sk8ter107 Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 What do you guys do when you catch them or any turtle? I caught one today and he broke about 6-7inches off the tip of my pole. He wasn't happy with me at all and was definitely not little. Got my buzzbait back though after holding him down. So any tips on getting these monsters off? Quote
Theangler1 Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 I never really mess with them especially when you're talking big snapping turtles. I do not want to lose a finger! If it's not that important you're going to have to play it safe rather than being sorry later. That's what I suggest. Quote
flyingmonkie Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 Live action! Little advice from me. I've caught turtles on live bait before, and can usually yank the bait out with pliers. I've caught 20-30lb snappers on trot lines before, and it was an easy decision for me to just cut the line. 3 Quote
Big Ken Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 Cut the line. Some of those big snappers can get real nasty. I have some friends that enjoy eating turtles, not me. Quote
sk8ter107 Posted June 20, 2014 Author Posted June 20, 2014 I didn't have anything to cut the line (50lb braid) with me at the time. Next time I will have my tackle bag with me haha. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted June 20, 2014 Super User Posted June 20, 2014 Outdoorsmen should ALWAYS carry a knife and fishermen should ALWAYS carry pliers. 10 Quote
Super User Oregon Native Posted June 20, 2014 Super User Posted June 20, 2014 Outdoorsmen should ALWAYS carry a knife and fishermen should ALWAYS carry pliers. Yup....Have carried a pocket knife for years. Have only lost a few to airports when I forgot them in pocket. Not many people carry them anymore. Keeping them sharp is good to. Quote
speed craw Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 My grandpa always said you carry a handkerchief and a pocket knife , now I don't know about the handkerchief but I always carry a knife , and keep a multitool in my fishing bag . Quote
JaxBasser Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 Two days ago first cast with a brand new LC Pointer I hooked a huge soft shell turtle. Destroyed the hooks but I got lure back and the turtle got to live. Quote
Avalonjohn44 Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 what i do is tease them with a stick till there head comes out then smash there head to bits and pieces. A true genius. Oh, and here: http://www.grammar.cl/english/there-their-they-are.htm Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted June 20, 2014 Super User Posted June 20, 2014 what i do is tease them with a stick till there head comes out then smash there head to bits and pieces. Well young man, I think you should consider your audience before making a post like this. Our members are first and foremost conservationists in a traditional sense, and that does not mean tree-huggers. Unless it is a matter of self-defense, killing animals just to watch them die is unacceptable and inexcusable. 6 Quote
Nelson Wormefeller Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 I fish from a kayak and when I see one of them (as large as a garbage can lid) a mere foot away from me, it kind of scares the heck out of me. I believe their neck can shoot out half the length of their shell ? Quote
Kevin Beachy Posted June 20, 2014 Posted June 20, 2014 Well young man, I think you should consider your audience before making a post like this. Our members are first and foremost conservationists in a traditional sense, and that does not mean tree-huggers. Unless it is a matter of self-defense, killing animals just to watch them die is unacceptable and inexcusable. the reason i kill them is because it is in a small pond and snapping turtles are disliked there. Quote
Kevin Beachy Posted June 21, 2014 Posted June 21, 2014 If you can't get the hook/lure ou with a pliers then cut the line and let it go. Some times if you tease them with a stick they will grab that and it makes it easier to get the hook out. Ron right!! Quote
PJBoudzy Posted June 21, 2014 Posted June 21, 2014 Well young man, I think you should consider your audience before making a post like this. Our members are first and foremost conservationists in a traditional sense, and that does not mean tree-huggers. Unless it is a matter of self-defense, killing animals just to watch them die is unacceptable and inexcusable. ^^^ Quote
sk8ter107 Posted June 21, 2014 Author Posted June 21, 2014 This is a private pond I was at and the owner has now told us to kill all snapping turtles as he doesn't want them to be in there. Next time he won't get to live. Quote
