The Elusive Northern Water Snake

[upstatenybowyer]

There are only a few snakes around here that get long enough to back a bow and the Northern Water Snake is by far the most plentiful. As luck would have it, a friend of mine has a very large pond that's teeming with them. She said she'd love if I could remove a few.

Long story short... NWS 200, Upstate 0. Those things are impossible to catch! They're fast as lightning and completely invisible once they're in the water. If you guys could see a video of me trying to snag one of them you'd split your sides with laughter.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated! 

[osage outlaw]

They can be very aggressive.  The meanest snake I've ever caught was a water snake.  I use a fishing pole to snag them out of the bushes at my in-laws lake property.   The snakes climb up to sun themselves.   A 2' water snake on a hook is quite the site.   I ease the hook under the belly and then give it  yank.  My little niece watched me catch some.  I saved the skins and put them on a bow for her. 

[upstatenybowyer]

Thanks OO. Not sure I can get a pole under one cause these guys sun themselves while laying on the ground in tall grass and vegetation. I'll let you know if I have any success. 

[JonW]

I catch them in a minnow trap baited with a crawdad.

[upstatenybowyer]

I catch them in a minnow trap baited with a crawdad.

How long does the minnow trap have to be?

[Mo_coon-catcher]

There's a video of a couple of boys catching snakes by water using a bamboo tube yhats plugged in one end and the open end is guarded by a plasic bottle that has been slit to make a fringed skirt that yhe fringes are pointed inward like fingers. You could do similar with any pipe and bottle for a fringe thatll help keep them from getting out so quick. Throw a minnow or two in the pup to bait it, or cut fish. Put yhe pipe by the water with the mouth just out of the water. Then mud in the pipe so it doesn't move on you. And you have yourself a snake trap. A 3' section of 2" pipe would probably do it. A snake can fit in a surprisingly small area. My 4' 5 pound ball python curls up in a 6 quart shoe box with a little room to spare.

Kyle

[Marc St Louis]

Have you considered a bow with a blunt arrow?

[upstatenybowyer]

Mo, thanks for the ideas. I think trapping them may be the way to go.

Marc, now that would be primitive indeed!  I think I may just try that. 

[upstatenybowyer]

I actually got one on the end of my fishing pole today and the thing went buck-nutty.  He managed to unhook himself and went flying back into the water. 

After that I set a minnow trap w/ some crawdads in it so we'll see what happens.

[JonW]

I have had good success with the minnow trap. Bonus is they drown and you don't have a live snake on your hands. Literally! 

[Zuma]

A pair of welder's gloves if your scared to snatch em bare handed.
Shoot them in the head with .22 rat shot if all else fails
Zuma

[upstatenybowyer]

Victory!

Caught using a fishing pole. Thanks for the tip OO 

Still got high hopes for the minnow trap as well

[osage outlaw]

Nice job.  Did it go wile when you hooked it?

[upstatenybowyer]

Yes indeed. I was ready though, again thanks to your heads up. Now I owe Pearly for the catfish and you for the snake.