KLG snakes?

[Karel]

I fished yesterday KLG after the heavy rain, water leval had come down to about 170cf by the time I hit the water. Initially I tried all the usual go-to patterns (caddis pupa, march brown nymph, wets etc) and did not even get a strike. Then I went through my fly box and thought to totally unmatch the hatch and tied on a Mysis Shrimp pattern I tied last year for the Blue River in Colorado. Man, I suddenly got hammered by trout! At the end, I "released" (hooked & lost a couple more) 4 rainbows, 2 brown and 2 brookies, all in the 10 to 12" range. After all, a good day for KLG

While fishing, a small snake came swimming towards me (about 2 - 3 ft long and brown), then I saw the same kind of snake later under water in an eddie, preying on some water insects. Later, on River Road, I walked up to a snake, about the same size, like the others, but black and yellow stripes (lengthwise).

Does anybody know what kind of snakes these are? Poisenous? I am very careful about snakes since, while fishing the South Platte in Colorado, a BIG rattler (about 7ft) came swimming downriver rigth towards me while I was fishing a nice run and I couldn't really move fast enough to either side. Thankfully it passed me and did not care about me.

Karel

 

[epuss]

Snakes

Karel,
Sounds like harmless garter snakes. The larger one might have been a water snake, also harmless.

 

[Pete]

It's hard to say without seeing them but...

The first two were probably water snakes.
The last was probably a garter snake.

Both are non-poisonous, but any animal bite is subject to infection.

There are enough copperheads around, so it was probably a good idea to avoid any snake you're not sure about. Water snakes are often mistaken for copperheads and vice-versa.

 

[Karel]

Thanks! Ever since my close encounter with the rattler I am very caucious... I heard to many stories about snake bites while fishing!
Karel

 

[Future Fanatic]

Just a note on the Northern Water Snake... They are often confused with poisonous snakes. They have that triangular head that fanged snakes have and they have a real bad attitude. They will often move TOWARD you if you are poking around at them. They are NOT poisonous but just act like they fear nothing.

A web page with some pictures. The ones I've seen look like pic 1, 2 and 3.

northern water snake

 

[Fly Ty R]

Yep, 1 and 2 are both northern water sniks. Last one is a garden variety garter snik. Nothing to worry about. Yes, like it was said before, water sniks can get aggressive, but they rarely bite. They'll come over and investigate you, though, that's for sure!

And, there are NO water moccosins in NJ, lest anyone says they have seen them up here. The farthest north they inhabit (I think) is southern VA.

 

[shagee14]

I fished Flat Brook last week and saw about 5 snakes in and out of the water in a small pool that I found. All appeared to be water snakes. This did not really bother me at first but one of them got pretty close to me at one point. I continued to fish in this hole a while longer when I looked down for a moment and jumped and most likely let out a small scream. What I thought was a snake swimming near my legs was actually my wader strap hanging loose in the current. I took this as a sign and left for another spot. Besides I probably spooked any fish left in the hole. I did manage to catch a brookie on a hares ear before the incident though.

 

[Scott]

Water snakes may not be poisonous, but they can be quite vicious and aggressive. What's more, their bite hurts like hell, and believe me you will bleed for a long, long time. Those teeth are like razors. Trust me on this - I've been bitten a time or two, but not since I stopped trying to catch them (which was a long time ago...).

Usually they will avoid you, and it's usually easy to leave them alone, but I would refrain from irritating them if at all possible - and it doesn't take much to irritate a water snake.

We only have two poisonous snakes in NJ, the Copperhead, and the Eastern Diamondback rattler. Except for a few years spent living in Colorado, I've been living in NJ a long time, and I've never seen either.

I've seen garter snakes, black snakes, milk snakes, and water snakes, but that's pretty much it. Oh, I saw a corn snake once (very pretty) in the Pine Barrens a long time ago. I also saw a hog nose snake once.

I found this really cool PDF about NJ snakes: http://www.njpinelandsanddownjersey.com/snakes.pdf I never knew there were so many different species of snakes in NJ. I think I'm going to print it out & keep it in the truck.

 

[AKSkim]

Lads, let it be known, I don't like them, I dislike bears even more.

Snakes I can handle, bears... until you stare eye ball to large eye ball with each other, HUMmmm...

Thank god I could recite The Manual of Arms aloud under extream pressure and that sent him in the other direction.

 

[DJ]

Yep, 1 and 2 are both northern water sniks. Last one is a garden variety garter snik. Nothing to worry about. Yes, like it was said before, water sniks can get aggressive, but they rarely bite. They'll come over and investigate you, though, that's for sure!

And, there are NO water moccosins in NJ, lest anyone says they have seen them up here. The farthest north they inhabit (I think) is southern VA.

