://tinyurl.com/TitanoboainNY

It seems even drift boats are not safe!

 

[allan_s]

foxfire wrote:
Wow!! My deer camp is in Sproul. Must admit I've never seen any there?? Though I'm rarely there in the summer.

Sproul has a very healthy population of Timber Rattlesnakes. So if you are there during the summer make sure to keep both eyes open!

 

[troutbert]

Yes, there are rattlers in Sproul. I've seen 2 in recent years, and another about 10 years ago.

On opening day of rattler season (I hadn't know about that) we saw 3 groups of "snakers" (my term for snake hunters) all out on a gravel service road along a power line cut in Sproul. The total number of snakers was probably between 15 and 20.

 

[foxfire]

Just ordered a pair of Turtleskin Gaiters minutes ago!! Will be in Sproul end of September!! At what temps do the rattlers go back to dens for their long winter's nap?!?!?!?

 

[allan_s]

foxfire wrote:
Just ordered a pair of Turtleskin Gaiters minutes ago!! Will be in Sproul end of September!! At what temps do the rattlers go back to dens for their long winter's nap?!?!?!?

Gaiters are a good idea, especially if you are like me and get enamored with being out in the woods and don't always look where you step.

Almost stepped on a black morph last October in Sproul on my way to set up my treestand for the evening hunt.

It wasn't even a warm day, just sunny and it was under a log.

It rattled and I about jumped out of my boots.

 

[troutbert]

Gaiters can help reduce risks.

But also be careful when reaching with hands and arms.

Such as reaching into a woodpile to get a piece of firewood. Or climbing up a steep slope and reaching up for a handhold.

Rattlers strike when suddenly startled. Either by an arm or a leg suddenly coming at them.