Not an uncommon snake by any means but certainly the largest one I have ever caught in the 8 acre park. This one was seen swimming just below and down stream of the park’s bridge. I carefull entered the water in front of the snake to avoid spooking her. When the snake had seen me it wasnt to much in a hurry to swim away but did so in a slow manner until it found a submerged rock to seek shelter under. I was able to gently grab it by the tail and at first the snake barely made a struggle. But as soon as I started to lift from the stream it began to turn around and bite. I carefuly lobbed her up onto the bank with my bare hands so that I could get a better look at her. I know from pevious encounteres that water snakes are not that coordinated to move on land as well as they are at swimming in te water. Once on land I started to approach the animal slowly and carefully. At this point she began to inflate her body the to strike repeatedly.

Northern water snakes are often mistaken to be cotton mouths or water moccaisons because of their demeaner and the fact that they swim in water. The opposite is rue. They are nonvenomous but wull bite repeatedly if you attempt to handle one. They are well adept at coralling and catching fish. Their recurved teeth allow them to hold onto their fish prey and I have on several occaisons seen them holding some very large fish with those teeth!!