I am not going to kill it, just would like to know what kind he is
He's in our backyard
Pretty cool looking to be honest
I know he does more good than harm

That is the kind that I have the most trouble identifying. I THINK it is a banded or common water snake. If I'm wrong, then it's a cottonmouth. You live near water?

As a matter of fact, we do
Our backyard stops at the lake. Cedar Creek to be exact

Diamondback water snake I believe...

Water snake...miss identified often for a water moccasin.

They can be a bit aggressive and nasty in my opinion.

Yep, banded water snake. Moccasins have very triangular heads and he doesn't. Although that head can be hard to confirm when the damn things are chasing you.

Thank you to everyone for your reply
But Gumbeaux's reply had me falling out of my chair LOL

I hate snakes

From having shot about a billion Diamondback Water Snakes and Cottonmouth Moccasins and examined the remains, that snake looks too thin to be a Cottonmouth, which are pretty thick when grown. But that doesn’t mean that I’m right. The head needs to be removed and examined.

I hate snakes too. Most fun I had as a feral child was to wander the ponds and pits along the Mississippi River, with my 22 and a pocket full of ammo, looking for snakes.

Fish eater. I do them in if they get in my pond.

Definitely not a Cottonmouth. From what I can see of it.....I'd say Diamondback Water Snake. Its the most common 'large' water snake in Texas.

I'd like to have a better pic of the pattern on the back, but for sure a harmless water snake (unless you're a fish or a frog).

Yes.

Oh yeah. I’ve messed around with a couple of them, when I was younger and more agile. I don’t do that anymore. Stupid things have quite an attitude.

Could be a 'sneaky' snake.

Another excellent example that reptiles don't care what time of year it is, just what the weather is doing.