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Saw this on a fishing forum and had to share this. Note: This is really a stupid idea...

....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 accross 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 suprised when I observed a juvenile rattlesnake headed accross 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. :hmmm:
This rattler looks like mighty good big bass bait!!!



I put him in one of the footwells on the kayak and paddle over to a series of submerged river laydowns so I can begin to put my plan into action.
Here is my "Superstar" getting warmed up in the bullpen.



Put me in, 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 laydown 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.



I admit, my curiosity might have gotten the best of me on this one. However, I just couldn't help it.
In the end…
It was just another Kayak Fishing Adventure on the Brazos River, Tx..

Very cool Omaha. Great pic's & great story!

Incidently I caught my first copperhead in 20 yrs on my place this morning.

Did you live-line him, Ric?

Only in Texas do we use rattlers for bass bait!

That's a nice bass out of the Brazos River.

That is a crazy story! How much did the LMB weigh? This makes fishing with worms seem sort of whimpy.

Oh and by the way at next year's PB Conference I do not want to see a box of rattlers on the moderator's table, you hearing me Govenor?

He'd put them in the Auction.

This was my last Kayak Fishing trip...That is a 6" I-Beam Next to it!

I did not stay long enough to see if I could use it as bait. I'm an excitement junkie but when this thing started looking at me as I was taking the photo, I started "Paddeling Faster"

Yeesh. Cottonmouth right? He's a thick one too.

That is an extremely interesting fish story and the way it was documented: Out of the ballpark! Can someone venture a guess as to 1: Why the snake came towards the Kayak? Could it be the color yellow? Or was the snake looking for refuge like he was in the water too long? and 2: why would the fish not be killed by the poisonous snake when he struck it?
I don't like snakes, we don't have those kind here, I have a yellow kayak.

Blondes in yellow kayaks have the highest non-venemous snakebite mortality rate.

Be careful Lynda.

Omaha, Yes, cottonmouth. Here are two other pics

I believe all snakes can swim, but only a handful are really comfortable in the water. Possibly the snake didn't get into the water intentionally and just headed for what appeared to be the closest place to get out of the water.

I was also curious if the venom would kill the fish.

I found the thread he originally posted this in and he elaborated on a couple things...



Here's his explanation as to why it didn't bite the fish...



Below is the link to the forum it was originally posted on. I Googled it and ran across it, hoping to find out more information on it. There are a few select phrases and words that I'm not accustomed to seeing here at PondBoss, so keep that in mind. The couple additional pictures the guy posted in the thread are incredible (I'm suspicious actually).

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3889230/1

Wow, thanks for that explanation - because it really does make you think about something you wouldn't have before. He must know snakes to get that close to a dangerous one. I don't even care for the garden variety I see around here once in a while, although last year I did watch one in my garden, it did give me the creeps. That landscaping is gone now, so he is gone too. I wondered about the yellow because bees are attracted to me when I wear it, I have noticed that, must be because it is the color of pollen.

Really? I didn't know that about bees. I didn't think snakes had good enough eyesight to be attracted to specific colors.

We just have the harmless whatevers around here too. In fact, my boy got bit my a garter a couple weeks ago. We were fishing and I caught him and put him in a bucket to look at (the oo's and aww's you know...). I turn around to continue fishing and look back and he's got this thing by the tail like Steve Irwin. Haha, got him a little bit on the finger. Good lesson for the boy I guess.

Did you see the pictures of the bass this guy has caught? I almost think they're photoshopped they're so huge.

He's in the frig Sunil. I always drown them so as not to damage the hide.
I have tossed small water snakes in my pond after making sure they wouldn't live long if they survived. The SMB don't hesitate! Lots of fun to watch!

This was a post in a thread following the story and thought it was interesting...

I wondered why that one went w/out comment!

I guess Brettski, Theo and I were asleep at the keyboard, I didn't even notice the comment.

Comment? Was there a comment?