Jon G Posted June 21, 2014 Posted June 21, 2014 I've grown up around reptiles (snakes, lizards,turtles) and have owned many species of reptiles and I know people who own snapping turtles. Most of the big snappers you see are 50+ years old and to kill them just because you dont want to deal with them is completley wrong. If you catch a smaller one you can put them in a "trance" by "hovering" them under the water. If it is a bigger one or you are uncomfortable putting your hand near one (dont blame you) just cut the line just like a fish the hook will rust out. Killing snappers or any turtles for that matter in some states is treated like poaching and you WILL be given a serious fine for killing them. So just make things easier for your and the turtle and cut the line. It is a win-win situation. 2 Quote
Super User F14A-B Posted June 21, 2014 Super User Posted June 21, 2014 If you're capable, remove hook/ lure... Otherwise cut the line and let it be. Quote
kfelton0002 Posted June 22, 2014 Posted June 22, 2014 The thought of someone smashing a turtle makes me cringe.. please don't kill animals for pleasure unless you are going to eat them! Be humane and cut the line. If the turtle is going to die anyway (due to deep hooking) at least give it a fighting shot. They're tough as whit leather. My brother kills them when he catches them but he gives them to a buddy who eats every one he gets his hands on. I caught a smaller one once on a shiner and I wasn't too afraid of a little guy. My husband had me stretch his neck out and then he grabbed its head and used pliers to remove the hook. No blood or anything and the turtle was fine.. even went after another minnow after he was back in the water. lol Quote
kfelton0002 Posted June 22, 2014 Posted June 22, 2014 If the turtles are not wanted put it in the back of your truck and relocate it. Treat is as you would want to be treated. They are just trying to survive, and like a previous post said some of the larger turtles are quite old. Please don't kill them just because they are unwaned. If the pond owner wants the turtles dead let him do the killing. And alligator snapping turtles are prohibitated from being killed and are to be returned to the water unharmed if possible. Regular snapping turtles can be "harvested" but that means taken and not killed and left on the bank to rot. 1 Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted June 22, 2014 Global Moderator Posted June 22, 2014 A lot of places you can't relocate them because of the potential to spread unwanted species like zebra mussels, gobies, or snakeheads. People love to eat them around here so I have no problem finding someone who wants to eat them. 1 Quote
kfelton0002 Posted June 22, 2014 Posted June 22, 2014 A lot of places you can't relocate them because of the potential to spread unwanted species like zebra mussels, gobies, or snakeheads. People love to eat them around here so I have no problem finding someone who wants to eat them. I don't mean reloacate them to another state or continent, maybe just to the nearest river where they are naturally or a nearby silt pond or creek. I understand relocating them to somewhere those organisms aren't currently would be bad. There are people my brother know that eats them regularly. They actually go out and throw a rope with a heavy hook with bait to catch them. I've heard they are delicious and taste like chicken but yuck.. I couldn't bring myself to eat one. Quote
tatertester Posted June 22, 2014 Posted June 22, 2014 Turtles are delicious. My uncle was a turtler ,and, that was his only occupation for 40 years. He always drove a new truck and had folding money on him at all times. Quote
jigabooyah Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 I caught 3 in one day while river fishing for catfish and rough fish. I cut the line. I didn't want to hurt them any more. I had no idea what to do. That day I was using 4/0 hooks thinking the turtles wouldn't take it. It made me sad. I don't even like to kill bugs. Guess turtles like nightcrawlers. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted June 24, 2014 Global Moderator Posted June 24, 2014 I don't mean reloacate them to another state or continent, maybe just to the nearest river where they are naturally or a nearby silt pond or creek. I understand relocating them to somewhere those organisms aren't currently would be bad. There are people my brother know that eats them regularly. They actually go out and throw a rope with a heavy hook with bait to catch them. I've heard they are delicious and taste like chicken but yuck.. I couldn't bring myself to eat one. Even one pond to another would be enough to get a hefty fine in KS in the right/wrong situation. My best suggestion is if you aren't going to keep them, just release them back into the water they came from. No way I'd eat one either, and I've eaten some nasty stuff. One of the guys that I used to give them to said that they had 9 different colors of meat in them? Maybe it's different other places, but here if meat was 9 different colors, it's rotten Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.