[bill_gfish]

I found this link messing around on the ODNR site. I don't trap but found it interesting anyway.

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/fishing/turtle/turtle.html

I never looked any further but I wonder if softshell/leatherbacks fall under the same regs. as snappers.

Bill

 

[lureboy98]

My dad snagged a really big snapping turtle in the Mohican River last year. It was huge and we didn't want to deal with it. Luckily the hook worked its way out when he went to lift it out of the water.

 

[bill_gfish]

I hooked a leather back once at Loramie just under his neck. Was surprised when I shined the head lamp on it. Didn't know what do do with it, I did manage wiggle out the hook with the help of my foot and needle nose pliers. I let him go and later found out there is a guy who will take em if I catch em. they say there are alot of turtles in Loramie, just may have to clean the next one I catch.

Bill

 

[flathunter]

I used to put out setlines for snappers long ago, caught alot of really big ones..But they are a pain to clean

 

[ShoreBoundOne]

Kind of a funny story

When i was about 13, a young lad growin up right on the Chesapeake Bay. I used to catch Blue crabs with a chicken wing on a string right off the dock in our backyard. well on occasion, i would leave the lines out overnight....one morning i went down prepared for another day of crabing and when i pulled in my lines from the day before, low and behold, the grandaddy of all snapperes (as far as i was concerned) he was swimin at the end of my line...no hook or nothin...he just gobbled down that chicken wing and wasnt about to barf it back up for freedom.
Well i decided i was gonna cook that sucker up and have me some turtle soup...herein lies the problem...i had no idea where to start field dressin this thing...so i got my father out of bed (never a good idea on sunday mornin) but he indulged me and seeein as he was brought up on the arkansas river, he knew about eatin snappers...so we lopped off his head and hung him out to bleed.....the ODNR mentions "reflexes" and buddy let me tell you them things got some reflexes....after hangin for about 5 hours i took him down and hit him with the garden hose...my old man couldnt stop laughing cuz i jumped about a mile when that upside-down turtles legs started goin about a mile a minute lol.
Now my mom entered the picture cuz its time to steam the shell off and get at the meat....while it steamed, the smell that emanated from under that snappers shell made me want to barf lol...it was foul (and i dont mean it smelled like chicken).
My mom finised the soup after a few hours and although it smellled and tasted wonderful by the time it was ready...i couldnt get past the original smell and i think i only had one bowl lol.
After that, all snappers i caught on chicken wings....swam away with a full belly and a short end of string hangin out of there mouths.

Mitch

 

[lureboy98]

HAha good story. I wouldn't mind catching a few!