Fisherman Calls It a Day After Reeling in Huge Snake: 'I'm done'

A fisherman had a surprise when he reeled in his catch while fishing in southeastern Virginia, finding a snake dangling at the end of the line.

The fisherman, who goes by the user name Silent_Sea5963, uploaded photos of the unexpected catch to Reddit's r/fishing group on Friday, June 2.

One photo included in the post showed the snake hooked and lifted out of the water.

Another showed the same snake on concrete near some grass with the fishing pole near its tail.

Silent_Sea5963 told Newsweek: "I had just started the morning fishing for crappie and little panfish and, after about 20 minutes in, was when the snake was snagged."

"[I] couldn't tell what it was when it first bumped the line since the lure was about 6 feet underwater until reeled it in. [It] looked like a stick at first. I was able to use my pole to hold his head down and pop the hook out."

The Reddit user told Newsweek he placed the snake into a bucket and then released him back into the wild.

"Needless to say, I was for sure done fishing for the day as snakes don't scare me, [they] just make me feel a little uneasy and paranoid," Silent_Sea5963 added.

Since being shared online the post attracted interest from many online with several commenters believing the serpent was a common watersnake.

While Virginia is home to many different snakes, some of which are venomous, the common watersnake is not poisonous, although its bite would hurt.

According to the Virginia Herpetological Society (VHS), the watersnake can be found in ponds, rivers, freshwater, and many other areas where there is moisture available.

A moderate-to-large-sized snake can reach a maximum length of 55.3 inches and can be identified by its body color which is brown to gray with varying amounts of red, yellow, or white dorsal blotches and crossbands.

While watersnake populations are on the decline around urban areas due to habitat loss, the VHS said the species is secure in Virginia.

Other people who commented on the post shared their own experiences of having caught or encountered unusual animals while fishing.

Heresdustin said: "I'm a carp fisherman and I catch a lot of turtles. Sometimes just as many turtles as fish. It's irritating, but I can't blame them."

Fog_Juice added: "Had a bucket full of panfish I was gonna eat for dinner when I was fishing offshore. Turned around and a ******* rattlesnake was in there eating my dinner."

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