Caught a water moccasin

[catman529]

It had the slit pupils unlike the round pupils from other water snakes. 95% sure it was a cottonmouth after researching. I saw it swimming up on the surface and threw my plastic lizard at it, he attacked, and I jerked the bait out and he took a piece of the plastic away. I know I sound like a crazy nut....

10 min later he came back and I gave him a plastic crawfish which he attacked right away and I picked the snake up hanging by the line (using the fishing rod not my hands)... I don't think the hook was even set in, he was just holding on very tight or something. After putting him on the ground he got away and swam into the water fast... I think it was probably the first confirmed cottonmouth I have seen in 8 years of fishing.

 

[treestand]

Caught a copperhead last year on ky lake on a pop r

 

[trealtree]

Should have got your little bro to take a pic of the fight. To my knowledge there has never been one confirmed in Wilson Co.

 

[catman529]

Should have got your little bro to take a pic of the fight. To my knowledge there has never been one confirmed in Wilson Co.

he wasn't with me at the time but I got a video of the snake on the line.

 

[stik]

Should have got your little bro to take a pic of the fight. To my knowledge there has never been one confirmed in Wilson Co.

he wasn't with me at the time but I got a video of the snake on the line.

let's see it

 

[Hawk]

They are truly the most agressive posinous snake.

 

[RUGER]

They are just plain mean.

 

[4onaside]

They are truly the most agressive posinous snake.

Researchers have determined that the most aggressive pit-viper is actually the Copperhead, even though its bite, shorter fangs, smaller snake, less venom, etc. is thought to be less life threatening that Cottonmouths or timber rattlers. I watched a National Geographic on Cottonmouths, and the people had a hard time getting different snakes to bite. Even had a fake arm and hand with which they picked one up and still had to really harass the snake to induce a bite. Not so with a Copperhead that they caught, which struck the subject arm and other items repeatedly. However, I'm sure all of that scientific evidence makes little difference to a snake bite victim, regardless of the species of the snake.

 

[stik]

They are truly the most agressive posinous snake.

Researchers have determined that the most aggressive pit-viper is actually the Copperhead, even though its bite, shorter fangs, smaller snake, less venom, etc. is thought to be less life threatening that Cottonmouths or timber rattlers. I watched a National Geographic on Cottonmouths, and the people had a hard time getting different snakes to bite. Even had a fake arm and hand with which they picked one up and still had to really harass the snake to induce a bite. Not so with a Copperhead that they caught, which struck the subject arm and other items repeatedly. However, I'm sure all of that scientific evidence makes little difference to a snake bite victim, regardless of the species of the snake.

i would have never thought that. i have no experience with cottonmouths but have seen hundreds of copperheads and never encountered an aggressive one.

 

[RUGER]

I still think water moccasains are meaner but I do know I was literally chased out of a creek by copperheads one time.

 

[Cuttin Caller]

According to the history channel about cowboys and outlaws water moccasin are the most aggressive.

 

[4onaside]

According to the history channel about cowboys and outlaws water moccasin are the most aggressive.

Well, almost everyone that I have encountered on land, will display the inside of its snow white mouth(thus the "cotton" mouth), wide open and very threatening looking and not get out of your way. However, when the researchers that I saw just ignored that and attempted to induce a bite, they had a difficult time getting them to bite. Its a lot of bluff, but when the bite does come, its obviously bad news.

 

[catman529]

The snake wasn't aggressive toward me at all, in fact it was edgy but only showed aggression when I threw a lure at its face. Once he got away, he ran deep into the water quick. I wouldn't call them an aggressive snake unless they have something small dangling in front of them. Not as shy as water snakes though.

 

[fishboy1]

Im sure it depends on the snake.

I have had them scram at first sight of me, and had them aggressively move toward me and strike in my direction.

Last bow season I lived in FL. I killed 2 cotton mouths with my bow. #1 approached me after I walked through a big puddle. I waved my arms and threw a stick at him. He kept coming and started to get in a strike posture about 5 feet from me when I drilled him.

#2. Came up out of the water when I stepped out on a culvert. I retreated and the snake came up and followed me. Threw a stick at it and it started striking the air. Retreated a second time and it resumed following me. Mistake.

 

[Setterman]

Having grown up on the oxbows and swamps along the Miss river I think I have encountered a fair share of cottonmouths in my day. My general assessment is they are lazy, and usually duck for cover or under water as soon as you come across them. Unless they are cornered or feel threatened.

The meanest one I ever dealt with was under a boat that was turned upside down. I finally gave up, and let him have the boat and fished from the bank.

I spend a lot of my days around here in snake country, and have seen just this summer 47 copperheads, and 31 timber rattle snakes. Not one of them was aggressive, and none even attempted to strike unless provoked.

The meanest snakes I run into are water snakes and black racers, both are nasty and are looking for a fight.

 

[4onaside]

In my experience, the most aggressive water snake around is the diamondback. The ones that I have been around appear to be just looking for a fight. And, you have seen more pit vipers this summer than I have in my entire long outdoor life. Your occupation must put you in the hills a substantial part of your waking hours.

