wooh - great capture. :ivar definately not something you can plan! I know snakes have distendable jaws, but it sure looks like his eyes were bigger than his stomach here!
This is why I will never swim in Lake Springfield.
Gosh look at the size of the fish to the snake too gawwwwwd
did you watch and see what the snake did after it grabbed the fish ??
Did he swallow it ???
The snake pulled the fish to land and went in to some VERY thick weeds along the side of the lake. He slithered backwards down the shore, pulling the fish along. We wanted to see what happened next, but the weeds were too thick and we weren't sure how many friends he might have.
Very unreal to see. I was not so sure about getting in the water after seeing that!!
That is a crazy picture... great shot none the less. Definitely not something you see everyday and probably a smart choice not finding out how many friends he had in the weeds.
How long did you sit there before you caught that??
We were actually getting ready to hop in a canoe off the dock, and saw huge splash that kept making its way towards land, so I ran back to the car and grabbed my camera.
Here are a few more general snapshots from the incident.
Wow!
Thanks for posting the second series of shots! I'm like you, I'm not swimming in Lake Springfield or any other lake. When I saw the first shot I was thinking "no way, someone has done a great job of photoshopping" The second series erased any doubt. I hate snakes..great capture
Any idea of where this was? What kind of snake? The fish is too big to swallow and snakes don't eat prey piece meal. i've only seen this once before it was a cottonmouth latched on to a big fish and I didn't hang around long enough to see what it did. BS
Any idea of where this was? What kind of snake? The fish is too big to swallow and snakes don't eat prey piece meal. i've only seen this once before it was a cottonmouth latched on to a big fish and I didn't hang around long enough to see what it did. BS
This is why I will never swim in Lake Springfield.
First, let me begin by saying what a great capture, and that I would love to have it in my collection. Congratulations. Second, I HATE SNAKES, and third, this one looks very fearsome. However it appears to me to be a water snake which is harmless except to the catfish of course. They eat tadpoles, frogs, and small prey along lake beds, although this hardly qualifies as a small fish. Unless you know what kind of snake you're dealing with, you made the right decision not to pursue him just for the sake of a picture, because they will bite. I would have been gone after the first shot. I'm not an expert, but I just read about him because I am curious.
Super shot, and super series! I was concerned there for a while that the snake might be stuck with a fish too big to eat. I'm not sure that all snakes can unhinge their jaws to swallow prey larger than their head, but I do know that once a snake latches on, it is difficult to let go because their teeth are curved toward their gullet. So, if this fish was indeed too big for the snake, then both might possibly have been goners. (Any naturalists in the crowd correct me if I'm wrong.)
Well from "Map this" I determined that it might be in Central Florida. The snakes head looked larger than any native snake in the US. Looking at it's markings it looks like a common water snake. Anyone know? BS
Well from "Map this" I determined that it might be in Central Florida. The snakes head looked larger than any native snake in the US. Looking at it's markings it looks like a common water snake. Anyone know? BS
2 things! (1) I didn't figure a snake like that would be in the mid west (2) I didn't click on the smilie. When I did it showed da snake or as Richard Pryor used to say
SNAKE!!!!. BS:D
Any idea of where this was? What kind of snake? The fish is too big to swallow and snakes don't eat prey piece meal. i've only seen this once before it was a cottonmouth latched on to a big fish and I didn't hang around long enough to see what it did. BS
That is a FINE specimen of a Banded Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)
We see them often while out in the rivers around here. That snake would have no trouble being able to swallow that fish since snakes have a kinetic skull. I often handle them during trips I lead for the state park here in South Carolina, been bitten by them many times. IT gets a great reaction out of folks that are watching. However, I would rather them bite on me rather than use thier second line of defense, which is to poop on you....remember, they eat fish....
Good snake to have around.
Andrew
“Tug at a single thing in nature, and you will find it connected to the universe.
[John Muir]
That is a FINE specimen of a Banded Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)
We see them often while out in the rivers around here. That snake would have no trouble being able to swallow that fish since snakes have a kinetic skull. I often handle them during trips I lead for the state park here in South Carolina, been bitten by them many times. IT gets a great reaction out of folks that are watching. However, I would rather them bite on me rather than use thier second line of defense, which is to poop on you....remember, they eat fish....
Good snake to have around.
Andrew
yes!
BTW, there are no venomous snakes around lake Springfield. Snakes can easily spit out prey they don't feel like eating......that snake will have no problem eating that fish.
That is a FINE specimen of a Banded Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)
We see them often while out in the rivers around here. That snake would have no trouble being able to swallow that fish since snakes have a kinetic skull. I often handle them during trips I lead for the state park here in South Carolina, been bitten by them many times. IT gets a great reaction out of folks that are watching. However, I would rather them bite on me rather than use thier second line of defense, which is to poop on you....remember, they eat fish....
Good snake to have around.
Andrew
thanks again Andrew for the id and we know it ate that fish If it waas Ben and I we would get that eating shot if we had to hold the snake This is a great capture you did better that good thanks for the post
Nice Series. If it was in the Southeast I would say it was a Water Moccasin or Cottonmouth but I am not sure how far North they range. And it can definately dislodge his jaw and eat that fish. Did you see the recent photo from Florida where the snake ate an alligator and burst open?
Comments
wow.
C.
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Gosh look at the size of the fish to the snake too
did you watch and see what the snake did after it grabbed the fish ??
Did he swallow it ???
What an awesome shot
.
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Talk about a peak moment!! :wow
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Very unreal to see. I was not so sure about getting in the water after seeing that!!
Dave
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did you catch the fish..find a snake and put it in the snakes mouth?
joking!
amazing timing. Great pictures...I was floored!
Kevin
www.rightangleimages.com
Amazing capture!
Great title, too:-)
Wow what a catch
No swimming for sure. Not to even get close
Look at the size of that fish.
Gale
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Here are a few more general snapshots from the incident.
Thanks for posting the second series of shots! I'm like you, I'm not swimming in Lake Springfield or any other lake. When I saw the first shot I was thinking "no way, someone has done a great job of photoshopping" The second series erased any doubt. I hate snakes..great capture
-joel
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First, let me begin by saying what a great capture, and that I would love to have it in my collection. Congratulations.
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?? hmm it should point to Springfield, IL.
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SNAKE!!!!. BS:D
That is a FINE specimen of a Banded Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)
We see them often while out in the rivers around here. That snake would have no trouble being able to swallow that fish since snakes have a kinetic skull. I often handle them during trips I lead for the state park here in South Carolina, been bitten by them many times. IT gets a great reaction out of folks that are watching. However, I would rather them bite on me rather than use thier second line of defense, which is to poop on you....remember, they eat fish....
Good snake to have around.
Andrew
[John Muir]
yes!
BTW, there are no venomous snakes around lake Springfield. Snakes can easily spit out prey they don't feel like eating......that snake will have no problem eating that fish.
Great picture too!
If you have any interest in snakes in Illinois, check out my site.
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thanx for postin'
Matt
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