# Snake Lunch



## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Almost got out fished by this water Hunter.


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## bank runner (May 23, 2011)

Great encounter and pics!!!!!!!!!


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Talk about biting off more than you can chew, that's a mouthful.
Cool pics, Mother nature is truly amazing.
Good luck and Good Fishing !


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## SConner (Mar 3, 2007)

Awesome pictures, I will never understand how snakes swallow something that size. It has to hurt.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

garhtr said:


> Talk about biting off more than you can chew, that's a mouthful.
> !


The snake swallowed it down with ease.

After it's jaw set back the fish was in it's throat for processing. The fish made the throat fan out due to it's shape and it looked like a cobra. Tried to get a pic but by then the snake had enough of my presence and left.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

bank runner said:


> Great encounter and pics!!!!!!!!!



Thanks, it is a neat thing to witness. They are great at fishing.

Would be even cooler to see them make the catch underwater.


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## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

Smh. Hasn't he ever heard of catch and release?


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

SMB... thats just plain the best pic of this year...


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## DLarrick (May 31, 2011)

awesome pic SMB. Its cool when things other than the fish are the highlight of the trip.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

What kind of snake and how long?


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## Flannel_Carp (Apr 7, 2014)

Very cool pictures man!


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Thanks for shareing!! That's cool stuff!


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Snakecharmer said:


> What kind of snake and how long?


Common water snake - this one was a nice size - not a giant but about 3-4 ft in length. I've seen way bigger. Once saw a giant one on the bank choking on a huge catfish. 

Cool Reference Tool: Ohio Reptile Field Guide
https://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/portals/wildlife/pdfs/publications/id guides/pub354_Reptiles-opt.pdf


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## PolkRunKid (Aug 25, 2015)

Darn cool.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

SMBHooker said:


> Common water snake - this one was a nice size - not a giant but about 3-4 ft in length. I've seen way bigger. Once saw a giant one on the bank choking on a huge catfish.
> 
> Cool Reference Tool: Ohio Reptile Field Guide
> https://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/portals/wildlife/pdfs/publications/id guides/pub354_Reptiles-opt.pdf


Thanks.....Most of the snakes I've seen in water seem to be black...But I don't look too long...


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## thedudeabides (Apr 13, 2009)

Nice pics. I'm sure he rested nicely after that meal.


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## FishermanMike (Nov 28, 2012)

Woah! I imagine that'll keep it fed for a month...


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## fromOHinMD (Jul 11, 2014)

That is an awesome pic. Thanks for sharing because there is no damn way I'd have got close enough to take it. Completely irrational but I DO NOT do snakes. Horripilating just thinking about it...


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## tked1950 (Mar 20, 2008)

My wife and I were bluegill fishing last year in East Harbor and the snakes wouldn't leave us alone. I finally realized that they smelled the fish in our basket that was hanging over the side of the boat.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

Cool pics!


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## ChrisDave (Sep 21, 2014)

Has anyone ever been bit by one of these? Are they dangerous? My GF is deathly afraid of them and many trips have been cut short because of them.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

ChrisDave said:


> Has anyone ever been bit by one of these? Are they dangerous? My GF is deathly afraid of them and many trips have been cut short because of them.


Unnecessary - I understand the fear. But they are not venomous. They will flee from u most situations. If u get bit it will hurt they got teeth but it certainly is no cause to panic. 

Best defense against them is to ignore them. Be the cool head of the pair of ya if she's scared. Steer clear and there should never be an issue. 

I've caught a ton of them growing up. They don't like to be held - that's when they get aggressive. If u can avoid picking a one up ( not hard to avoid) you and snake can go about ur business uninterrupted.


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## Putty (Jul 22, 2013)

Cool pics, but damn I hate snakes.


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## Softshellcrab (Aug 31, 2016)

Same here...


fromOHinMD said:


> That is an awesome pic. Thanks for sharing because there is no damn way I'd have got close enough to take it. Completely irrational but I DO NOT do snakes. Horripilating just thinking about it...


