Snake

[Tony300wby]

I was fishing the Lehigh River and came across this guy. I know nothing about snakes, is it a copperhead?

Thank you, Tony

 

[Smike]

That would be a northern water snake. Non poisonous. They look very similar to copperheads, but the head is smaller and unlike copperheads they love to get wet.

The patterns are also slightly different, but hard to tell unless you have seen a lot of each.

That boy sure does look fat.

 

[Fishidiot]

Smike is correct.

 

[Smike]

The real question is, how was the fishing? :-D

 

[fadeaway263]

Yes it is a water snake and when I fished the Octarara yesterday I was on the look out as in my opinion that is the "snakeist" stream I fish.

 

[Raven456]

If you fish Pickering, you'll see them all over as well. There's a certain large boulder there where they like to sun in numbers.

 

[djs12354]

Raven456 wrote:
If you fish Pickering, you'll see them all over as well. There's a certain large boulder there where they like to sun in numbers.

You'll know if I've seen a snake......Just look for the smoke trail behind me!!!!

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

Water snakes in opinion our very aggressive. Harmless but aggressive.

 

[Swattie87]

Yep, Northern Water. Commonly mistaken for a Copperhead though. While not poisonous, the Northern Water Snake is much meaner and more aggressive than a Copperhead IMO.

 

[flyguyfishing]

the easiest way to tell the difference between water snake and copperhead....

anger the snake.

pick it up.

let it strike you.

Then, if it kinda hurts a little then goeas away it was a water snake. If it hurts like heck for a long time, swells, and really hurts, it is a copperhead.

But remember, the easiest way is not always the best way.

tight lines/

 

[afishinado]

flyguyfishing wrote:
the easiest way to tell the difference between water snake and copperhead....

anger the snake.

pick it up.

let it strike you.

Then, if it kinda hurts a little then goeas away it was a water snake. If it hurts like heck for a long time, swells, and really hurts, it is a copperhead.

But remember, the easiest way is not always the best way.

tight lines/

:-o

I'd rather look at a pic of each one to ID

 

[teacreekfreak]

haha flyguyfishing's advice is the only way to say for sure, good stuff!!

one other point, snakes are not poisonous.....venomous, yes, but not poisonous, venom secreted through bite or sting (snake, spider etc..), poison is secreted through skin of animals (poison dart frog)

 

[sniperfreak223]

Northern water snakes tend to be darker than copperheads, often with olive tones to their coloration, and the old idea of looking at the head still works, as water snakes are colubrids,they have a smaller head than the copperhead, a pit viper, due to the lack of venom glands. here are a few pics for comparison...copperhead on the bottom, water snake on the top.

 

[steve2u42]

I was fishing the Little Lehigh yesterday too and went to climb out of the stream at one spot just above the Hatchery and as i was headed to shore one slide into the water. i changed direction and went out elsewhere. I don't care what kind of snake, i just go in opposite direction.
Fishing was good. Went with Delta_dog and we did catch some fish. Not as many as i would of liked but it was a relaxing fun day. I'm pretty sure this place gets fished pretty heavily.
Hope to see some of you next saturday.

 

[Chaz]

Nice pics of snakes.