No pictures, but I was pitching a baby brushog around a lay down and started reeling it in to make another cast. The line felt slightly heavy, but I knew it wasn't a fish. I though I had some grass or something, so I didn't set the hook. It started moving around while I was reeling and then I noticed the snake had a hold of it. I took a few seconds to mull my options. I guess I could have yanked hard and tried to fling the snake off. I didn't want to kill it and I also didn't want to screw it up and have an angry snake either hit me or land near me.

I'm not very good at snake identification, so I have no idea what type it was. I couldn't get a good look at its head or eyes because the grass was pretty high around the bank, so my view was obstructed. It was maybe 18-24 inches long and mostly a tan color with some black.

I decided to cut my line. It wasn't hooked but was chomping down on it pretty good and, every time I tried to pull it onto the bank, it would pull back towards the water (it was just barely on the bank with the back half of the snake in the water). I got out my leather man, flip the scissors open and try to get enough tension to easily cut the braid without having to put my rod down. Well, that was harder than it should have been, so, after three attempts, I decided to put it on the ground and grab the line. As I did this, the snake figured out he was eating an imitation and let go, slithering back under the lay down.

I consider this a win-win. I didn't have to mess with the snake and I didn't lose my lure. Once it released, I just moved on down the bank and let him be.

Reading this reminded me of this scene! Funny.

http://youtu.be/AR-2mALUNHA

Sounds like fun was had by all....

Ha, that's what I was trying to avoid. Great scene.

YIKES!! LOL
You said you didn't want to kill the snake......the only reason I wouldn't want to kill him is because I wouldn't want to get close enough to do it. I have no time for snakes. LOL

One thing about fishing you never know what you are going to catch. Snakes included!





Side Note: Glad your were able to retrieve your lure back and the snake was able swim on.

I wasn't planning on getting close to it, but I, however momentarily, thought about flinging it around until it came off my lure. Then I realized that I've got four bags of baby brush hogs, I think I can part with one. I figured the snake would be in trouble if I did that.

I am happy it worked out the way it did, too.

I don't know which I dislike more, snakes or bees! LOL
I'm retired now and I don't have a boat anymore but I used to. One weekend I was prefishing Lake Athens for a tournament with a friend who usually fished with me. We were out on the lake fishing and I started hearing some noise, sounded like a big bee hive up on shore, but it wasn't. A minute later we were totally surrounded in bees! There were scads of 'em. It happened just that quick. We just froze and didn't move, and neither one of us were stung, not even once. But it was one of the scariest things I ever saw.
Somebody told me later they were just swarming, just moving to another location so they weren't attacking, they were just passing through so to speak. Not sure how long it lasted till they were gone,
maybe 30 seconds or so, but it seemed like a lot longer than it probably was.

The bee story would have freaked me out. I'm waiting for the day that I'm not paying attention and walk up on a hive while bank fishing. That's not going to be a fun day.

The Brush Hog is my Nephew all time favorite lure he caught his first fish on it and he has been hooked on it ever since , just brought in a nice 18 inch bass at Duck Creek when everyone told him there was nothing but sunfish in there. Whats your favorite color ?