Rattlesnake at Center Hill

[tylerreid1234]

I was fishing by a bluff wall at Center Hill last week and saw this big guy hanging out... never seen a rattlesnake in the wild, and it's hard to tell the size from the picture but he was as big around as a softball.

As far as the fishing goes, let's just say the rattlesnake was definitely the highlight of the trip. Lol

[Tennoutdrsman]

Uh oh!!!!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180810/95d5677de3938596a569a35f92850c34.jpg

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[skillet]

That’s a big boy!!! How long you think he was?? Did you get to count the rattles??


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[JoelO]

That is cool! The only ones I've seen have been DOA on the road. I've seen plenty of copperheads out in the wild, but no live rattlers.

[tylerreid1234]

Skillet, he was every bit of 5ft long... I screenshotted this pic from the video I took, looks to be around 10-12 rattles. Maybe more.

[notorious]

TWRA started a reintroduction program at CH a few years ago... Cane Break Rattler, a protected species. Absolutely a beautiful creature...I caught a 5.5 footer 10 years ago in North Alabama, very docile, wanted no part of me until I pissed her off. From experience, look but do not touch, not harming you and deserves to live their life just like you.

[tkwalker]

SNAKES OF TENNESSEE
www.tennsnakes.org
In Tennessee, it is illegal to harm, kill, remove from the wild, or possess native snakes taken from the wild without the proper permits. Please help the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) to protect our native snakes.

Laws About Killing Snakes in Tennessee | Hunker
www.hunker.com/12569918/laws-about-killing-snakes-in-tennessee
It is also against the law to catch a native Tennessee snake, venomous or non-venomous, and keep it detained as a pet. This includes snakes found in or around your home and snakes taken from the wild.

I have always had a fear of snakes (but I like spiders, especially the beautiful yellow and black wood spiders :eek:) but as I got older I gained respect for snakes and have learned to tolerate their invasion of my space. For me the only exception to this are the bad boys when it comes to immediate danger to Human life... Snake Heaven !! .... <'TK><

[skillet]

Skillet, he was every bit of 5ft long... I screenshotted this pic from the video I took, looks to be around 10-12 rattles. Maybe more.



From what I could tell it has 10-12 and a button rattle. So it’s an old snake. And being old like that I’m sure it was 5+ foot long.

Back when I was a very stupid, dumbass kid, I’d catch diamond backs and timber rattlers in Alabama and put them in an old fish aquarium with a king snake. King snake was usually the one that lived. It would kill the rattlesnakes quickly. Nowadays, since I have a young son, snakes kinda creep me out and I stay away from them. But back then, I’d walk right up to a 3-4’ snake and pick it up like it was nothing. I was an idiot. Lmao....still not the brightest crayon....


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[tylerreid1234]

From what I could tell it has 10-12 and a button rattle. So it’s an old snake. And being old like that I’m sure it was 5+ foot long.

Back when I was a very stupid, dumbass kid, I’d catch diamond backs and timber rattlers in Alabama and put them in an old fish aquarium with a king snake. King snake was usually the one that lived. It would kill the rattlesnakes quickly. Nowadays, since I have a young son, snakes kinda creep me out and I stay away from them. But back then, I’d walk right up to a 3-4’ snake and pick it up like it was nothing. I was an idiot. Lmao....still not the brightest crayon....


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Lmao, yeah I'm still pretty fearless when it comes to snakes... i used to have a couple of red tail boas, now I own lizards. But out of all the years I've been fishing and wading in creeks I've only seen a few poisonous snakes and when I saw that rattlesnake, I didn't want anything to do with him. Lol

[fairweatherfisherman]

What an amazing sight. Thanks for posting that up for us to see and for telling us about it.

[daniel]

TWRA started a reintroduction program at CH a few years ago... Cane Break Rattler, a protected species. Absolutely a beautiful creature...I caught a 5.5 footer 10 years ago in North Alabama, very docile, wanted no part of me until I pissed her off. From experience, look but do not touch, not harming you and deserves to live their life just like you.They did that to control the black panther population.

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[TerryD]

A friend of mine was at Center Hill with his canoe several years back. He said he paddled back into a cove and got out on a ledge type rock bank to fish. After seeing three or four timber rattlers over a short time span, he got back in the canoe and stayed there. No more walking the rocks for him....They are plentiful there. Be careful if on the banks!

[JoelO]

I was fishing at Lancaster a few years ago when I heard some commotion on the far bank. I see a 2 foot-ish snake high-tailing it down the bank to the water with a BIG King snake in hot pursuit. If I recall correctly, the water entry saved the smaller one...pretty cool to see.

[Brian37075]

It has been several years now, but I bet there was at least 30 snakes mating on the bank of the Cumberland. My dog fishing buddy had to use the restroom. I drove the boat up on the bank a short distance from Ashland city bridge. Dog jumped out and I got out holding the boat in position. Needless to say we got back in the boat very quickly. Always look real good before you jump on the bank.

[Flatline]

I was fishing the bank at Rome last week when I spotted a water snake coming at me. He got about 6-8' from the bank when he spotted me and went under. I kept a look out for it but it wasn't until about 15 mins later I spotted it swimming back out and then across going up river parallel the bank.



I like snakes, think they serve a purpose, but a poisonous snake..? sorry, he's done for if he's stalking me.