# Alum 5/23



## Ray-Ray (Oct 21, 2007)

Fished the lake side of the dam today from the rocks. Both sides were saturated with water snakes. Only fished each side for about an hour and got zip. Fished off bottom with worms. Fished the spillway too and got skunked. There were 10 or more carp flopping around together but would not bite anything we threw at them. Walking back across the dam we looked down on the west side of the dam where we were fishing earlier. There were 4 water snakes swimming around and a 4+foot water snake sunning on a rock. Still better than working.


----------



## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

yea.. while trolling the rocks I have noticed alot of snakes...along the rocks in the water...I would think the muskie would take an easy meal


----------



## Ray-Ray (Oct 21, 2007)

I took this from the top of the dam. This guy was over 4 feet long.


----------



## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Yuck!!! I'll stay away..... 


Thanks.


----------



## 01mercLS (Oct 28, 2006)

man.. i hate snakes. what kind of snake is that btw?


----------



## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

01mercLS said:


> man.. i hate snakes. what kind of snake is that btw?



Northern Brown water snake. Really common, not venomous, although they can get quite mean when approached.


----------



## wdrcvr88 (Feb 4, 2009)

NORTHERN WATER SNAKE
Nerodia sipedon sipedon
Length 24-42 in.
(61-107 cm.)

The northern water snake is one of the most widely distributed and certainly one of the most abundant snakes in Ohio. It may inhabit just about any permanent body of water.

This stout-bodied snake shows extreme variations in color and pattern, and is unfortunately confused by many with the poisonous water moccasin, or cottonmouth. The cottonmouth, however, does not occur in Ohio; it ranges no farther north than southeastern Virginia.

Northern water snakes are particularly fond of basking, and can often be seen sunning upon emerged logs, stumps, and rocks, or on low branches-overhanging the water. They are very wary and, when disturbed, drop into the water and disappear quickly. Water snakes usually flee from man, but when grabbed they are almost always extremely aggressive. They bite viciously and large ones are capable of producing painful, deep lacerations. When picked up, they invariably secrete an obnoxious smelling substance from their musk glands.


----------



## DelawareAngler (Mar 19, 2009)

ya know ive been fishing for about 5 years now and fish alum and delaware religiously (more delaware but this year more alum) and i never saw a snake until i went to the alum creek dam, saw about six about 2 weeks ago


----------



## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

DelawareAngler said:


> ya know ive been fishing for about 5 years now and fish alum and delaware religiously (more delaware but this year more alum) and i never saw a snake until i went to the alum creek dam, saw about six about 2 weeks ago


Yea, they sure are there in numbers along the rocks at the dam....
I can't believe how many soft shell snapping turtles there are around the camping beaches and inlets...out sunning themselves on the shoreline(Cheshire area)


----------



## DelawareAngler (Mar 19, 2009)

up by howard in those coves heading south but north of 36/37 many turtles to be had on logs.


----------



## fishdady (May 3, 2009)

Fished O'shay Sunday morn , came up to a log with about 15 snakes on it. Lived in alabama 23 yrs. and down there we say "If it's on land it's a rattler, on water it's a moccasin". Don't like 'em and even if they're not venomous here, I stay away from them.


----------



## DelawareAngler (Mar 19, 2009)

fishdady said:


> Fished O'shay Sunday morn , came up to a log with about 15 snakes on it. Lived in alabama 23 yrs. and down there we say "If it's on land it's a rattler, on water it's a moccasin". Don't like 'em and even if they're not venomous here, I stay away from them.


definately stumbled upon a moccasin on delaware today. dont be too sure they arent poisonous!


----------



## Coon_Shark (Feb 6, 2006)

Ray-Ray,

Yeah, I think about that 4+ft snake occassionally. I drove by it this past weekend when it was about 10 ft from shore in the water. I was like-dagggg!....don't like'm.


----------



## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

Lots of them around the streams as well, I always watch them as they swim around just in case something decides to have snake for breakfast.


----------



## Ray-Ray (Oct 21, 2007)

Coon_Shark said:


> Ray-Ray,
> 
> Yeah, I think about that 4+ft snake occassionally. I drove by it this past weekend when it was about 10 ft from shore in the water. I was like-dagggg!....don't like'm.



