Good thing you got that nasty thing out of there! I ran into my first snake of the year today as well! Don't know what kind it was, sounds like your rattlemouthcottonmocasin, but that sucker was headed for the boat as fast as he could go too. I gave him a good whack with the ugly stick but the dummie kept coming so I hit him a few more times to make sure he got the point! Needless to say if he would have made it in the boat, I would have been out of the boat and everyone around would have been laughing!! Why are snakes in this world again??? LOL