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.

Brings to mind words of wisdom from my dad...

A self-righteous child experienced some particularly offensive behavior from a neighbor that worshiped at the same local church. He told his father, an Elder in the church, that he didn�t want to go to church if Mr. SoandSo was going to be there because it was well known that he prayed in church on Sunday but preyed on his neighbors Monday through Saturday... His dad told him that the good Lord gave us free will so he could either sit in the same pew with the neighbor at church for an hour on Sunday or spend eternity with him in Hell...

And to keep it somewhat on topic, no we didn't handle serpents in service... No really...

Blue Moon