The Moccasin Chronicles

[Dances With Smallies]

The other day, I was starting to get cabin fever and wanted to get out to chase some river smallies.  I was reflecting about my last trip in the fall and the memorable water moccasin encounters I had.  I thought I'd throw the story out on here for fun and get your thoughts.   But first, I little backstory...

When I was nine, or maybe ten, I got to go on my first Ozark river smallie adventure with my dad and one of his buddies from high school.  We fished for three days - two on the Gasconade and one on the Osage Fork.  On the Osage Fork, it seemed like there were moccasins on almost every log (admittedly, my memory is probably inflating the numbers, but my dad and I still seem to remember it the same way).  These were fat, dark, big headed, things with glands and my dad and his friend were positive they were moccasins (they both grew up floating Ozark rivers routinely).  My dad and I still talk about it to this day because neither of us has seen anything like that since.  It was late summer  and very hot, and the snakes never bothered us.  They just hung out and we left each other alone.  After that, I was a little scared of snakes and at the same time very fascinated.  I grew up in Iowa so obviously never saw moccasins up there.

Over the next 20 years, I fished probably a dozen Ozark rivers in MO, AR, and OK (and many trips on just the Current, alone) and don't recall seeing a confirmed moccasin.  That isn't to say there wasn't any, I just figured if I had a doubt the odds were water snake (however, I left them alone as if they were moccasins).  Last summer, I had the opportunity to fish like crazy and went on most weekends from early June through the end of September.  I saw three or four confirmed moccasins in OK while fishing root balls.  Usually, I would see them as they sneaked out the back end to get away from me.

In late September, a buddy and I did a weekend float on Kings River. It was upper 90s-100 degrees all weekend.  We would get up and on the water as soon as we could see (well before official sunrise).  On both mornings we saw several moccasins.  We counted seven that we confirmed (if we had a reasonable doubt we assumed water snake).  This is the part that spooked us (both Iowa boys):  On four occasions, we were paddling through an eddy when a snake would swim across probably 20-50 yards out in front of us.  The snake seemed to then feel threatened by our presence so it would stop, stand up in the water, and "gape" at us revealing the cotton mouth.  On all four occasions, we immediately started quietly back paddling to give the snake plently of space.  Each time, the snake just stayed there frozen and gaping at us for what seemed like 30-60 seconds and then would go on about its business and slither up into the woods.  Once the sun came up and it got hot, we wouldn't see many snakes the rest of the day.

When we got to the take out on Sunday, our shuttle driver was a little surprised that we saw that many because he did the same float earlier in the week and saw none.  However, he said a guy who had taken out the day before us had seen 12 and supposedly had to beat some of them back with a paddle because they were coming after him.  From our experience, it almost seems that maybe he was floating toward them and they were frozen but it looked like they were coming at him - heck if I know, I wasn't there.  I know the last one I saw was in current and if I hadn't been alert I would have floated right into him.  

Anyway, it was pretty crazy but definitely interesting to see.  My friend and I wondered if we were seeing them because:

- they hunt at night and we caught them as they were finishing up before going inactive for the day

- they were gorging for winter

- it's just a snaky river

- it's just a coincidence

- some or all of the above

Just thought I'd share.  Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your views), no snakes were harmed during these events, except maybe for the ones that apparently got clubbed by the other guy.

 

[Al Agnew]

I've fished just about every Missouri Ozark river, and I KNOW how to identify cottonmouths (that's supposedly the correct common name).  I have seen them infrequently, and on many rivers that I've fished a lot I've never seen one.  I've seen them on the St. Francis, the upper Gasconade, the Big Piney, and the Jacks Fork.  Never on any stream in the Meramec river system, which I've floated and fished more than any of the other rivers.  Of the streams I've seen them on, the upper Jacks Fork has been by far the one where they are the most numerous.  I seldom have gone a day on the Jacks Fork in mid to late summer without seeing from one to a half dozen or more.

And yes, they most definitely DO swim up to your boat.  They are not "going after you".  They appear to be curious, and they have no real fear of humans, so when they see something floating down the river they swim up to it to investigate.  I've had to slap the water in front of them with the paddle on several occasions to discourage them from possibly attempting to climb up into the canoe.  I also nearly stepped on one after dark on a gravel bar where I was camped for the night.  

They are pretty unmistakable if you have even a slight idea of what to look for.  No watersnake looks much like them, although there is one native watersnake that has a somewhat triangular head--but even that one is more slender and the head more slender than a cottonmouth.  Nearly every one I've seen on Ozark streams has been about 2-3 feet long, and one that size will be at least twice as thick through the body as any watersnake.  And of course, cottonmouths usually swim with their whole bodies floating on the surface, while watersnakes usually swim with just their heads out of the water.

I'm fascinated by them.  Really cool snakes, and they add just that little spice of wildness and potential danger to a float trip on a stream like the Jacks Fork.

[fishinwrench]

Only one of the rivers I fish regularly, the Little Niangua, has a substantial population of them, and on certain days they are really out and on the move.   The river doesn't get alot of traffic but it is served by 2 outfitters so it gets "some".  It kinda surprises me that I've never heard of anyone getting bit there because they truly are pretty thick, and I have messed with them enough to know that they aren't the type to run away from you.  They'll stand their ground even if you get rough with them.  I'm always afraid that my dog is going to get nailed, but so far he hasn't. (Knock on wood)

 

[MOPanfisher]

Little Niangua is a snakey place for sure.  Had a friend declare it as a 2 person creek.  One to fish and one to carry a 20 ga. shotgun and pocket full of shells to cover the guy fishing.  I seldom see even as many water snakes as I used to, possibly because I am not out as much anymore.  Actual moccasins are rare for me, I only see them in the little off the beaten path and seldom fished creeks.  The ones I usually see are very dark, usually thick, and when you get close you can see that ridge on their snout that reminds me of a flat top haircut.  Some are curious and want to see who is in their creek, others just want to be alone.  I am fine with leaving them alone.  However if you are in a canoe you want to know how scared your buddy is of snakes before yiu go floating up to look at one, some guys get a but psychotic about snakes and will flip a canoe instead of simply paddling away.

[trythisonemv]

The niangua above Bennett is pretty thick with them as well. Especially around moon valley . I have seen ten in a day in a half mile stretch up there. Usually late summer or early fall.

[fishinwrench]

34 minutes ago, trythisonemv said:

The niangua above Bennett is pretty thick with them as well. Especially around moon valley . I have seen ten in a day in a half mile stretch up there. Usually late summer or early fall.

Now that's crazy.  I have spent alot of time between Moon Valley and Riverfront, and have never seen one.

They are probably everywhere equally, you just have to be at the right place/right time to see one.  The most I've ever seen in a single day, where I could say for sure that I wasn't seeing the same snake twice, was 4, and that was on a float that was less than 5 miles.  Those 4 may have all been brothers/sisters. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

Sounds like a protect my honey hole thread

[fishinwrench]

14 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Sounds like a protect my honey hole thread

If the presence of a snake will keep you out of a fishing hole then you should lose your rods and your man card. ?

[snagged in outlet 3]

Not gonna keep me out cupcake 

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

Just makin my list of new spots to try.