Forums36
Topics40,961
Posts557,946
Members18,499
|
Most Online3,612 Jan 10th, 2023
|
|
7 members (Bill Cody, catscratch, Fishingadventure, Boondoggle, highflyer, Theo Gallus, Lake8),
993
guests, and
183
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220 |
I think that's what's happened here. Haven't seen the first LMB recruit. Since I dont have a grow out pond, I guess I'll be bucket stocking a few more soon.
.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,247 Likes: 548
|
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,247 Likes: 548 |
It won't take many Mike, a half-dozen will go a long ways without upsetting the cart.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220 |
It won't take many Mike, a half-dozen will go a long ways without upsetting the cart. I'm figuring another three 12" fish to go with the three I stocked last year...assuming those three are still in good shape. I haven't seen much of them lately.
.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 94 Likes: 2
|
OP
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 94 Likes: 2 |
Good afternoon ya'll! I have received over 17" of water this month just outside of Wichita KS. Check on the pond today and saw at least 6 snakes on the water. I'd like some help with the I.D. They were swimming on top of the water and only went under when I startled them, but they didnt stay under for long. My guess is a cottonmouth/water mocccasin. https://youtu.be/AtM5wVMS04cCheers!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220 |
It's hard to tell. When I blow up the pics they become too grainy to really see their heads. From the length of them they appear to be water snakes of some kind.
From what I can make of their heads, they are narrow, not wedged like a viper. Cant make out the eyes either. Moccasins are typically shorter and stockier. Around here anyway. A 16" moccasin will be as big as around as my wrist and have slitted pupils. I think those are all long and skinny and appear to have round pupils.
I killed 13 moccasins in two weeks after we got flooded in '16. They dont tend to spook. If anything, they are very aggressive and will challenge you.
.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 94 Likes: 2
|
OP
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 94 Likes: 2 |
Thanks for your thoughts. I've read that venomous snakes swim with most of their body ON the water and non venomous snakes will swim with just their head out of the water. Everything that I saw today was with most of their body on TOP of the water.
I also saw about a 4 foot long and fat bodied one that was lying on a pallet and then shot into the water when I was close. It was probably as thick as my wrist. Obviously didnt get a pic, but it was definitely thicker than the other ones that I was able to get a video/pic of.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080 Likes: 1
|
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6,080 Likes: 1 |
Hard to see in the pics. If I had to guess, I would say the pattern on the first and third pics look like Northern Watersnakes.
Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220
|
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,220 |
"Thanks for your thoughts. I've read that venomous snakes swim with most of their body ON the water and non venomous snakes will swim with just their head out of the water. Everything that I saw today was with most of their body on TOP of the water."
Every snake I've killed in the water was swimming on top. The only one I've ever seen whose entire body was on top was a rattler. If a water moccasin was 4' long, I doubt seriously he would be running off. I dont think they get that long. 3'...occasionally....maybe, but I've never seen one much over 30". One of my best friends in high school was killed when his water-ski hit a breeding ball of moccasins. They never saw the first snake until he fell into them.
.10 surface acre pond, 10.5 foot deep. SW LA. The epitome of a mutt pond. BG, LMB, GSF, RES, BH, Warmouth, Longear Sunfish, Gambusia,Mud Minnows, Crappie, and now shiners!!...I subscribe!!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 212 Likes: 5
|
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 212 Likes: 5 |
I agree with Bill, it looks like a common water snake. They don't get much bigger than 3-4' max and are harmless to both you and your pond.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,146 Likes: 488
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,146 Likes: 488 |
Shoot one behind the head and get a close up picture of its head.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 177 Likes: 17
Lunker
|
Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 177 Likes: 17 |
Hard to say for sure, but I would second the Northern Watersnake (sometimes also called a Common Watersnake). They get killed all the time around here by people that think they have Cottonmouths in their ponds, even though we are probably 500 miles from their typical range. You are probably right on the northernmost edge of the Cottonmouth territory. I don't doubt you get them in your area, but probably not very common.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57
|
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668 Likes: 57 |
Shoot one behind the head and get a close up picture of its head. Bill, that is the way I check them. Works good at my pond
Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.
