Snake bite at GHD.

[Harley]

I hate to hear that cause I know poisonous snake bites can be nasty. I'm lucky, in all my years of catching poisonous and non-poisonous snakes I have never been bitten by a poisonous snake. I used to own a number of different breeds of snakes and have been catching them since I was four years old. Kind of a twisted hobby of mine. I still get 5+ calls a summer from friends asking me to come get a snake out of their yard.

They also used to say that there are no poisonous snakes in Fayette Co too, but one of my parent's Golden Retrievers was bit by a Copperhead a number of years back and they live on Todd's Rd. The emergency vet that night tried to say it was a black widow but if I ever see a black widow with fangs that are more than a half inch apart I'm moving out of the state. There regular vet confirmed what I had said the next day.

Northern water snakes are commonly mistaken for Cottonmouths. They look just like 'em and are actually more aggressive but they are non-poisonous. Now obviously this guy didn't make that mistake since he was bitten and I'm sure that was total hell to go through. I used to own a number of different breeds of snakes and have been catching them since I was four years old. Kind of a twisted hobby of mine.

Best advice I can give is to stomp on the dock as you walk on it and they'll take off. If you are pulling up to it from the water find a way to do something similar. When they feel that vibration, more often than not they will bug out since they are more afraid of you then you are of them. Other than that keep your eyes open as best you can.

[elnutsmalljaws]

Cottonmouths are very common at Ky Lake just ask Dave Stewart and ME. We was fishing in the back on a cut on Monday and Dave had caught a couple and I had caught a couple as well when he made a cast then said we are done with this little spot. He tried to show me where the Cottonmouth was sitting up inside the buckbrush sunning and I still could not see it. Blended in perfect with the grey body and grey buck brush. It took me a few minutes to still see it and I thought Dave was the blind one of the two of us. Dave said "He can have this little cove" and off we moved down the bank. I have heard of stories of them coming in the boat with you this time of year and want no part of that at all. You will see a first hand account of a fat man walking on water if this ever happens for that snake will be the new owner of my boat and all that is inside. I got hung up in the brush on Tuesday and took extra care in looking it over before moving in to get it out.

[Tim_T]

Sorry guys, I didn't mean to make light of the guy who was bitten. I was inquiring because I have always been told that the cottonmouth was only common in western kentucky.

As far as how aggressive they are I can only yell you this. My only sightings/dealings with them were on the Arkansas River near Pine Bluff during the Red Man All-American around 1997. Saw several and they did seem to be very aggressive and I was told it was there nesting season.

I have always been told that in Kentucky they resided in the western part of the state down around Barkley/Kentucky and further west. I have been told that Ballard County WMA is ate up with them.

[roadrunner]

I’ve never seen a snake that was not poisonous and seven feet long.
BTW Harley you’re not right.

Beep Beep

[JoeB]

There are plenty of copperheads around Lake Cumberland and a few timber rattlers in the more mountainous areas around the lake, but there are no cottonmouths. I don't know what kind of snake the guy was bitten by, but if he had taken two hits from a cottonmouth this morning he certainly wouldn't be home posting about it on the internet this afternoon. I also seriously doubt that the Albany hospital even has any cottonmouth anti-venon in the building.

[bull_bluegill]

A lot of the time, if somebody sees a snake in the water, they automatically think "water moccasin."
It definitely pays to be careful, tho'.

[Trophycats]

After 22 years in the Army and traveling all over south america, and seeing every type of snake there is, I have come to the conclusion that there are only 4 types that will kill a man..BIG ONES..LITTLE ONES..LIVE ONES..DEAD ONES...I steer clear of all 4 of those <grin>

[Harley]

I’ve never seen a snake that was not poisonous and seven feet long.
BTW Harley you’re not right.

Beep Beep

I have been told that many times before. I have to tell you this story.

When I got out of the Navy and drove cross country from San Diego back to Lex I had 2, 7ft long Burmese Pythons in pillow cases in my floor board. They were completely tame. When I was going through MO the male Burm had gotten out of the sack and I didn't know it. He went into the back and came around over my shoulder by the window. The funny part was the woman in the passenger seat of the car next to me happened to look over at me just as scootin along the base of the window. She about flipped out seeing this big snake by my head. Then when I grabbed him and started pulling him into the front, I thought she was going to have a heart attack. She was darn near jumping in her seat.

You'll be happy to know that I finally grew, got rid of the reptiles and got a Boxer. Best dog in the world.

[cra97]

How about a survey : I have seen cottonmouth at Ky., Barkley, Taylorsville. Copperhaed at Rough River. Rattelsnakes at Ky, Barkley and Nolin, also in Jefferson Co.

Bradley Roy and I were fishing, in a little cove on Barkley, in the last qualifier and had one come up within about 10 feet of the boat. I HATE snakes, unless their cooked correctly, but he did not seem to fazed but we kept a keen eye on it as we "trolled" quickly away

[dc chopper]

I don't know if there is such a thing as range but I know that there are some hawg cottonmouths at Peabody, one tried to climb in and visit one time.

[BassNNutt]

I hate to hear that cause I know poisonous snake bites can be nasty. I'm lucky, in all my years of catching poisonous and non-poisonous snakes I have never been bitten by a poisonous snake. I used to own a number of different breeds of snakes and have been catching them since I was four years old. Kind of a twisted hobby of mine. I still get 5+ calls a summer from friends asking me to come get a snake out of their yard.

They also used to say that there are no poisonous snakes in Fayette Co too, but one of my parent's Golden Retrievers was bit by a Copperhead a number of years back and they live on Todd's Rd. The emergency vet that night tried to say it was a black widow but if I ever see a black widow with fangs that are more than a half inch apart I'm moving out of the state. There regular vet confirmed what I had said the next day.

Northern water snakes are commonly mistaken for Cottonmouths. They look just like 'em and are actually more aggressive but they are non-poisonous. Now obviously this guy didn't make that mistake since he was bitten and I'm sure that was total hell to go through. I used to own a number of different breeds of snakes and have been catching them since I was four years old. Kind of a twisted hobby of mine.

Best advice I can give is to stomp on the dock as you walk on it and they'll take off. If you are pulling up to it from the water find a way to do something similar. When they feel that vibration, more often than not they will bug out since they are more afraid of you then you are of them. Other than that keep your eyes open as best you can.

"more often than not they will bug out since they are more afraid of you then you are of them."

I beg to differ from this statement in the last paragraph.... lmao