Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Hi all,
New to boating. just got custom harris flotebote that is 22 feet. We are on the river in Illinois where desplaines, kankakee and illinois connect. So only gone out 5 times due to constant rain in our area, and on the fifth time, there is a water mocassin on the boat. my question is. How common is this? And, if the boat was on a lift, would this stop this from happening?

Not likely, throw a few mothballs where you see it

The lift will do nothing to stop them they aren't aerial like a lot of your constrictors who prefer trees but that said they are fine climbers that being said remove the food you reduce the likelihood of seeing reptiles cotton mouth or friendly grass snake, if your on a dock with power go to your local hardware store and get a electronic rodent barier plugs right in and admits a non audibal sound wave that repeals the mice. If no power you can go awkward but effective and online you xan order ferrite musk ferrites and snakes are natural enemies couple times a year put a couple cotton balls with the musk on em around your dock especially before cold spells. Good luck don't forget your in their area not the other way around, whenever possible remove and relocate even if that just means flipping em overboard as long as you can do do safely.

Snakes around docks are after fish more than rodents. Moth balls work and are cheep. If you buy "SNAKEAWAY" it is groundup mothballs

I wouldnt want my pontoon smelling like my grandmas closet so no moth balls for me. That smell lingers for a long time.Id rather deal with the snake.

We don't have water moccasins out here, but I've seen a few rattlesnakes swimming around on the desert lakes.

Helps keep the PWC-ers at bay.

We put moth balls in one of those mesh wire cricket keepers from Wal Mart and put one in the corners of our slip,keeps the snakes away and boat doesn't smell like moth balls,just the slip does.

I dont have to deal with snakes , at least poisinous ones. Actually have only seen 1 snake in 40 years by my up north retreat. We do have the nasty looking dock spiders though. Id rather have snakes.