.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Smell is their best defense  they sure do stink when they get mad, almost as bad as a skunk.
I don't know anyone who has ever been bitten by a water-snake.
Good luck and Fishing


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## Dly (Oct 25, 2016)

SMBHooker said:


> Almost got out fished by this water Hunter.
> Came across one of these snakes 2 years ago sunning on a rock, he was very aggressive, could give a nasty bite I guess


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

tked1950 said:


> My wife and I were bluegill fishing last year in East Harbor and the snakes wouldn't leave us alone. I finally realized that they smelled the fish in our basket that was hanging over the side of the boat.


There was a dirty jobs episode done on lake Erie and the water snakes.... some areas up there they are very thick. 
Lol I'm always very cautious when pulling up a stringer or fish basket. Usually always have a snake hanging around my basket if I'm on the bank.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

garhtr said:


> Smell is their best defense  they sure do stink when they get mad, almost as bad as a skunk.
> I don't know anyone who has ever been bitten by a water-snake.
> Good luck and Fishing


I was fishing the LMR about 6 years ago with my youngest son during a warm summer day and we were wet wading in hip deep water. I was in the middle of a back cast when I felt this heaving stinging on my right side and as I looked down to see what it was, there was a common water snake latched onto me like a lamprey. I grabbed it and threw it which scared the life out of my son- he detests snakes. I think casting motions startled it, I heard that common water snakes are aggressive and I can surely attest to that. My son still talks about that every time we go fishing together to the LMR, he will not get in the water unless he has waders on to protect him from a bite.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Great ! Now I'll be jumping around like pop corn every time something touches my leg  Do those things come out at night 
Good luck and Good Fishing !


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## ChrisDave (Sep 21, 2014)

Yep, Dirty Jobs, Season 2: Episode 21. "Snake Researcher".... Thanks for the thoughts.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

THIS! Temperamental things they are!


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## Big Bears BBQ (Apr 21, 2015)

What area do these snakes hang out at ????


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## missionfishin (Sep 21, 2011)

One time fishing Mohican river I was reeling in a small creek chub, when I noticed a water snake coming downriver towards me. I kind of swung the creek chub his way and sure enough he pounced on it. Ended up reeling the fish and the snake in together. Used pliers to take hook out of the fish and let the snake finish his dinner. The wife was pretty grossed out. lol


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## RiparianRanger (Nov 18, 2015)

garhtr said:


> Great ! Now I'll be jumping around like pop corn every time something touches my leg  *Do those things come out at night*
> Good luck and Good Fishing !


Yes, that's been my experience. Not to say I don't see them during the day but I tend to encounter them more frequently at night/evening. Luckily I've not come across one quite as large as the pic above. I agree if you leave them alone they should leave you alone. However when wet wading I don't like any wild life to brush up against uncovered legs and certainly not a 4 ft long serpent.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Found these ?raptors? in the white-water hunting!











Made me think of this scene in Jurassic Park.


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## FishermanMike (Nov 28, 2012)

That is a great picture!!


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## yak-cat (Oct 21, 2013)

Yes very cool picture 
That scene would be awesome to see let alone getting a good clear picture of it 
Good job man!


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## RiparianRanger (Nov 18, 2015)

Welp. Won't find me wet wading anymore


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

round pupils no venom glands so all is good........as long as they don't decide to take a chunk out of your leg!


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## Aaron2012 (Mar 26, 2014)

That's one of the best pics I have seen on here in a long time.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

They sure aren't afraid to tackle a large meal.
Good luck and Good Fishing !


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## KL1100 (Mar 21, 2015)

Good pics Johnny, can see all your pics but no others


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

just a sweet frickin' pic man, love it!


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## Cat Mangler (Mar 25, 2012)

SMBHooker said:


> Found these ?raptors? in the white-water hunting!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That is one of the best snake pictures I've seen man! I'd be trying to submit that to some wildlife mags like Nat Geo!


flyman01 said:


> round pupils no venom glands so all is good........as long as they don't decide to take a chunk out of your leg!


Lol, snakes don't take chunks, their teeth are like hypodermic needles. They'll make ya bleed a lot though.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

KL1100 said:


> Good pics Johnny, can see all your pics but no others


Here's one
.zee it


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Saugeye Tom said:


> Here's one
> .zee it
> View attachment 243694


 I don't see the Snake but I think I see Waldo 
Good luck and Good Fishing !


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