# Beaver



## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

I took my kids fishing today at Alum Creek and had bad luck. First we took a long hike to find a spot just to find that no matter how far back we walked into the woods, the bank stayed a cliff the whole time. So we turned around and decided just to fish by the road. I only caught 2 small Crappie, but my youngest daughter (6) caught a two pound largemouth that just made her day. But what I am about to tell you about is by far the weirdest thing I have ever caught. I decided to walk around the bend and fish there to see how I did (this is where I caught my first Crappie of the day). Well I fished close to the bank by a fallen tree to see what was there. Well I dropped my minnow in the water and about 5 seconds later I saw a large stream of bubbles coming my way out the corner of my eye. It was running along the bank about 4 feet out (the water got deep fast here). It ran right for my minnow and took off. I was like wow I have one heck of a HUUUUUGE fish on my hands. Well as I reeled it in I was like hell yes, but as it got closer it really started to look funny. Then I saw the fur, thats right I said fur. As I got it back to shore I saw what I had caught. I had caught non other than a beaver. I just sat there and looked at it and thought to myself, now how am I going to get my hook back. Well it solved that problem for me. It broke my line and took off. I went back to my tackle and redid everything and went right back over there. I saw the beaver about 30 feet up shore from me (I stayed away from him for the rest of the night). Whats the moral of this story? If you see a large trail of bubbles coming your way and it is running along the bank, pull your minnow out of the water while you still have it to pull out.


P.S. I also caught a baby northern water snake. I let it bite me just to let the kids see. They got a kick out of it.


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## leckig (May 11, 2005)

Now this is a story! Lots of beavers on Alum. Did you catch the snake today as well?
greg


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## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

Yes I caught the snake yesterday as well. But I didn't catch it on a hook.I lifted a rock to put the rope that was tied to my minnow bucket under it and the snake was there. I have been into snakes sinse I was 11. I am 30 now. So I know alot about them and our native snakes. The baby snake was about 8"-9" long.


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## RWBlue (Feb 20, 2005)

I have fished around beaver at lake hope and deer creek. I have never had an issue.

Was I lucky or were you unlucky?


BTW, You are a brave man. I would never let a snake bite me.


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## dnm (May 14, 2005)

I would pass outn if I EVER got bit by a snake, baby or not!


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

Way back in the 60's when we were training for jungle war (Viet Nam) we were told there are only two snakes in the world. ---- #1 a poison snake and #2 a dead snake.!! To that theary I live by today!


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## dnm (May 14, 2005)

I like that theory Dale!


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## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

Man you guys are silly. I would love to see how you all would act if a snake got into the boat with you. Man I would die laughing. This snake wasn't poisonous, this is a picture of it http://www.greggofish.com/Northern_Water_Snake.jpg. I have been snake hunting for over a decade and I have only ran into one poisonous snake my whole life and I hunt for them. It was a Copperhead http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/images/snakes/copperhead_New_2.jpg. I was hunting for Ringneck snakes http://www.pitt.edu/~mcs2/herp/snake.pics/ringneck.jpg. Now don't get me wrong, I know I am lucky to have only seen one. I know we have them all over Ohio. But lucky for us, we only have three species in Ohio.


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## buckifan21 (Jun 1, 2005)

that story about the beaver is crazy!! 

I am originally from WV (moved here to go to Ohio State  ) it seemed like we always had copperheads in our driveway and around our house. the dogs would wake us up barking at them and we would have to go out and kill them with a shovel or somethin. have seen a few rattlers in my woods too, although they arent as common in the part of WV where i lived. never been bit, but have come close a few times

Orrin


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## bill_gfish (Apr 5, 2004)

snakes and beavers?

bill


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## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

There is a park close to where I live called Heron pond. I will be going fishing there today in the creek (Alum Creek). maybe I will do better today. Going to use minnows if the bait store near the park sells them (I am guessing they do). I hope not to see any beavers today.