 

[catman529]

I've seen northern and midland water snakes, and queen and king snakes by the water, and none were agressive. Queen and king snakes and young water snakes are easy to catch without being bit. I don't encounter snakes often enough to have much handling experience. Of course I always let them go, I just like to pick up the occasional snake to look at.

 

[Beekeeper]

:cool:

 

[Setterman]

In my experience, the most aggressive water snake around is the diamondback. The ones that I have been around appear to be just looking for a fight. And, you have seen more pit vipers this summer than I have in my entire long outdoor life. Your occupation must put you in the hills a substantial part of your waking hours.

I spend a good portion of every day in and around reclaimed strip mines and regenerating cut overs. Ideal habitat for snakes of all varieties. The best place to find them is at gas wells, don't know why, but most every gas well I cross a snake can be found if I look around a little.

 

[RUGER]

Spiders are still worse and more dangerous.

 

[BigGameGuy]

Let me start off by saying that I have no idea which species of snake is the most aggressive. I do want to warn you though to take whatever you see or read in National Geographic with a grain of salt. National Geographic is a popular magazine and not a science magazine, although it is a popular magazine about science :crazy: . Their job is to make money, not to prove science. So whatever story sells magazines or increases viewership gets top billing. If a true test of aggressiveness was to be conducted it would need to include hundreds of different snakes of the same species to determine aggressiveness. Using just a limited number of snakes means you may have a just tested a very placid water mocossin and a very hostile copperhead.

Catman - If you have a video we'd love to see it. I have yet to see a cotton mouth in this area and I want to show my kids what to look out for.

FYI - I had a very similar experience with one in West TN a few years back. It was actually attacking a small bass I had on my line.

 

[rsimms]

I only know that the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of people bitten by poisonous snakes, no matter what species, were bitten while they were "messing with them," when they could have just as easily walked away.

Sounds like you kept a safe distance... but usually folks who get bitten also THOUGHT they were being safe... until the fangs connected.

Just sayin'...

 

[Mike Belt]

Over the years I've been around alot of snakes. By far the most aggressive of those were a few of the water moccassins. Some of them just have a major bad attitude. Those few came after me unprovoked. Maybe they were bluffing and maybe they weren't. We'll never know.

 

[4onaside]

BGG, I used to take National Geographic magazine,but now enjoy their presentations on tv. Actually, I can't swear that this show that I saw was NG. It could have been Discovery or such. I was a biology major many long years ago, so I realize that the snake(s) that they were "testing" were not enough numbers to confirm the actions of the entire species. However, the snakes that they caught in the swamp and used reacted as reported. And the large copperhead that they caught was hurriedly crossing the road, so their frantic capture, may have been the catalyst to spur on the snakes "aggresive" behavior. In other words, the program was about the nature of Cottonmouths, and the Copperhead was just a bonus subject.
And rsimms, you are 100% on target. Both from limited personal experience and reading reports, most of the bites occur when the victim has either picked up or was trying to pick up the snake.

 

[Setterman]

Catman - If you have a video we'd love to see it. I have yet to see a cotton mouth in this area and I want to show my kids what to look out for.

I am in Miss right now, and can easily get one for you. I will drop it off in your office on my way back through Nashville monday. Do you want it contained or just loose? ;)

 

[catman529]

Catman - If you have a video we'd love to see it. I have yet to see a cotton mouth in this area and I want to show my kids what to look out for.

I am in Miss right now, and can easily get one for you. I will drop it off in your office on my way back through Nashville monday. Do you want it contained or just loose? ;)

let it loose :grin:

 

[buckhorn40]

:eek:

 

[fishboy1]

We used to fish the spillway out of the lake in my parents neighborhood. Early summer there would be a cotton mouth or 2 lazing on the shore.

There was a nice bass on bed on one side of the canal and one of the cotton mouths had taken up residence on the only spot you could make a cast over to the opposite bank.

My buddy Booger got the genius idea of casting his Texas rigged worm at the snake. CHOMP... A lot of hootin and hollerin went on until he realized that the snake wasn't just holding on, it was hooked. He reeled it over the spillway and up the wall to the railing. Thats when it got mad. Funny how a snake can be hooked on the end of your line and still chase you around.

Booger finally got to running in a circle draggin that snake around and slung it out onto the street in front of a car.
THump Thump.... Skreeeeeeeek!

I didn't hang around to hear Booger explain why he was slinging poisonous snakes at peoples cars.

 

[catman529]

We used to fish the spillway out of the lake in my parents neighborhood. Early summer there would be a cotton mouth or 2 lazing on the shore.

There was a nice bass on bed on one side of the canal and one of the cotton mouths had taken up residence on the only spot you could make a cast over to the opposite bank.

My buddy Booger got the genius idea of casting his Texas rigged worm at the snake. CHOMP... A lot of hootin and hollerin went on until he realized that the snake wasn't just holding on, it was hooked. He reeled it over the spillway and up the wall to the railing. Thats when it got mad. Funny how a snake can be hooked on the end of your line and still chase you around.

Booger finally got to running in a circle draggin that snake around and slung it out onto the street in front of a car.
THump Thump.... Skreeeeeeeek!

I didn't hang around to hear Booger explain why he was slinging poisonous snakes at peoples cars.

:D now that's a great story right there.

 

[CBU93]

Any story about a friend named Booger is bound to be a good one!