Scaly Things In The Grass

Having spent a significant portion of my life growing up in the South, I was introduced to catching various sorts of reptiles at a young age. Some of my earliest memories are of my Grandfather teaching me how to catch Black Rat Snakes at their home in SC to 'move them out of the way' when he was working in the yard or in firewood piles. I've just always been fascinated by snakes, and it's a shame they are so hated and misunderstood by so many people.

Having lived in VT now for so long, I just don't get to see enough of them, so usually now when I make a trip South I try to get out and find a few to photograph.

The large Black Rat Snake in the photos was just laying in the morning sun in the grass by our carport at my Grandparent's home - just like old times! He was a curious fellow, just enjoying some rays.

One aspect of snakes obviously is the venomous factor in some species, and you definitely need to know what you're doing when identifying and handling all snakes. The Copperhead seen here is a relatively common venomous species, and this specimen had really nice coloration.

Another scaly critter that I enjoy down South are the 'gators, and fly fishing for them with surface poppers is a blast. The first one I caught was when I was in the 7th grade or so. At one of my snake hunting places near a golf course I came across a chap with a rifle, claiming there was an alligator in the pond and he was going to kill it before it ate his dog. Not liking the sounds of that, I headed home for my fishing gear. With the help of a floating lizard lure, I coaxed him out, landed him and carried him home - carefully. My neighbors were having a yard sale, and I'm pretty sure they had no idea what to make of it. I put him in a trunk in the garage, and called my Dad who was rather quick in getting home for some reason. A few hours later we safely released it into the Savannah River.

Older and perhaps no wiser, I enjoy enticing them with surface poppers with a fly rod, although due to their bony mouths getting a hook set is pretty difficult. Just be careful getting the hook out (Hint: Barbless really helps here).