Tracy
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,904 Likes: 109
|
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,904 Likes: 109 |
Thought for sure I had a water snake in my pond the other day. Turned out it was just one turtle very closely following another one. Could have been some hanky panky going on. On the subject. I’ve always thought water moccasins were a southern snake. Not sure how far north they will hang out.
Last edited by SetterGuy; 05/29/19 11:13 AM.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 94 Likes: 2
|
OP
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 94 Likes: 2 |
Good afternoon! We were out yesterday and saw something I'll probably never see again! Not sure on the type of snake, but it had caught a bullhead and pulled it out of the water. My son walked up to it and scared it back into the water and we got a video. It was an absolute awesome experience to see this live. We also caught a snake yesterday (standby for pics), saw a box turtle, and saw a small alligator turtle on the dam (standby for video). It was a huge lesson for my two boys ages 7 and 4 about how fast those turtles can strike when they are angry. We are about 2 months away from moving in and I can NOT wait!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlToQ9nu-C0&feature=youtu.beAny I.D. on the snake? Cheers!!!
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,358 Likes: 4
|
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,358 Likes: 4 |
Looks like some kind of watersnake (non-venomous) but I wouldn't want to find out I was wrong.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,055 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
|
Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,055 Likes: 277 |
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344 Likes: 101
|
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344 Likes: 101 |
Nice capture on video! I would say that it is a Diamond back Watersnake. The problem with my identification abilities with water snakes is that they very so much in shade and color within one species, but if it's not a Diamondback Water Snake then it's a Fox Snake.
Fish on!, Noel
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96 Likes: 5
|
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96 Likes: 5 |
Diamondback water snake. Ill tempered but not poisonous. The only documented water moccasins in the state are along the spring creek drainage in Cherokee county. Some idiot tried starting them on the Verdigris in the 70s but they didnt take.
Last edited by kswaterfowler; 06/03/19 06:04 PM.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,088 Likes: 96
|
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,088 Likes: 96 |
Agree. Diamondback water snake. I have several every year that come and go in my main pond and the small creek that is behind it.
Usually have a batch of babies reared in my forage pond. They seem to be smart enough to not have babies in the main pond where there are large predator fish. Had three about a foot long last year in the forage pond.
Somewhere in one of my old threads I have a picture of a medium size one swallowing a peeper toad late in the night. Man that toad was making a horrible screeching sound.
Take those boys out with flashlights around midnight during the summer. All sorts of neat stuff for kids to experience. Pick up a baby BG in your hand while they are sleeping in shallow water.
John
I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 94 Likes: 2
|
OP
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 94 Likes: 2 |
Well, I finally had my water tested at T A&M. Below are the results. Please comment and give suggestions as I am completely ignorant when it comes to this. Thanks!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344 Likes: 101
|
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344 Likes: 101 |
I am, also, very new to water chemistry, but here is some info that will help you get started... From this website... http://pondplace.com/chemistryofapond-phammonianitratesetc.aspx"pH Ideal: 7.5 Acceptable Range: 6.5 - 8.5 Phosphate Ideal: 0 Acceptable Range: 0.0 - 0.5 Ammonia Ideal: 0 Acceptable Range: 0.0 - 0.25 Nitrites Ideal: 0 Acceptable Range: 0.0 - 0.25 Nitrates Ideal: 0 Acceptable Range: 0.0 - 0.5 Salt/Salinity Ideal: 0.1 - 0.25 Acceptable Range: 0.1 - 0.25" I have also collected ALOT of water analysis info and have saved it on my Water Chem Log thread. See the very first post and enjoy... http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=39072&Number=508352#Post508352
Fish on!, Noel
|
|
|
Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
|
|