When the weekend hits, lots of people in Maine think that's the perfect time to go fishing. Whether it's an early morning jaunt to a nearby lake, or an evening by a stream, Maine's quiet landscape is perfect for a peaceful commune with nature. But some of that inner peace can be disrupted pretty quickly when coming into direct contact with one of the true 'beasts" of Maine's ponds, lakes and streams.

Shared on Facebook by Christopher Harlow, he was fishing in Greenwood, Maine when he happened to glance over at a rock nearby and saw a snake. Seeing a snake in Maine is actually more common than people realize, but a snake that size? That's relatively uncommon. So what the hell is that thing?

That is a northern water snake and they call many streams, bogs and swamps in Maine home. They are non-venomous (as all wild snakes in Maine are) but aren't afraid to defend themselves and their terrain with a bite. Typically, they're only found in the southern part of Maine, but there's also been several spotted in eastern Maine as well.

Commenters on this post in the Maine Wildlife Facebook group noted that this particular snake looks long and plump. Most northern water snakes are between 2-4 feet long, and as Harlow stated in his post, he believed this snake was about 3 feet long. It's plumpness could mean it had just eaten or perhaps it was a carrying mother.

No need to have fear of these wild creatures but be sure to give them some space. Yes, Maine has snakes and something they can be big.

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