Crawfish Trapping

[jdmidwest]

Probably so, I have seen them fall off bluff right into fishing boats.

[vernon]

41 minutes ago, MOPanfisher said:

Ya big sissy Vernon, I like to give them rides so they don't get tired swimming.

STOPPPPPPPP! No pictures!!

Somebody needs to delete this!!

In the immortal words of Judge Smails, "You sir, are no gentleman!"

[vernon]

1 minute ago, jdmidwest said:

Probably so, I have seen them fall off bluff right into fishing boats.

Why I don't fish bluffs!  Well, at least not any more!

[bobby b.]

17 minutes ago, Hammer time said:

Wow, that's a big one! What species?

Northern water snake - harmless.  Several summers ago I feel asleep on a raft near our dock - woke up with one of these laying on my leg - although I knew it was harmless, I darn near s___ myself.

[jdmidwest]

Nothing runs girls out of a canoe like a snake falling off a limb into the middle of the boat.

Of course, I did see a Cottonmouth fall into one on the Spring River, it was wise when they bailed out.

[MOPanfisher]

Sorry Vernon, I admit I promptly Googled "Snake in boat" photos for you.  I did have a big ole black snake crawl up onto the back deck of my old boat, about 4 feet from my wife.  I was very calm in pointing it out to her, she said Cool.  I moved close to the bank and he crawled off and swam on.  I promise no more snake picssssssssss.

[Smalls21]

i was ok talking about snakes, but showing pictures is just too much!

[vernon]

12 hours ago, MOPanfisher said:

Sorry Vernon, I admit I promptly Googled "Snake in boat" photos for you.  I did have a big ole black snake crawl up onto the back deck of my old boat, about 4 feet from my wife.  I was very calm in pointing it out to her, she said Cool.  I moved close to the bank and he crawled off and swam on.  I promise no more snake picssssssssss.

While I've always been terrified of them, the deal that tore the sheet forever was farm pond fishing with good buddy back when I was in my early twenties.  My friend was getting started learning the guide business in Montana and later Alaska and, like his mentors, always carried a .44 magnum in case of a bear attack.  Well, not in northeast Kansas I guess but it had become a sort of habit whenever he was in the "bush".  Or "wild" or whatever you wanna call it.  Outdoors would probably suffice I suppose.

Anyways, we're in this rickey old wooden john boat at his uncles pond when he got his lure stuck in a bush on the bank.  As I eased the boat up to the bush so he could retrieve said lure, a snake fell out of the bush and into the boat.  While I'm trying to decide between pooping and peeing and in what order, my pal pulls out the .44 and starts blasting.  Well, he hits the snake probably four out of the six shots which I guess is good since it's a much smaller target than a bear but now there's a washtub size hole in the bottom of the boat and, along with shredded snake remnants, we're going down like a sack of rocks without the sack.

As the pond is surrounded by woods and brush that would rival Cambodia, we now have to swim/wade back across to the only area of egress - a distance of probably only about 100 yds. but under the circumstances seemed like the English Channel in foul weather.  Now aptly terrorized and completely and totally irrational with fear of more snakes (the pond was virtually infested with lily pads and moss) we make it back across to the gate area only to find - you guessed it - a friggin' rattlesnake sunning itself in the middle of the trail!  

Not to be denied, my now hero friend unholsters his waterlogged cannon, reloads and starts firing away at the rattler.  By this time, I'm a complete veg and am undeniably scarred  for life.  So anyways, he misses the snake this time but it takes off into the underbrush and we're able to scamper (as in sprint) back up the trail to the truck where we collapse soaking wet and totally exhausted.  We both felt as though we had just escaped a bombing raid over Berlin in 44' and were equal parts proud and relieved to have survived an otherwise almost certain demise.

Now I'm happy to report that we both recovered to the degree of being able to carry on somewhat socially adjusted and reasonably productive lives but I NEVER returned to his uncle's pond even though it was one of the best dang fishin' holes ever.  AND, if I'm now surfing channels on the TV and even happen upon so much as a commercial with a snake in it I am instantly pounding the remote to skip to the next channel and if the serpent is nefarious looking enough I'm also standing on my "man" chair just in case the sucker tries to get out of the TV!

Moral of the story?  Call me Nancy if you must but no more slims for me!

[snagged in outlet 3]

Poor little girl

[MOPanfisher]

Sounds like you should be scared of .44 mags.  I understand I have friends and family who are violently opposed to anything snake.  Will raise their feet from the floorboard of the car as it runs over a snake sort of opposed.  An I actually had a county deputy threaten to shoot me one time when I walked toward him with a black snake wrapped around my arm, since his hard was on his pistol and from the tone of his voice I didn't doubt his resolve and went to turn the snake loose.  Good Times.