Hello, snake newbie here

[guidofatherof5]

Thanks. The snake was caught in northeast Texas. I'm not sure what the proper name for the fish I am using is but they just called them "shiners". I don't have any better pictures of the tail yet. The snake hasn't posed on its back and I still have not worked up the courage to grab the darn thing

So don't grab it. Put you hand in there and let the snake come to you. Their natural curiosity will help. If it gets up in your hand see of you can grasp it but not lift it. Garters adapt quickly to human contact, as a rule.
The picking up part can come later. Before long you'll have it eating out of you hand, literally.