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm into snakes also. I have had many as pets, including a 5-ft. black rat. That snake never tried to bite us once, but I had another smaller black rat that was mean. funny to see the difference in the same species. Those little snake bites don't hurt at all. I am looking for another black rat snake, just haven't been able to find one. I have found a ringneck once though. I had to look that one up in my snake since I was only 14 and still getting into snakes. pretty cool animals. I just wish people were smarter and didn't kill them all. Maybe I should start doing that with dogs, I don't like 'em at all. j/k sorta


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## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

If your on campus, maybe we can hook up sometime and go snake hunting together. I caught Black Rat snakes all the time as a kid. My favorite snake to catch around here is the Eastern Milk snake http://www.mcwetboy.com/articles/images/2snakes1.jpg. It gets to be about 3'-4' long. But you have to keep them seperated (they eat other snakes).


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## buckifan21 (Jun 1, 2005)

bassnpro, the only reason we kill the copperheads was b/c they were right beside our house... didnt want any of the younger cousins and kids gettin bit by them... we left all the other non-poisonous alone. and i never kill a copperhead when im hunting in the woods. also, we liked the black snakes cause they kept mice low, and helped the garden out and stuff...

Orrin


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## Chuck78 (Dec 25, 2004)

Rod&Reel said:


> There is a park close to where I live called Heron pond. I will be going fishing there today in the creek (Alum Creek). maybe I will do better today. Going to use minnows if the bait store near the park sells them (I am guessing they do). I hope not to see any beavers today.



Have you caught anything over there. I dont live too far from there and actually did some fishing there tonight. Caught a 6" crappie there. But that is all i have caught over there.


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## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

Chuck78 said:


> Have you caught anything over there. I dont live too far from there and actually did some fishing there tonight. Caught a 6" crappie there. But that is all i have caught over there.


I don't care for fishing the pond. I like to fish the creek. I went earlier today with my kids. I was the only one to catch anything. I caught a smallmouth (10"-12") on a roostertail. I was trying near the walk bridge that crosses the creek. Go under it and walk upstream a bit and there are a few trees in the water to fish around. But the only bait I had was worms. I went to the bait store (Fishermans Warehouse) on williams, but it is closed on sundays. So I let the kids use the worms and I use my roostertails. I think I am going to head up to Hoover this coming weekend. If you don't mind walking in the water, you can go further upstream around the bind to deeper water.


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## leckig (May 11, 2005)

Snake hunting - that sounds like fun! I'd love to join. I saw many snakes on Alum. I have no idea why some people can not stand still when they see a snake, they either kill it or scream and run away instead of observing this interesting creature!
greg


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## River Walker (Apr 7, 2004)

I totally understand that some people like and respect snakes.That said,any snake or God forbid spider I run across quickly receives the death penalty,because I don't like them,and although their existence may benefit the grand scheme of things,they serve no purpose to me,other than scaring the crap out of me.At least I confess to my sins.


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## dfoxfish (Apr 13, 2004)

i like snakes, too. new a guy in the army in california that caught and kept rattlesnakes, scorpions and tarantulas in his locker. he would sometimes milk the snakes. but on the other hand, i would break my own arm trying to kill a spider walking on it!


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## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

dfoxfish said:


> i like snakes, too. new a guy in the army in california that caught and kept rattlesnakes, scorpions and tarantulas in his locker. he would sometimes milk the snakes. but on the other hand, i would break my own arm trying to kill a spider walking on it!


lol I feel ya. I hate spiders also. You should see me walking in the woods when my face runs into a spiderweb. God I go nuts. I end up looking like the biggest fruitcake. My girl always bust out laughing when she is with me and I do it. I smack my face and everything. Now if I am walking in the woods and see one on a web or I turn over a rock looking for a snake and see one, I don't kill it. I just don't like the ones I don't see.


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## RWBlue (Feb 20, 2005)

Rod&Reel, IF you want to find a Rattle snake, or Copper head, let me know. I will take you to some private property in southern OH. My only request is that you take them with you.

BTW, I have some definite opinions on Mike Snakes. I had to kill a large 4 foot one when I was a kid. I was curled up on the path and would not move. Even when I poked it with a LONG stick. I want back to a friends house, got a shotgun, found ammo, walked back, and it was still there.

I also saw a snake in the water at OShaughnessy today. I didnt bother it. It didnt bother me. That is the way I like it.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Rod&Reel said:


> If your on campus, maybe we can hook up sometime and go snake hunting together. I caught Black Rat snakes all the time as a kid. My favorite snake to catch around here is the Eastern Milk snake http://www.mcwetboy.com/articles/images/2snakes1.jpg. It gets to be about 3'-4' long. But you have to keep them seperated (they eat other snakes).


