Snakes make good bait too

[Scudly]

An all too interesting email from my wife's uncle in San Diego. His forwards are select. This one is a classic. Enjoy it. Do you think it is staged? I think the guy is crazy enough looking to believe it.

In 20 years of fishing the Middle/Upper Brazos River, I can honestly say that I have never encountered a venomous snake (pit viper) within the riverbed. However, as I tell my clients, go outside the riverbed and that can be a very different story.

Obviously, just because I have never come across a venomous snake in the river, does not in any way mean they are not there. In fact, I always remain vigilant and on the lookout knowing that I'm simply overdue for my first encounter.

The way I look at it, Texas, venomous snakes and the outdoors will always go hand in hand. So, I wasn't too surprised when I observed a juvenile rattlesnake headed across the river while I was in my kayak flipping a jig for bass.

I continue fishing. However, I can't help to notice the rattler has changed it's course and is headed straight for my kayak.

At this point, I've pretty much quit fishing and have my attention focused on the intentions of this potentially pesky pit viper..

While tracking the rattler's movement, I couldn't help but think, from a fish's point of view, how enticing the serpentine motion of this snake looked while in the water. Suddenly, I am jolted back to reality by the fact the rattler is now along side my kayak and is lifting it's head out of the water in an apparent attempt to come aboard. No way I'm having this ill intentioned reptilian hitchhiker nosing around the kayak. So, with a couple whacks of the paddle, it's now docile as can be. Now my mind begins to wonder...Hmmmm. This rattler looks like mighty good big bass bait!!!

I put him in one of the foot wells on the kayak and paddle over to a series of submerged river lay downs so I can begin to put my plan into action.

Put him on coach!

I now cautiously rig the snake by hooking it through the bottom of the jaw and through the top of the head onto a weedless black 3/4 oz. jig.

On my sixth cast into the snag infested lay down my jig n snake combo gets destroyed on the fall as indicated by a telltale "thump" that reverberates all the way down my rod blank. I set the hook hard and immediately feel stiff resistance on the other end from what I know is a solid fish.

What happens next is something I'll likely never forget as I watch my bass come cartwheeling out of the water with the rattler hanging out of it's mouth!

The LMB gave a really good account of itself and I eventually get her alongside the kayak. I cautiously lip the opposite side of the cavernous mouth where the fish is hooked.

I now take a moment to pose with my oversize snake eating river bass before returning her back into the river depths.

[AaronM]

Wow, great story!!

[jwmiller33]

wow thats one of the coolest things ive ever seen!!! congrats and great story

[OnAFly]

I had one of them swim right next to my leg last time I was out in Montana. I thought it was a stick floating down, then as it got closer I could see it moving. Having never seen one in the wild before, I got a little nervous.

I ended up seeing (mostly hearing) another on the walk back to the cabin that day. I just walked by a bush and heard it rattle and looked down to see it about 2 feet from me. I decided to stick to the road after that encounter.

[EBass]

That's crazy! Have you tried a black widow for topwater?

[Driftless]

rattlers are protected in WI.

i played with a few when I was in the army in Washington State.

I was a military game warden there for a while.

Even the little ones have venom.

[Scudly]

Yeah just to clarify, this is not my story and none of my photos. Simply an interesting email from my wife's uncle who seems to know the guy direct. The Brazos is a river in TX. I'm not sure if it is legal or not but it sure is an interesting story I thought worth sharing. Jenn's uncle Cal is one of those guys that only sends the best of the best for email forwards. Wish so many others were this way!