“Cottonmouth” and “Water Moccasin” are two names for the same creature, a snake that is common here in the Lake Martin area and commonly regarded among the most feared creatures that share the lake with us. 

But the fear of venomous snakes is way out of proportion with reality: many more Americans die from boating accidents, lightning strikes and insect bites every year. In fact, every betting man would be impressed with the one in 50 million odds that any American will succumb to a venomous snake bite in a given year.