warning to all fishing floyds fork

I have been fishing Floyds Fork for almost 15 years and normaly go to the Seatonville Rd/Broadrun Rd areas. I have seen and have had close encounters with both Conntonmouths and Copperheads. I dont see as many Cottonmouths but they do seem to show up from time to time. I can tell you for certain they are there because I was literaly face to face with one. I had my lure hung up on a down tree and when I went to retrieve it, i was right infront of a limb and to my supprise (less than 2 feet from my face) there was a cottonmouth laying on the end of the limb. I was within striking distance, but I tried not to panic and slowly backed away. Thats not the only time I have seen them and I have also seen them at fishermans park. So consider yourself warned and be careful.

I volunteered at the herpaquarium for about 7 years and have studied reptiles\amphibians for a long time now and this type of issue seemed to be one of the more common and most talked about as far as identification for non-venomous vs. venomous. For kentucky's native species theres alot of the non-venomous snakes that take on similar color patterns and even actions as a line of defense to predators. Aside from the physical features other snakes such as the hognose and pine snakes will vibrate their tails when feeling threatened in an attempt to mimic the rattle snakes. And when they're in some fallen leaves to the un-trained ear they do a very good job of this imitation. Now as far as location go's...it would be very odd to spot a cottonmouth\water moccasin this far north in the state. Of course there's always that very slight chance that someone could have re-located one or two a time here or there, but the odd's of seeing several of them within a small perimeter is very unlikely. What this part of the state does have an abundance of is the northern water snake, which like alot of the other non-venomous species mimic's the more dangerous species very well. But what i've always told others that even though they are non-venomous that does not mean that they are 100% not dangerous...like any other snakes the northern water carries bacteria in its mouth and if a snake bite occurs and the bitten area is not cleaned sufficiently it could lead to infections....now the extent of damage that infection can vary from person to person depending on an individuals immune system...but that's a whole other ball game. But with all of this said I will end this with one piece of advice since i understand that alot of folk on here are avid outdoorsman....If you are ever in the bernheim forest area or surrounding region there be VERY VERY careful and observant when navigating the woodlands there. Some of the guys i worked alongside with a few years back did a timber rattlesnake research project focusing on bernheim forest....which they tracked the movement, eating patterns, growth and other living factors of that snake in accordance to that region of the state, and trust me on this.....the timber's at that time and i would safely assume today are thriving rather well there....i've personally seen day's when they'd come back with 5 or more large timbers and put tracking devices in them....the biggest i ever seen was a female right at 6' in length and weighed 4.5 lbs.....that's a big timber and packs even a bigger punch. Hope this helps a little....and as always if youre not absolutely positive of what youre looking at its best to leave it alone.

The bridge that Taylorsville Lake Road goes across where they put that little park area and boat launch.

I've fished that area many of time. Tons of water snakes down there. Sometimes I stop by there on my way to the lake to catch bait.
Also tons and I mean tons of water snakes at Settlers Trace Marina. I fish there many of time at night and them suckers come out of everywhere.

Like many people who have already replied back to you, I have fished the fork for many years myself and I have only seen two snakes there in my time and neither were cottonmouths... Anyway, on to what I use and where I fish the fork!

If the water is really clear I use a texas rigged Powerbait 7 inch worm in Pumpkin seed and sometimes blue fleck. If the water is a little stained I will throw a Bomber Square A crankbait (Color choice is always Pearl Shad) like this: [url=http://www.agmdiscountfishing.co.uk/bomber-square-pearl-shad-p-2029.html]Bomber Square A 7g - Pearl Shad[/url]

In fact a lot of times I will throw that little bomber crankbait the whole day, but again if they aren't touching that, I will go back to the ol' faithful pumpkin seed color berkley powerbait 7" worm! That is a no-shut-out bait in the fork!


Places to fish the fork:

Bardstown Road - You can park at this address: 11301 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40291[FONT=arial, sans-serif][COLOR=#000000]. That address is home to a local business called Thrifty Fabrics & Shepperson Upholstery. The lady who owns the place is perfectly fine with you parking by her business where the guard rail is. She doesn't like people parking in her parking lot though! So don't do that! Once you get down to the water head South (Left)... Do not got North (right), the water gets super shallow and I have walked it about two miles... not worth it. There are some really nice deep pools in the south part of the Fork here... be careful though, as there have been times where I have been above my chest (almost to my neck) in water and I am 6'1"!


Shelbyville Road - There is a pull off just as you drive across the bridge over the Fork that is on your left if you are driving East on Shelbyville Road towards Shelbyville. Once you get down to the water, head North (right), not South (left). South is really shallow and I have never done good there. However to the North, there are again some real deep holes that the small mouth will hold up in and you can tear them up there. I have walked this about a mile and the fishing is good.


Seatonville Road - This is the best part of the Fork in my opinion. Not necessarily because of the fishing but because of how scenic it is! A lot of times I don't start fishing until about a half mile upstream because i just want to enjoy the walk.



Hope this helps everybody! [/COLOR][/FONT]:D[FONT=arial, sans-serif][COLOR=#000000]



Thanks,

Grant[/COLOR][/FONT]

Here is a snake guide put out by the state.

[URL]http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/kysnakebook.pdf[/URL]

Cotton Mouth on the left. Hognose on the right.[IMG]http://www.cottonmouthsnake.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/cottonmouth-snake-pic-2-300x225.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://www.cottonmouthsnake.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/hognose-snake-bluffing-300x225.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=SLP;511714]Here is a snake guide put out by the state.

[URL]http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/kysnakebook.pdf[/URL][/QUOTE]


that's a pretty good basic guide to identification, didn't get to read all the way through it but...another quick simple way to determine venomous vs. non-venomous is the pupils...most all of the native venomous species have vertical pupils while most all of the non-venoumous have circular pupils...of course this is not always a 100% sure fire way to make a determination of species as there are such snakes as python's and boa's that also have vertical pupils, but obviously they are not native to kentucky...but again with this...if you're able to make this call and clearly see the pupil's youre probably too close....and oh yea, if youre ever out at the louisville zoo around the herpaquarium and see one of the keepers roaming around, stop them and ask questions...theyre a really good group out there and would be more than willing to answer any questions or concerns..after all, thats what they get paid to do lol

I've heard when snakes swim at the surface a venomous snake will swim with its entire body at the surface and a nonvenomous with its head up and body submerged. I might have that backwards but is there any truth to that?

[QUOTE=inrll;511739]I've heard when snakes swim at the surface a venomous snake will swim with its entire body at the surface and a nonvenomous with its head up and body submerged. I might have that backwards but is there any truth to that?[/QUOTE]

here's a link to give you a good visual to answer that question...but yes the moccassin will swim with the majority of the body elevated above the water surface and head up...alot of water snakes will swim with more of the body submerged and head more level with the surface of the water....

[url=http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/venomous-look-a-likes/cottonmouth-look-a-likes/cottonmouth.asp]Cottonmouths and the Harmless look-a-like Snakes[/url]