 That is funny that you mention the milk snake. We have quite a few of them around my house...far more than my wife likes. Saturday afternoon I was out back cleaning some fish and she started screaming for me. Well there was about a 3' milk snake laying right in the middle of the garage floor. It did not bother me as I am a lot like you with snakes. I used to keep them as pets as a kid as well. Anyway I just picked him up and put him in a bucket and carried him out back and released him alive.


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## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

bkr43050 said:


> That is funny that you mention the milk snake. We have quite a few of them around my house...far more than my wife likes. Saturday afternoon I was out back cleaning some fish and she started screaming for me. Well there was about a 3' milk snake laying right in the middle of the garage floor. It did not bother me as I am a lot like you with snakes. I used to keep them as pets as a kid as well. Anyway I just picked him up and put him in a bucket and carried him out back and released him alive.


I can picture your girl screaming too lol. I am glade to see you released it alive. I aint jumping about, so don't get me wrong. But all you people that kill snakes, think of it like this. If we all killed snakes, we would wipe them out. By doing that, we would have your rodent population get out of control. Which it turn would kill us off fast. Here is why. If the rodents got out of cotrol not only would we compete for grains, but they would get into our mill and eat on our grains and therefore past diseases onto us. Kind of a scary story aint it. Just glade you didn't kill it. 


P.S. I never have gotten the whole saying "If it was a snake, it would have bitten you". When in the real world what would happen is the snake would run from you (in most cases).


P.S.S. I am really starting to like these forums alot. I can see that anytime I want somebody to go fishing (or snake hunting), I can just post here to get somebody to go with me, or me with them.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

If I wanted to get myself bitten by a snake it would have been very easy with this guy. Milk snakes will sure get your attention the way they coil and strike at you. Then they rattle, try to rattle that is, their tail at you like a rattlesnake. I rememeber the first one that I saw in the wild yars ago. I was pretty sure what I saw but with the attitude that snake had I was not about to take any chances.


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## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

Anybody that lives in or around Columbus that would like to snake hunting, just PM me and we can set something up.


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## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

RWBlue said:


> Rod&Reel, IF you want to find a Rattle snake, or Copper head, let me know. I will take you to some private property in southern OH. My only request is that you take them with you.
> 
> BTW, I have some definite opinions on Mike Snakes. I had to kill a large 4 foot one when I was a kid. I was curled up on the path and would not move. Even when I poked it with a LONG stick. I want back to a friends house, got a shotgun, found ammo, walked back, and it was still there.
> 
> I also saw a snake in the water at OShaughnessy today. I didnt bother it. It didnt bother me. That is the way I like it.


Thanks, but I don't go hunting for poisonous snakes. And are you sure the milksnake was alive on the trail?


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## saugeyeslayer (Jul 6, 2004)

i also enjoy seeing snakes. it always makes me smile when i lift up a rock and see a little baby down there. have you ever caught a black racer? thats the second coolest kind i have caught next to the lake erie water-snake(kellys island)...ive been hunting/finding snakes scince i could say the word..lol now im 14 and still enjoy them very much.


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## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

saugeyeslayer said:


> i also enjoy seeing snakes. it always makes me smile when i lift up a rock and see a little baby down there. have you ever caught a black racer? thats the second coolest kind i have caught next to the lake erie water-snake(kellys island)...ive been hunting/finding snakes scince i could say the word..lol now im 14 and still enjoy them very much.


You make me feel old. I have been hunting snakes sinse before you was born. And yes I have caught a few Black Racers (black snakes). Next to the Northern Water snake, that is the most aggressive snake I have even ran into. I remember when I lived in Whitehall as a kid (about your age), I was out snake hunting one day and I ran into a 5' Black Racer. I must have ran after this damn thing around a thorn bush for about a half hour before I caught it. Want to see how aggressive they are? Just keep one as a pet for a week and you will want to let it go. My next snakes will be Dumeril's Ground Boas. The get 6'-8' long and their enviroment is being destroyed at a fast pace and I want to get a pair to breed to help the species not die off. And I want to get them before they are put on the endangered specie list and I can no longer buy one. The cheapest I have seen them so far is $250 each. Thats not to bad a price. I have seen some snakes sell for as much as $25,000 (not Dumeril's ground boa though). But seriously, if anybody wants to go snake hunting, then PM me or email me.


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