Copperheads are Pretty Snakes

People aren't fond of anything that can harm them and what I've found around here is people hate the one venomous snake in our area. It's called a copperhead and as much as I've fished, mtn biked, and hiked I've only seen 2 in the wild. I'm sure I have went buy them many times and not noticed. I also don't get too curious when I hear noises of something moving through dry leaves. If it leaves me alone I do the same.

I came across this little guy over the weekend while riding my mtn bike. The bike went right over the snake and I raised my legs up and tried not to run it over.

The snake was right in the middle of the trail and I stopped to warn anyone else coming behind me but also to possibly move the snake. You can see from its body positioning it wasn't super happy. The coloring on these snakes is beautiful. I rarely ever see them so when I do I feel it's special and I'm always amazed at how pretty they are. I started hunting around for a stick to move the copperhead and took great caution to make sure I didn't run into another snake. This next picture is after the snake was moved from the trail the snake is in the picture, you can see how hard it is to see them in this habitat.

The copperhead wasn't aggressive at all when I moved it. These snakes get a bad wrap because they are so feared. They really are special creatures and should be admired. 

Looking at Boats..... Again

Not having something to hit the lakes around here is really starting to annoy me. I'm trying to decide if I want something the family can enjoy or just something for myself. The thought of a john boat is intriguing but I really have no place to store it and don't want to deal with a trailer and the engine maintenance. Inflatable boats have caught my eye and some seem to do quite nicely with just a trolling motor. There's one in particular called the Intex 4 and there are forums posts all over of people tricking these boats out.

This kind of setup is a decent investment some where around $500 which is a pretty decent value for a transportable boat that can hold a family of four and has a motor. 

The next options is this Lifetime or Vibe Skipjack Kayak

Both have decent reviews but to be honest I'm over loading stuff on my car. I did it with my Native and it was doable but I can't say I enjoyed it after a day on the water. I'm leaning towards the inflatable boat and installing a wood floor to go inside of it. We'll see what happens I may end up not getting anything. It's fun to shop but it would be more fun to use one of these boats out on the water. I haven't been fishing in awhile. We've had a real heat wave lately with 100+ heat index and horrible humidity. 

Moldy Chum Photo Contest

Moldy Chum is having a contest where people sent in fishing pictures from before they were catch and release fly fishermen. It's being called the "Before We Knew Better Photo Contest". The entries are pretty good. Here was mine.

Check out the other entries when you get a chance. 

http://www.moldychum.com/vote-today-before-you-knew-better-photo-contest/

When Your Kid Impresses

My daughter discovered how many people in this world live without clean water and decided she wanted to do something about it. She found a company called WaterisLife that donates water filtration systems to family's that do not have access to clean water. It was her idea to raise money to donate to this company so they could continue their mission. I helped her create a website but she choose and wrote most of the content. Her class is rallying behind her making posters and telling friends and family. The most amazing thing this company creates is called a drinkable book. It not only tells people the best practices to keep water clean but the pages in the book can be used as a water filter.

I couldn't be more proud of my daughter for trying to help others in need.  If you'd like to check out the site she collaborated on please click here.

Missing My Kayak

I've been missing my kayak really bad lately. Watching this video I made of fishing this east carolina lake made it worse. I've been scouring Craigslist for canoes and kayaks but haven't pulled the trigger yet on getting any. Until then I'll have to live vicariously through my old videos.

5 Fish

My son wanted the internet to know he caught five fish. It actually was a huge accomplishment. He caught these fish on his own casting by himself with the fly rod. It's weird how the kid's shirts seem to some how fit the timing. His shirt that day said "watch and learn." It's not all fun and games in between there's me untangling rods and keeping hooks from embedding young children. The time with the kids and enjoyment they get fishing make it worth it.

Operation: Find Peacock

There were rumors for years that a peacock lived in our area. I heard a strange bird calling the last few days near my house. I googled peacock calls on youtube and found peacocks making the exact same noise. This peacock seems like it could be someone's pet but it's let loose to roam as it pleases. I don't think its wings are clipped because the last time I heard the bird it was high in a tree. Maybe it jumped from limb to limb but I think it flew up there. I'm going to bring my phone out where I last heard it and play some. Maybe I can get it to come near me so I can get some pictures. Should be a fun event to involve the kids in. I'll post some pictures if I'm successful.