Mississippi

[Tequilasun]

Originally posted by dogbert
Are you bowfishing for those (alligator gar)?

My buddy does that, I have been out with him a couple times, and even though I'm not a great shot, it is pretty fun.

I think we must have the longnosed version of Alligator gar up here.

My son loves seeing them in the water, he used to call them sharks!

[spharis]

That's not me.....I'm much better looking But yes those were caught bowfishing.

Alligators and massive gar are not the only thing you have to worry about depending on how far south you go. Bull Sharks will also swim upstream for a good ways at times. Some kids were frogging in a bayou (Tortue) right next to my house and claim they saw a Bull Shark. I have heard of them coming up the calcasieu and other tribituaries.


******excerpt****
Bull sharks are well known invaders of freshwater areas. The infamous Zambezi sharks of Africa are bull sharks. This species is also the shark found in Lake Nicaragua, rivers in Gambia, and the Ganges. The most inland specimen captured in the United States was taken in the Mississippi River near Alton, Illinois, in 1937 (over 1800 miles upstream from the Gulf of Mexico). In the summer of 2004, an immature male was caught in a gill net in the Red River just north of Simmesport, Louisiana. In fact, scientists believe that a large bull shark was responsible for the vicious attacks in a New Jersey creek that inspired the book and movie Jaws.

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BTW if you are ever around Simmesport there is an excellent oxbow lake just South in New Roads called False River. Great place to boat, surf, ski, board; no sharks that I know of, but you will find a lot of lake lice, and probably a gar or two.

[Top Heavy]

What the heck are lake lice?????

All these new things that I have never heard of.

[Top Heavy]

I'm sure you have snakes in the water also????

[spharis]

Lake lice = jetskis

Yeah, snakes are everywhere; but they usually will not bite unless extremely provoked, stepped on, or while in the water. Almost all varieties are a type of mocassin, the most common being the water mocassin. Stump tails are the widow makers......you usually catch them around stagnant water. Cottonmouths are pretty common, they like hanging out in tall grasses, and copperheads like it hot and dry. We are also lucky enough to have corals (remember red on yellow kills a fellow, red on black friends of Jack) and rattlesnakes, both the diamondbacks, and the little ground rattlers. Those pack a punch. If you want all the nasties.....come here....we have it all. Snakes, scorpions, sharks, gators, and snapping turtles. Add mosquitos and humidity to that, and you are in heaven. That's just the stuff that likes water. There are plenty of land loving animals that will eat you as well.

Read on how to identify a water moccasin here
http://www.dausettrails.com/cottonvswater.htm
BTW take note of the "head above water" statement. That's a good clue as to what type it is.


Of course if you are like most you are going to stick to the city and the A/C so you will never even see half the awesome things that this area has to offer.

It was nice cool and dry today.....63 this morning, and wamed up to about 88. Tomorrow, 90+% humidity with heat in the low 90's......so its gonna feel like 102 or so.

[b/w05]

No offense intended but I would think after that post, Louisiana would be a good place to from!!! Nasty animals & to much humidity.

[wrangler]

Jilly, I'm with you 110%!!! I have no disdain for our friends in the Mississippi River states...but when you hear a description of the critters in and around the water there...hmmmm...it makes you wonder why one would go in the water at all there!!!

I'll take my very very occasional interaction with a rattler crossing the river out here any day!!!

[spharis]

Guess I'll need to post some pics of the areas and the women to persuade.

[Buck]

As spharis said earlier, the critters don't chase you down and drag you off. Except for the mosquitos, of course. In 40+ years of tramping through the woods and water, I've never had a dangerous encounter--at least that I knew about. Most are very passive unless cornered or threatened. I've seen a bunch of snakes, but they were as intent on avoiding me as I was them. Not to say I haven't shot a few, but I am more passive in my old age too.

As far as really dangerous stuff, there are some black bears in the Delta and south Ms, and some wild hogs. Again, not agressive unless cornered. A momma hog can be mean if cornered with babies.

Now, its gonna be hard to impress someone from Colorado with scenery, but we do have some nice places and for the most part on most days, uncrowded.

[Top Heavy]

Well it is good to hear! I appreciate the input and the info. It has for sure given me a little insight to what i could be expecting. Not so sure i will be bringing the boat right away but i really don't think i can live for long without it. Would love to see some pics of the area if you got some.... no big deal if not. Thanks so much

[dogbert]

Well, I'd bring your boat. The boating season is pretty much year round.

[Tequilasun]

You northerners and your phobias about critters!



We don't get gators or sharks here, but I have swam with more snakes then I can count.

Interesting thing about snakes in the water, is that they almost always go to the most disturbed water when they feel threatened. Guess where that ususally is.....right where you are splashing at them.

I can't tell you how many times somebody I know tried to spash a snake away only to have the snake come right at them!

Always funny.

[dogbert]

Originally posted by Tequilasun
I can't tell you how many times somebody I know tried to spash a snake away only to have the snake come right at them!

Always funny.

Except when it's a water moccasin...bad news since they are very aggressive anyways.

[Top Heavy]

Not quite Phobias........ Just happy to not have to deal with them! You get the critters and the year round season, and I'll take the winter with nothing in the water to worry about.

[spharis]

I happen to enjoy running up on a momma hog and her shoates......those are fine eatin' and if mom lets us shes good to take home and fatten up too......I grew up catching hogs on the weekends.

I have had my share of close encounters, cottonmouths included......we used to hunt those to sell to the local fishing lure/ trapper.

If youdon't bring your boat, you will miss out. I'll take some pics this weekend.