Alligator Snapping Turtle

[Stan Wright]

Got these photos from Plant Quarantine. Pretty impressive specimen.

-Mike

Hi Stan,

You should take a look at these photos. The specimen was reportedly caught at the very end of the North Fork.

Annette


Thanks Annette, I had no idea we had alligator snapping turtles here in Hawaii ...... Now I see why they don't allow swimming in Lake Wilson.

Stan

[Lrry93]

Nice snapper! Probably was a released pet. Not supposed to be here but they still make it in. Did they kill it? Turtle soup anyone????

[Ken]

Gosh! I hate those ugly things...they give me the creeps. Makes me shiver just looking at them.

I've seen some that are probably over 50lbs!

I once had a gator snapper going full out trying to grab my minnow while I was fishing for pike. I would hate to have that on my line. That turtle's head was about the size of 2 soda cans put together. I'd say it was about 2 times as big as the one in the picture here. Nasty bugger.

As much as I hate them, I won't like to see them killed. They are part of the nature ecosystem in Ontario. I just don't like coming across one...that's all.

[Stan Wright]

Hi Stan,

Forgot to let you know that specimen weighed 60 lbs - definitely don't want to be swimming in the Lake.

Annette

[Stan Wright]

Just got the word.... the turtle weightd 60 pounds.
Stan

[FishinFrenzy]

I've seen many of these when I lived in Oklahoma & Texas. I frequently fished a large farm pond in Oklahoma and caught one on a Power Craw and I thought I finally had hooked into a wall hanger! I finally got it on land and it had to be 25 lbs or more. I had to cut the line and when I was in the process of doing so I accidentally kicked my pole towards it and it snapped my pole in half in the blink of any eye. I took a pic of it so I'll try to locate it and post it. I saw an episode of Jeff Corwin and he got into a muddy pit and drug out one of these things. It was WAY bigger than this one. I think he said it was well over 100lbs and was over 100 yrs old. They remind me of a dinosaur.

[kahuna bass]

Greetings All,

How would you like to be in a tube, paddling around and jaws with a shell, comes your way

Scary thought..........having your foot for lunch.....ops

Hey, thats fishing......you never know what your going to hook into.

Bass regards, Kahuna bass

[FishinFrenzy]

Thanks for the reminder Kahuna...I fish Wilson almost every week in my float tube! You know I've been fishing in a float tube for about 15 years and I've never had any bad things happen. I've been scared by snakes before but no biters thank God. One time a beaver did a tail smack on top of the water about 5 feet behind me. Scared me to death but I got him back.....he had to swim in my s*** ; if you know what I mean!

[kahuna bass]

Dave,

Ah, my bad....................no fun intended

Good thing, snapping turtles dont go looking for trouble.

However, it is funny you mentioned snakes, I remember year's back, fishing in my tube and having a snake try to share my tube with me It kept swimming towards me, and just didn't get the hint. I was able to keep it away with my rod. That must be the reason I like flipping big "plastic worms"

By the way, ever thought about a pontoon boat? I just got one, it beats sitting in the water. I now sit above the water, and have paddles to fight off "un-friendly guest" Heck, I even have a hook up for a small trolling motor.

It's all good, but I still miss my 19ft bass boat.

Bass regards, Mel "kahuna bass"

[FishinFrenzy]

Mel no worries....even though I don't believe you didn't intend anything. I have thought of getting a pontoon...these are pretty darn cool.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true

I also like this one...

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true

Pretty sweet setups especially the Water Skeeter pontoon. Maybe one day I'll get it! What kind of pontoon do you own Mel? And if you have a trolling motor has many lbs of thrust is it?

[Ahnkochee]

WOW Are they established in the lake now? I hope they don't mutate from all the sewage and other miscellaneous toxins dumped in there over years or else...

[Lrry93]

There has been another sighting!!

[Ken]

Those snappers could be good news or bad news...especially the younger turtle which are more carnivorous.

Good news - another predator to eat all the little cichlids that seems to be a pest (according to what I've read).

Bad news - another predator to eat all the juvenile peacock bass

It'll probably take some time before we'll know the effects of having these turtles in the lake.

In the meantime, just make sure you look where you step around the shore or in the water

[Ahnkochee]

These critters always made "catfish noodling" sound like a crazy sport.

[FishinFrenzy]

It's a crazy sport either way you look at it. I lived in Oklahoma for 13 yrs and watched some friends do it but I never had the guts to try. I figured if I lost a hand, I wouldn't be able to cast a pole very well afterwards. I like catfish but not that much. I'd rather limbline or trotline them to death!!