Hey Folks,
Just a heads up to my warmwater
bretheren, the cotton mouths are out and
about and these warm sunny afternoons will
find them sunning on the same branches that
your flies tend to favor. Do be careful.
This little scrub tree had 4 good sized
moccasins taking the sun on Sunday afternoon. 
Warm regards, Jim
[This message has been edited by Jim Hatch (edited 18 April 2005).]
Oh yippee! That’s enough to make my skin crawl. To heck with a fly – any fly caught in that tree is a gonner for me. Thanks for the heads up though.
This is the season for snakes to come out. My neighbor found a little one in his yard yesterday. Also when the water levels are higher than normal the snakes get flooded out of their holes and you see them swiming around and finding new homes.
Maybe it is also a good time to use a fly that is long and looks like a snake swimming for those hungry bass.
Jim
That pic brings back fond or not so fond memories of fishing in Central TX. Pesky little devils would try and climb in the boat with you, or worse drop down from an over hanging tree in the boat. Made for some interesting times. It’s nice not to have that problem anymore.
Dave
I live on a small lake and walked out my front door and stepped on a small snake and rolled him several times nearly losing my balance in the process. At first I thought, what the heck, how did a banana peel get there! Scared the you know what out of me. Later that same day fished an urban lake and saw a decent-sized snake with a small crappie about 1/4 of the way swallowed. Look out for those flat rocks, trail paths and low hanging branches this time of year. Most are harmless, but they don’t wear any warning labels.
Hey Jim - what’s those shellcrackers doing over Monck’s Corner way? Have a hankerin’ to come on down that way!
Dale
Hey Dale,
Weds they were starting to turn on when
a cold front moved in. As of yesterday they
still had lockjaw. We have 7 days of 80 degree weather forecast, started today. I
think before the weekend it will be some
pretty good fishing.G Friday is forecast
for clouds and showers. I’m gonna get me
some on Friday.G Warm regards Jim
Gee, Jim, that’s all I need. Now you’ve gone and done it. Now I’ll run into a bunch of those critters just because you posted that! 
Stay sharp out there on the water, folks!
Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL
“Flip a fly”
[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 18 April 2005).]
Now I see why I like the North Country!!!..thanks did see a garder snake while at a park this past weekend,The Fiance walked right by it within inches and never seen it by the footpath.Was amazed when I pointed it out to her,Her reaction was to call the kids over for a peek!!
“Wish ya great fishing”
I’ve delt with a cotton mouth already this year, at a farm pond, but all those 5lb bass hitting a hula popper made it all worth while.
Hey Mike,
What are you doing out fishing when the Mrs. is about to have a baby?
Regards,
I fly fish the salt because the voices in my head tell me to…
[This message has been edited by caibill (edited 19 April 2005).]
-40 F not only keeps out the rif-raf but more importantly it keeps out the snakes. There are some advantages to living in North Dakota!
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Arial”>quote:</font><HR>Hey Mike,
What are you doing out fishing when the Mrs. is about to have a baby? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hey Bill!
A fellas got to have his priorities straight! Just kidding, she doesn’t mind the farm ponds since I stay just a couple of miles from the house and a phone call away. I think most of my fishing this summer will be on local farm ponds within yellin’ distance (we have two in our “back yard”). Although I am working at a fly shop this summer so I might get a little river fishing in, but the baby comes first. When are you headed this way?
Mike B
What do you call a tree with a bunch of peat moss and four water moccasins?
A good place to testfire a 12 gauge.
Rick – great to see there are some advantages to upper Dakota! Your buddy, Tim, dang near ruint my life the other night. He needs sat on. Or a tree full of snakes! JGW
I’m afraid those are not cottonmouths, they are actually harmless watersnakes of the genus Nerodia.
Thanks Snakeman,
What would that be in English?G I’ve
been told they were banded water snakes.
Don’t want to give any of Gods kritters a
bad rap. I leave them all as I find them
unless they try to occupy my personal space.
Then we got problems.G Thanks. Warm
regards, Jim
they are actually harmless watersnakes
Harmless as long as you don’t have a heart condition or turn over the boat when one tries to climb in.
I think they are banded water snakes, very easily mistaken for a cottonmouth. We could use more people like you in the world Mr. Hatch. Unfortunately some people actually set out to kill snakes and most end up being harmless in the end.
Hey Snakeman,
You make a good point. If we needlessly start eliminating any species,
we will undoubtedly mess up the balance of
nature and ultimatly pay the price. Warm
regards, Jim