I have been wanting to tube fish for a while. But the moccasons at our lake are unreal. Last weekend, we would have 4 or 5 at a time swimming around our boat. They would swim up to the boat and look at us!!!! Would attack our corks. A tuber went were we were and we warned him. He said they don't bother him. What do you do if there are a lot of snakes. If they was to decide to attack, you have nowhere to go.

There's a pretty good post that's been going on in the "Photos" list about snakes and identifying venomous vs. non-venomous. They're not going to attack you, and I'd be willing to bet alot of them aren't even cottonmouths.

There are 2 different ones. Solid black,and black and yellow stripped. We did look up the stripped ones, and it identified them as moccasions. But I'm gonna check out the post. My husband alway says don't hurt you, they make you hurt yourself. lol

Wow I learned a lot from that. The video was great. Is it true that snakes don't bite under water? I find that hard to believe as they catch fish.
There was a story in the local paper about a year ago . At Coleman, some people were fishing, and a rattlesnake swam out to there boat. They were hitting it with the poles and everything. It still go in the boat and wrapped around the motor coils!!!! What would you do if you were in a tube?

No, it's not true that they don't bite under water. I have personally been bitten by water snakes that were underwater, and like you said, they catch fish...

As for the story about the snake swimming out to the boat, I'd venture to say that it was already in the water and trying to get out! Eitherway, I don't think I'd be particularly happy with one crawling up onto a tube that I was in. I think my first instinct would be to say "Oh #$&*"! But yeah, when they want to get up onto a boat or anything, it can take an awful lot of "convincing" to get them to change their mind...

They won't bother you in a tube--you're no threat, and you're not a meal or a mate. I've had plenty of snakes swim fairly near and check me out, but they high-tail it once they figure out what they are looking at. BTW, I fear accidental encounters on the bank waaaaaaay more than in the tube.

I wonder why I never seen anyone in a tube on Lake Okeechobee?

I've used a float tube on Okeechobee.

Pegleg Sam

Probably the same reason you hear about gator attacks on humans in Florida and not in Texas. We don't feed the gators and they haven't lost their fear of humans in Texas. In Florida for some reason the dummies wanna feed the gators!

I'll never forgett one morning on Okeechobee. My dad and I were running the rim canal just before 1st light using a Q-Beam to find our way. There was a ski area marked with buoys and when we scanned the light across the water in that area there must have been 40 sets of gator eyes amongst the buoys!

Cottonmouths can most certainly bite underwater. I know a guy that nearly lost his leg from a CM bite he got while wade fishing in an Arkansas stream. I have had plenty of close encounters with snakes while tube fishing. Most of the snakes were diamondback watersnakes but I have seen a few CMs. I agree with Fishbrain 100%; you will much more likely be bitten walking along the bank than while tube fishing. I have seen a ton of CMs this year; a species that I truly despise.

Have personally shot three in the last two weeks or so. They will def. try and get too close for comfort. Northener HAS neen bitten so you know they WILL bite you. Just be careful and keep your eyes peeled. I bought a co2 pistol i carry with me. close to 500fps or something like that. Snakes do not like pellets in the face, trust me on that.

I carry a bb gun as well,co2 power with a 14rnd clip just for those cotton mouths! If they stay away they live but if they come snooping I start shooting!

I'd rather deal with the snakes in the water than some of the ones I've met in churches.

Compared to walking up on the shore line you have nothing to worry about when tubing. They'll swim up and with a good rap on the gourd with a rod or just leaving them alone all together... either way you won't have problems.

sine rattlers are not water snakes I'd guess that it was just trying to get the heck out of the water and would not be put of by their attempts to keep it from what it perceived as dry land. Not that it made it any less disconcerting to have a rattler trying to come aboard.

the snakes don't bother me...now snappers..can't stand em

Just man-up and admit that if a snake appears, he owns the pond.
I've been fishing from a tube for more years than I like to admit and have had acouple of run ins with snakes, mostly non-lethal, of course. Snakes have evolved through centuries by making two very inportant decisions.1) does that thing in the water look like a mate?...nooooo 2) can I get all that in my mouth?....nooooo. With those decisions being made ( both in your favor I might add) What is the fear factor?

death. and the pain. other than that. nothing.

I agree that I've had closer calls on shore. As a matter of fact a coupla weeks ago I got home from work and my three daughters came runnin' up from the pond carryin' a 5 gallon bucket. They fish down there all the time. Mostly dinky sunfish but a few big cats from time to time. (Kids are 11, 12 and 13). Anyway, they are all yellin' " Mom! Look what we got! Mom!" I climb outta my truck and they dump this 5 gallon bucket out and a big ole rattlesnake falls out! That is NOT what I was expecting! They had gone down to fish and saw him. The two younger girls ran back to the house and got the eldest who grabbed her BB gun. She said it took a dozen shots but she did indeed kill it. It measured over 4 feet long. I was glad it happened because we hadn't talked about snake safety in a long time and it provided a good chance to review those issues. Always look where you are steppin' etc, etc. I spose it could be argued that they shoulda left the thing alone and let it go on its way but alas that just ain't their style! Good fishin'!

I go with you on that one

Rattlesnakes do swim. I have seen pictures of them in the water before.