No kidding. Makes me all paranoid now when I bank fish. If anyone needs company next time they head out to Alum, shoot me an e-mail. Need to find fishing buddies. Hate fishing alone, can't learn nuthin.
[email protected]


----------



## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

i don't by it that they are no copper heads in ohio and i know for a fact that i have seen them in w.virginia before


----------



## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

There are copperheads, just not cottonmouths, or at least they are rare. I know my dad has killed a copperhead on his property


----------



## CatchFeesh (May 21, 2009)

got skunked up at howard rd tonight, first attempt there heard great things but no fish for us.


----------



## Ray-Ray (Oct 21, 2007)

Yes, copperheads are in Ohio. I am from WV and they are very common, plus Ohio was right across the river so I imagine they crossed the river at some point. 

Somebody e-mail me and let's go fish this weekend!

[email protected]


----------



## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

DelawareAngler said:


> definately stumbled upon a moccasin on delaware today. dont be too sure they arent poisonous!


The notion that water moccasins exist in Ohio is a misguided belief. There are no snakes in the water in Ohio that are poisonous. I would be willing to put money on it that the snake you saw was a common water snake. Here is a picture of the common water snake.









Here is a page talking about Cottonmouth Water Moccasins.


----------



## DelawareAngler (Mar 19, 2009)

I dont know i kind of dont believe anyone when they say there arent "ANY" of any type of anything. Its possible for anyone to let go a pet.


Hell a few years back some crazy nut let loose an alligator in the area i usually hunt.

If you go into the woods alone gentleman make sure you have an animal killer on you.
Ive even had a crazy **** approach me showing teeth.

Not to mention the big signs that the wildlife places have up of ohio snake and fish species.


----------



## Ray-Ray (Oct 21, 2007)

DelawareAngler said:


> I dont know i kind of dont believe anyone when they say there arent "ANY" of any type of anything. Its possible for anyone to let go a pet.
> 
> 
> Hell a few years back some crazy nut let loose an alligator in the area i usually hunt.
> ...


I have a Glock 40 but I was thinking of getting a high powered air pistol of some kind to keep around for snakes. Flame away, but I think I would feel better.


----------



## Capital outdoorsman (Mar 27, 2006)

at alum last night I think at one point I was surrounded by snakes. One even snapped at my jig as I reeled it past. I probably saw 10-15 different snakes.....or about 3 snakes swimming an individual medley around the cove. WHo knows.


----------



## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

DelawareAngler said:


> I dont know i kind of dont believe anyone when they say there arent "ANY" of any type of anything. Its possible for anyone to let go a pet.
> 
> 
> Hell a few years back some crazy nut let loose an alligator in the area i usually hunt.
> ...


 Well first of all I don't think you will find many folks keeping water moccasins as pets in the area. And even if they do let one go that is only one. There is a reason they don't exist in the area. The climate simply is not moderate enough for their existence. So they can not reproduce effectively. So I guess if someone were to say there is no such thing as "never" for water moccasins in Ohio because someone may let them go then I guess I can concede that. But I don't believe folks will be seeing any around because that one rare one that someone may have released will not even be a factor...unless Al Gore's Global Warming Theory comes to fruition.


----------



## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

Heres what I found on venemous snakes in Ohio:
There are dozens of species and sub-species of rattlesnakes in the Americas, but only two in Ohio: the eastern massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) and the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). These two, along with the northern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), are the only venomous snakes that naturally occur in the state. Both belong to the subfamily of snakes known as pit vipers. These snakes have heat-detecting organs called pits located below the eye and hollow fangs for delivering venom. The hemotoxic venom is primarily used as an agent to subdue prey and aid in its digestion -- small rodents being among the favorite meals.


Timber rattlesnakes are found over a large portion of the eastern United States, and historical records show that the species was once more widely distributed in Ohio. Today their range is probably limited to eight southern counties: Adams, Athens, Hocking, Jackson, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton. Even in this region of steep hills and sandstone outcroppings, their populations are often isolated and individuals are seldom seen. Timber rattlesnakes do live on The Nature Conservancys Edge of Appalachia Preserve in Adams County. Program Manager Pete Whan says that, while the local population is probably small, there have been several documented sightings on the property in recent years.


----------



## Welsh Dragon (Jun 18, 2008)

Those snakes are all over Alum. When I was a kid I was baptized there in one of the coves. As I was in the water one of those damn snakes swam right up to us. Talk about a bad sign when getting baptized.

Anyone ever see a fish hit one of them? I have seen the lures that imitate how they swim, but never thought to use them in Ohio.


----------