Correct, the northern most range of the cottonmouth is the Richmond, VA metro area south and east: Percisely: scattered populations in south central/eastern Chesterfeild County (VA) and The lower James River east of the city. Baasically from the southeastern quad of the city from Richmond to Va. Beach (along I-64) south to NC (east of !-95) and even in NC, basically east of I-95. They are not really common until you get to Hopewell/Petersburg (about 20-25 miles south of Richmond) where good numbers exist on the Appamattox river from Ettrick (Chesterfeild, VA) east through Colonial Heights. Saw them there catfishing. When you scare them off the banks they coil up in a spiral and literally float down stream with their mouths wide open showing that cotton like interior. Impressive!!!! these are not long but fat snakes that literally seem to glide atop the the water. Toattally uynlike other watr smakes. I HAVE SEEN MANY BUT NEVER IN TREES THOSE ARE ANOTHER HUGE BAD ASS SNAKE CALLED THE BIG BROWN. Moccasins like to sit close to the water on logs, stumps and weedy shore lines. Their NC/VA strong bed is the Dismal Swamp until you hit the low lands of SC. The rattler found in NJ is actually the Timber rattler and there are no copper heads in South Jersey ( a real anomaly).

 

[Helgamite]

Jersey water snakes

Hey Folks,

Here is a picture I posted sometime ago. I took the picture at the Ramapo river last year. I saw something dart through the river and when I moved toward the shore I noticed this snake and that it had been fishing and actually catching fish. It's a Northern Water snake.

I have seen both copperheads and Timber Rattlers in New Jersey but not in quite a few years. There was a report that a Timber Rattler was found in Ringwood, last year I think. I don't think anyone was bitten. Normally it's very rare that anyone would see one unless they were looking for it.

Pete

 

[sqerl]

Chesterfeild County (VA)....Hopewell/Petersburg (about 20-25 miles south of Richmond) ..... the Appamattox river from Ettrick (Chesterfeild, VA) ....Colonial Heights.

Hmmm.. this is the exact same place that I occasionally travel to on business.... so there IS some fishing to be had down there.... now I know! expect a PM one of these days for more info! :applaudit

 

[Scott]

Hey Folks,

Here is a picture I posted sometime ago. I took the picture at the Ramapo river last year. I saw something dart through the river and when I moved toward the shore I noticed this snake and that it had been fishing and actually catching fish. It's a Northern Water snake.

I have seen both copperheads and Timber Rattlers in New Jersey but not in quite a few years. There was a report that a Timber Rattler was found in Ringwood, last year I think. I don't think anyone was bitten. Normally it's very rare that anyone would see one unless they were looking for it.

Pete

View attachment 1035

You should have entered that in the photo contest. That's a very cool photo!

 

[Future Fanatic]

Helgamite,
Did you stick around for the conclusion of the meal taking place in the photo? I would love to know how that snake dealt with the pectoral fins of that bullhead(?).

 

[Helgamite]

You should have entered that in the photo contest. That's a very cool photo!

Scott,

I did consider it but I thought the photo was taken too long ago. Damn.

Helgamite,
Did you stick around for the conclusion of the meal taking place in the photo? I would love to know how that snake dealt with the pectoral fins of that bullhead(?).

Future Fanatic,
I didn't stick around I was worried that if I got too nosy it might drop the fish and lose a meal. I would have felt bad about that. I think the snake would have been alright though. It was swallowing it the correct way. The fin would have laid down in it's throat and belly. Snakes can swallow some unbelievable things. As with most snakes it will only take it's prey from the head.

Pete

 

[Future Fanatic]

Future Fanatic,
I didn't stick around I was worried that if I got too nosy it might drop the fish and lose a meal. I would have felt bad about that. I think the snake would have been alright though. It was swallowing it the correct way. The fin would have laid down in it's throat and belly. Snakes can swallow some unbelievable things. As with most snakes it will only take it's prey from the head.

Pete

Have you ever grabbed ahold of a bullhead? Those hard spines in those fins STUBBORNLY resist being folded back down, AND ensure that anyone that makes the mistake of grabbing a bullhead carelessly, does NOT do it again! :bawling:

 

[Fly Ty R]

I'm bored, so I'll post more of my SJ snik pics. Enjoy...

Not the best, but you REALLY don't want to get too close to a striking 5ft long adult Black Rat Snik (hence why the head is out of focus)...

And here's how we catch dem varmints down here in Dixie...!!! (For some reason it decided to slither through one of the minnow trap holes, for reasons I haven't figured out to this day...)

Northern Brown Snik, completely harmless, about 1ft long

Juvenile Black Racer, I believe? About 8" long

Juvenile Black Rat Snik, I believe? About 1ft long

Eastern Hognose Snik, not doing so well in numbers anymore :rip:

 

[rckrego]

watch those browns... they puncture you and you bleed forever. I got tagged by a little guy, maybe a foot at the most, while wearing sandals. My foot bled for 2 hours. Didn't really hurt, just sucked.

 

[Scott]

I was fishing up at Merrill Creek the other day and had the biggest water snake I've seen in a long time swim by right next to the boat - close to 3' long. I actually considered trying to catch it. I guess I'd been out in the sun too long.

Tied into a 20" rainbow too. Not what I was there for, but I'll take it. Not much of a challenge with the equipment I was using, but hey it was a nice fish.