NorCal Kayak Anglers

Kayak Fishing Zone => Safety First => Topic started by: Yak C-137 on April 23, 2017, 08:55:23 PM

Title: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: Yak C-137 on April 23, 2017, 08:55:23 PM
Moral of this story: If you see a snake in the water, give it a wide berth.

I took the kayak up to Lake Amador this weekend to troll for trout and had a scary run-in with a rattle snake.
I was headed from the main body of the lake into one of the coves and saw a small snake (~14") swimming and thought I'd do a paddle-by to see what kind of snake it was. I was actually hoping I'd get to see a huge largemouth come up and inhale the thing from below, but instead I found out quickly how sensitive a snake's senses are . . . especially when it  still has a long ways to swim & probably a bit panicked.

I got within 10-yards of it and it popped its head up, looked straight towards me & the kayak, took a 90° turn right at me and sped up. As soon as I saw the brown markings,dark tail, and wide head I picked up the pace to outrun it, but not 6 strokes in, I got hung up. I turned away from the snake's direction, loosened the drag, and started to head back to my lure. I immediately started to search for the snake and saw it pop it's head up again and do a 180° turn and head back in my direction. I paddled hard to the snag and gut unstuck pretty quick, but I lost sight of the snake. I was sure I had outrun it but I still spent the next 30-minutes nervously looking into the tank well behind me and under me seat.   :pale:
I'm not sure what I would have done if it had made it on board. I'd jump off, of course, but what do you do then? Swim the kayak to shore from near mid lake? Flag a boat down to tow the kayak in? I had my paddle ready to whack it, but what happens if I miss?

Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: Eddie on April 23, 2017, 08:59:26 PM
Dang...nutty...
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: crash on April 23, 2017, 09:01:54 PM
Net, lip grippers, or gaff?

14" is a baby, the bite could turn out all sorts of bad.  That's nuts.
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: Badger on April 23, 2017, 09:16:31 PM
 This talk reminds me of water moccasins a.k.a. cottonmouth in Oklahoma with the canoe all bad !good thing Paddle was made of wood and I didn't destroy a Werner-like the one I just bought😳 Once the snakes head reaches the edge of your boat.   it's in
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: LinesideBountyHunter on April 23, 2017, 09:38:20 PM
Sorry but I find that story hilarious... Maybe carry a 357. with snake shot lol
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: Mojo Jojo on April 23, 2017, 09:58:09 PM
Sorry but I find that story hilarious... Maybe carry a 357. with snake shot lol
It's always funny..... when it's someone else  :smt044
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: Cabeza de Martillo on April 23, 2017, 10:15:37 PM
Glad you are ok but this is my perspective.


Rule Number One: you need to remain calm.

Sounds like you panicked from the start.

You could've flicked him away with your paddle and calmly retrieved your lure or even cut your line. Then paddled away instead of freaking out.

If you really felt threaten you could've clobbered him good with your paddle.

Jumping into the water would've complicated things.

Hopefully you learned a valuable lesson.
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: SlackedTide on April 23, 2017, 10:18:42 PM
Glad you are ok but this is my perspective.


Rule Number One: you need to remain calm.

Sounds like you panicked from the start.

You could've flicked him away with your paddle and calmly retrieved your lure or even cut your line. Then paddled away instead of freaking out.

If you really felt threaten you could've clobbered him good with your paddle.

Jumping into the water would've complicated things.

Hopefully you learned a valuable lesson.
this was too funny, glad your okay, please paddle wisely...
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: Yak C-137 on April 24, 2017, 08:53:58 AM
Glad you are ok but this is my perspective.


Rule Number One: you need to remain calm.

Sounds like you panicked from the start.

You could've flicked him away with your paddle and calmly retrieved your lure or even cut your line. Then paddled away instead of freaking out.

If you really felt threaten you could've clobbered him good with your paddle.

Jumping into the water would've complicated things.

Hopefully you learned a valuable lesson.
Thankfully, I didn't reach panic level. If I had, I would have snapped my line making a beeline outta there. I was concerned, but apparently not enough to lose a lure.
Thinking about it afterwards is when all the scenarios & questions came to me.
I guess if it had got close enough I could have just netted it and wrapped it up (with handle extended) and drowned the damn thing. Not ideal, but a solution to the problem.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: rockfish on April 24, 2017, 09:37:05 AM
does this apply?
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: mako1 on April 24, 2017, 09:51:42 AM
I heard a snake on the water story in which a guy was in a float tube and a snake crawled in with him while on the water. It was a rattler, which understandably spooked the guy, but it was calm. The guy waited it out and it went back in the water after a bit.
I don't ever want to experience that.
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: & on April 24, 2017, 10:01:36 AM
Quote
I'd jump off, of course

Jump off??  :smt044
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: Mienboy on April 24, 2017, 03:17:22 PM
Thanks for the heads up and glad that your ok
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: Eric B on April 24, 2017, 03:43:12 PM
I've seen Rosylen when a pincher bug crawls out of her seat on the water.  I can't imagine what she'd do with a snake on board.
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: crazyfisher on April 24, 2017, 03:54:42 PM
should make a movie called SNAKES ON KAYAK ;) maybe we can get Samuel L Jackson to star in it lol
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: alien on April 24, 2017, 04:16:17 PM
I'm glad you lived to tell us about it! :smt044 :smt044 :smt044

ps: im glad your ok!
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: Yak C-137 on May 11, 2017, 08:27:22 AM
Seems I didn't think outside the box...Guy in same situation as I was, stuns the snake then uses it to catch a 10# LMB...
http://www.onlineread.org/10-pound-largemouth-bass-caught-on-live-rattler-in-texas/?utm_campaign=Fishing+2&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_source=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgroups%2F1521769511413945

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: & on May 11, 2017, 10:24:05 AM
BS story.  had alllll these crazy pictures of the snake, and not one picture of how the snake is rigged up to the jig?  surrrrrre   :jerk: :jerk: :jerk:
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: califanglin on June 14, 2017, 06:40:12 PM
should make a movie called SNAKES ON KAYAK ;) maybe we can get Samuel L Jackson to star in it lol
Snakes On A Boat LOL!
Title: Re: Stay away from swimming snakes . . .
Post by: yakyakyak on June 14, 2017, 09:42:33 PM
should make a movie called SNAKES ON KAYAK ;) maybe we can get Samuel L Jackson to star in it lol
Snakes On A Boat LOL!

Snakes On A Cruise Ship.  The main story line is the ship headed toward Sharknado ... then BAM .... Big Snakes vs Sharks ...