Quote Originally Posted by olgreenboat View Post
The way to tell Poisonous Snakes from none poisonous in the water is the poisonous ones bodies will float on top of the water and the none will swim under only sticking there head out. Poisonous snakes heads are all ways a lot wider then there neck. Had a dam timber rattler swim by me last year at rough river , I was in my boat but it was 3 feet from the side I figure I would leave well enough alone he didn't want me and i was happy to see him swim on by but it was a little un nerving.
I have seen many coperheads dive under the water when you get close to them. So not so sure about the old float/sink test. In any case I pretty much just leave snakes alone. Even wading chest deep in Elkhorn creek you will have a water snake swim under your nose. Best thing to do is just let him swim by, you do your business and let him do his.

When I lived in southern MO. we had to always watchout for cottonmouths. I guess some of you in western KY. may have these to. I did carry a 22 loaded with bird shot in every other round, around the ponds and lakes. Those cottonmouths are the most agressive snakes I have every ran accross. You could be 40 feet from them and they would come right after you.