snake ID

Caught on the nueces has red eyes...

Not a great picture for an identification lol. From the pattern, I would say it is a Diamondback Water Snake (Nerodia rhombifer). They are the most abundant water snake in Texas. They are non-poisonous but they stink, and like most water snakes, they have a bad disposition. That means they will bite you every chance they get.

Yes that’s it I know pic sucks but you described it and it smelled really bad... almost skunky and musky...

FIFY- there isn't a single poisonous snake in the world that I'm aware of.

Blah ha. Ha ha ha.

Actually you didn’t FIFY (FIX it for me), you just changed the meaning. Since the difference between poisons and venom is the delivery system, you are correct that the snake is non-venomous. However, if I eat it or rub it on my skin, I would not absorb any toxin so it is non-poisonous. I guess I could have said it was a non- proteolytic, hemotoxic,neurotoxicity, cytotoxic injecting species, but some people on this site already think I am too technical lol.

As for your comment: “there isn’t a single poisonous snake in the world that I’m aware of.” That statement may be correct, since I can’t ascertain what you know without more research,. However, I propose that a snake could be poisonous. If you eat an Inland Taipan, often considered the most venomous snake in the world, and you have an ulcer, you could absorb enough toxin to make you ill. Therefore it would be poisonous. All in good fun.

I was fishing on Conroe a few days ago in a small canal. A guy was down in a bunch of brush trying to catch snakes. Homeowner had called his company to come and catch as many as he could. He told me there was a big nest of diamondback water snakes and he was trying to catch them. I saw about 5 all around my boat, he had stirred them up good. No way I’d have that guys job, he was young and maybe in his 20’s. Snakes are out like crazy right now. Neighbor just had a big copperhead in their pool and another lady almost stepped on one walking at night.

I agree, it looks like a Diamondback Water Snake. The Cotton Mouth or "Water Moccasin" is a heavy body Snake with an arrow shaped head and slits for pupils and tend to float in the water when swimming/standing still whereas other snakes are only able to keep there head above the water. I'm a reptile/amphibian nut and own quite a few as pets. The foul smell is Musk the snakes produce when threatened and it smells awful and if you get it on skin or clothes it sticks with you for awhile🤮

I don't do snakes.

What part of the nueces were you fishing?