agn54 0 Report post Posted March 9, 2014 Mike, when the bikini clad beauties are watching, it always turns out to be seaweed that brushes my leg and causes me to yelp like a little girl, which is even more embarrassing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted March 9, 2014 Yep ... and some of that seaweed has really sharp teeth. Or at least that's what those leaf edges feel like in that split second of contact. I used to go into salt water, when I was a young Marine TRYING to impress the womenfolk. "Unseen things" slithering through the water usually didn't mean "Alive unseen things." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryon Anderson 0 Report post Posted March 9, 2014 Mike, when the bikini clad beauties are watching, it always turns out to be seaweed that brushes my leg and causes me to yelp like a little girl, which is even more embarrassing This is why I wear long pants and/or waders in the tube, no matter how hot it is or how good cool water would feel on bare legs. Once I feel something slithery brush my leg, I can't convince myself that the water isn't teeming with snakes. Really throws off my concentration. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rocco 0 Report post Posted March 9, 2014 Remember the 'Mocassin ball' from Lonesome Dove? Nuff said? Rocco Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stevester 0 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 Oh, I almost forgot about the water moccasins that were very prevalent down there. Like our northern water snakes they are not particularly impressed by humans. I actually like snakes but I have a VERY healthy respect for the poisonous variety. Steve Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 No one, I repeat, NO ONE has ever been chased by a Water Moccasin. They will always try to escape, even if that means going fo a hole near you, which makes it look like it's after you. Water Moccasins are also not a very fast, and an adult walking at normal speed will move faster. Almost all poisonous snake bites in this country occur because of stepping on or very near a resting snake. I like snakes, too, Steve. I also have a very healthy respect for the poisonous varieties. And I HATE it when people kill snakes just because they are snakes. I had a Water Moccasin swim up to the side of my boat, where I couldn't see it .. until it's head came over the side. It proceeded to crawl from one side to the other and right on out. It continued swimming to the other shore and disappeared into the brush. I think it thought the boat was the shore, which is why it came up and over rather than under or around. Some would've gone crazy, believing the snake was coming in the boat for after them. I just sat quietly watching it go on about it's business. If you are calmly fishing, you are in no danger from alligators or snakes, of any kind. I will admit, I do not know what an alligator snapper would do if you got a leg close to it, but watching those idiots on reality TV, I'd say you probably aren't in much danger from them either. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phg 0 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 I've heard many stories of moccasin's trying to climb into a boat ... but I've never heard of anyone just sitting to see what would happen. On the other hand, a snake's brain isn't much bigger than a fish's, so you can't expect too much "logic". Going around an obstacle might not occur to them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Knuckledragger 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2014 I've had em drop off a tree limb and into the boat while setting limblines. Most the time they want out of the boat just as much as I want them out. I've had them swim up to me in the tube and check me out, but they get some gone when I slap at em with the rod. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stevester 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2014 I heard all the stories about moccasins when I was down there but never had any run ins with them. Up here the regular water snakes are what you run in to when stream and river fishing. Over the years I have had them swim right by me while I am standing in the stream. Like I said, I like snakes so I enjoy seeing them in the wild. It also pisses me off when people kill snakes for not reason other than irrational fear. Steve Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryon Anderson 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2014 I had a Water Moccasin swim up to the side of my boat, where I couldn't see it .. until it's head came over the side. It proceeded to crawl from one side to the other and right on out. It continued swimming to the other shore and disappeared into the brush. I think it thought the boat was the shore, which is why it came up and over rather than under or around.Some would've gone crazy, believing the snake was coming in the boat for after them. I just sat quietly watching it go on about it's business. My hat's off to you, sir...you did exactly the right thing, of course, but I can tell you right now that, had it been me, all that would've been left in that boat was the snake and a big puddle of urine. I wouldn't go so far as to say I like snakes, but I do respect all living things and would never kill a snake just because it was a snake. I just prefer them at least 10 feet away from me. One of the things I love most about Michigan--only one venomous snake species in the whole state (Massasauga Rattlesnake) and you have to work pretty hard to find one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2014 I had a Water Moccasin swim up to the side of my boat, where I couldn't see it .. until it's head came over the side. It proceeded to crawl from one side to the other and right on out. It continued swimming to the other shore and disappeared into the brush. I think it thought the boat was the shore, which is why it came up and over rather than under or around.Some would've gone crazy, believing the snake was coming in the boat for after them. I just sat quietly watching it go on about it's business. My hat's off to you, sir...you did exactly the right thing, of course, but I can tell you right now that, had it been me, all that would've been left in that boat was the snake and a big puddle of urine. I wouldn't go so far as to say I like snakes, but I do respect all living things and would never kill a snake just because it was a snake. I just prefer them at least 10 feet away from me. One of the things I love most about Michigan--only one venomous snake species in the whole state (Massasauga Rattlesnake) and you have to work pretty hard to find one. Yeah, way back ... 1980 I think ... I lived in South Carolina. Had a friend, Ricky, who fished the Santee-Cooper river all the time. One Monday, he was ticked off as a wet cat. I'll make this short ... I finally got him to admit what happened. A snake dropped into his boat. He emptied a 9mm automatic trying to kill the snake. 15 holes now needed to be repaired in the bottom of his boat. To add insult to injury, the snake crawled off, without any new holes in it. To rub salt in the injury ... this happened at the very first place he stopped ... he never wet a line that day. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2014 Just as a side note ... That Monday was one of my most unproductive days. Every time I'd think about Ricky's boat, I'd start laughing so much I couldn't do any work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BassMouth87 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2014 I appreciate all the feed back, you guys have given me LOTS to think about. The waters I fish are windy and strong current 90% of the time so float tubes are pretty much out of the question and a pontoon does not really fit to well in an apartment...looks like I will be waiting until my situation changes and perhaps getting a nice fishing kayak or something along those lines years down the road. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryon Anderson 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2014 I appreciate all the feed back, you guys have given me LOTS to think about. The waters I fish are windy and strong current 90% of the time so float tubes are pretty much out of the question and a pontoon does not really fit to well in an apartment...looks like I will be waiting until my situation changes and perhaps getting a nice fishing kayak or something along those lines years down the road. BassMouth, that's where I've landed, too--the kayak place. I used to shake my head at guys fishing out of kayaks, then I saw the NuCanoe that you can stand and fish from, even in moving water (yes, I know you can stand in other kayaks, too, but the NuCanoe is actually designed with stand-up fishing and paddling in mind). I'm dying to get into one of those. I sold my tube, and will be selling my pontoon this spring. Oh, the self-affirming power of a new toy... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rocco 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2014 Look up the Gheenoe. It is very stable -- guys stand in it and shoot shotguns! It's not ideal for moving water unless it's<br />really big water. The customizing possibilities are vast too. You do really need a trailer for it.<br /><br />Rocco Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
