Florida -- it ain't fishing unless there's snakes and gators

My last fishing trip before I moved from Virginia to Florida last November was Knapp Creek, West Virginia with Matt.  Classic trout waters winding through a picturesque maintain-side made our last trip epic.  We each caught trout over 20 inches and lots of hard-fighting rainbows a bit smaller.
We both can't wait to revisit those West Virginia waters again some day soon with our friend Mark.

Which brings me to the Sunshine State.  Let me start by saying I've got a new pair of Orvis Pro Guide waders for sale as I don't think I'll be wading much down here... anymore.  You hear about how there are poisonous snakes and alligators everywhere, but they really can't be everywhere.  Or can they?

While wade fishing during the shad run in the St. John's River last month, I was attacked, and I chose that word carefully, by two snakes that swam out me repeatedly as I fended them off with the tip of my fly rod.  I couldn't wait to get back on shore and was promptly rewarded by nearly stepping on a coiled, lying in wait cottonmouth.  Put it this way, it's not like fishing the shad run in the Rappahannock!

So I've been doing a little bass fishing this spring as the bucketheads seem to be in most bodies of water around here.  Fishing from shore, I've had some success in several area ponds including one at TPC Sawgrass where I caught several bass similar to the one shown here.


I found a few more ponds off the beaten path that I wanted to try the past few days.  But I wasn't alone out there... and the company I had wasn't the company I desired.

A 3 1/2 foot water moccasin

 Did I mention that I really don't like snakes? The snake above did not shy away or retreat from my presence. In fact, it aggressively came closer to me and come to the bank of the pond.  If I had Matt's machete I would have killed it then and there.

After catching a few bass there, I tried a couple other ponds.

More friends...





Not to be left out, after all, Florida is best known for its gators.  I ran into these guys too.

So if you're interested in a new pair of waders let me know.  And if you read of my untimely death from either a venomous snake bite or alligator mauling, know that I died doing what I love!
Tight lines!