I just started wading the year for crappie after buying my waders two years ago. Have been out in Lake Lavon with them twice and after getting over the feeling the first time I am enjoying it. Have seen a few snakes and was wondering what do you other waders do doing mating season. Do you put your waders up until the fall? It is kind of creepy seeing a snake next to you then gone the next and your mind begins to play tricks on you. Know they can get real aggressive in the coming months.

Thanks

Never been bothered by a snake while wading before. Had them swim toawrds me before, but i think more of being curious. If they get to close i may pop them on the head lightly with the rod tip, then they go under and away from you. The spawn i believe is almost over for the crappie but i use mine year round if im fishing shallow for fish. But it will also depend on what type of waders you have. If they are neoprene they get very hot in the summer months but if you have the breathable type then you should be ok. I dont wade much in the summer thou since most fish go deep during that time of the year. I mainly use mine winter thru spring and at times in the fall when the crappie come back shallow before going out deep during the winter.

Never have that issue just carry a 22 pistol with rat shot in it. That will make them leave you alone. I first pop them with the rod if they keep coming closer then I pop them with rat shot seems to stop them from bothering me.

ive had alot worse probs w snakes in early duck season than in spring..they seem to be concentrated more then and its just turning cool so i guess theyre feeding harder before winter. i stepped down out the duck boat at twak one day to modify an are to hunt the following day, stepped downinto some real thick gradd about 4ft of water and took 2 steps before i realised there was a huge ball of moccasins just 2 more steps ahead all in the grass...they were all balled up and rolling round in the water....not scared of snakes as individuals, but that many could have hurt me bad. son, i got back in the boat and got in the wind

If i saw a snake next to me in the water with waders on... you would think someone crank up a 100 Mercury motor... there would be so much water splashing and stuff...

I would probably leave a brown trail all the way back to the house!!!

i dress up in a ferret costume when i'm wade fishing. snakes hate ferrets

Just keep in mind as may approaches, if not before that they start to shed, and loose the covering over the Iris of there eye, at that time they become aggressive along side of the mating season!!!

I like to take advantage of probing as well deep inside the buckbrush, you have a tendency to take your eye off of them and once you get into cover chances are its hanging or draping over ya! Thats when you usually catch-um sunning they will hang in the trees and plop down on ya!Its happened to me once.

Dont let this bother you or discourage you in anyway,just be carefull around this time of the year! These areas will hold fish.All so avoid clear creek edges if you take it this far and shadows of movement in the water by this time the breeding is taking place and it is very DANGEROUS


One nest of breeding activity will down a man easy!

Always use the but of your rod as a push pole or guide in water for footing and any obstruction when wading waters or any water.

Sound like youre having fun and well on your way to Spring Time Slab Action!!

I would rather wade at sundown in a lake or creek than walk in downtown dallas.

I fear a snapping turtle more than snakes. I simply never worry about them. Fished among them alot when I was younger at Tawakoni.


Reggie

Just make sure you have alot of distance between your basket/stringer and you. They love it, other than that, not much of a problem. Its all about R.E.S.P.E.C.T, after all you are in the territory!

those were water snakes,cottonmouth(Agkistrodon piscivorus) matings are more monogamous.

Thanks for the comments all. I laughed at some of them, too funny. Went wading today and saw a couple moccasins but they were crossing the creek and didn't seem interested in me but I did keep an eye on them. I would hate to have one come beside me and I have to come out of my waders and leave them standing in the water.

The comment GoneFishin made a few posts above mine has a lot of truth to it and disproves your comment. Cottonmouths do not made "breeding balls," but watersnakes do. Therefore, a "nest of breeding activity" wouldn't take a man down easily as watersnakes are completely harmless. All pit viper males compete for mates and it is one male, one female at a time. Breeding also renders them unable to move independently, which makes even a potentially harmful species less dangerous.

Shedding also has nothing to do with the month of May. Where did you get this?