Adult Northern Watersnake

pretty good pic...but why the hook for a northern watersnake? they dont leave that bad of a mark

I'm in jersey, and by a man-made dam, we have alot of massive Northern Water snakes that hang out there. I have been all over the east coast and these are some of the biggest (though this year I haven't seen as many as 4 years ago...which was obscenely populated by these beasts)
And with my hook, I barely managed to coax the snake to an area where I could put my hand and grab it...got the snake and a bite worse than any black rat or king I've gotten. I wouldn't grab the neck unless I used to, and I wouldn't risk infection unless I was gonna lose the snake. I almost always have a hook with me, just incase. Big Northern Watersnakes can still put down a pretty formidable bite.
How big is that one? Any idea on the girth of that snake?
-Sean

Northern watersnakes have a natural anticoagulant in their saliva that prevents your blood from clotting if you get bitten. I used the hook, because I am really not that fond of being bitten, especially by a N. Waternsnake. I am not sure what size Northerns you were dealing with, but apparently they werent that large if they didn't leave you with a memorable bite.

Chris

Sutor,

That snake was pretty large, as for it's girth, at this point I dont recall. However, it was quite feisty and like you stated earlier, it's not worth an infection if it can be prevented.

Chris