Had a 3 foot water moccasin swim beneath my line the other day while fishing above a culbert. I waited until he was right beneath me and gave a tug, caught him in his tail and the fight was on. It has eased up to my cork thinking it was some critter, then swam on by, and when he got half way past the cork, I ripped the line up and hooked him. So, I'm standing there fighting this poisonous snake on my fishing line and suddenly a little light bulb went off in my empty head; I'm thinking, "ok big boy, you caught him, now whatcha gonna do?" About ten seconds later, he fought himself loose and the fight was over.