Just saw a big snapper (30-50 pounds) in my new pond. Is this a problem? Do I need to get rid of him (her)? how would I do that? It is the same size as the Kentucky Turtleman catches in that crazy youtube video (I am not going to try that!).

Just set out a couple of jugs or a trot line baited with cut bait and it shouldn't take long to catch him. If you have alot of catfish that you are worried about catching then use a whole bream that catfish can't fit into there mouth.

You can get bigger hook and use a steel leader tied to some heavy test fishing line.

Bait the hook with a piece of meat. Tie the line off to something solid on shore and then wait. He'll come and eat it.

He might not be the only one.

The jury is out on leaving him be, or removing him.

Personally, I don't think it is much of a problem, so I leave them be. I have over (50) I'm sure in a 6-7 acre pond.

my pond is only 1/2 an acre. Is the turtle a threat to my fish (just stocked this spring 450 total fish)? I don't mind letting him be if he is no threat to the fish or my kids.

(I repeat this story every so often, a sure sign of aging.)

A month after Woodstock, a Snapper Trapper took over 30 large Snapping Turtles out of the pond on Max Yasgur's farm. During the festival, none of the chemically enhanced music fans skinny dipping in the pond were bitten.

For the record, Woodstock is NOT where Sunil lost his little toe. But that's another story.

Thanks Theo,

that is what I thought, but looking at my 10 year old eying that turtle before she jumped into the pond and asking me if she was going to be attacked, I wanted to be sure what I told her was right. The turtles are more afraid of us than we are of it.

I easily moved one with a homemade turtle trap. I don't think he was a threat to the free swimming fish in the ponds either but was worried he could bite into one my fish cages.

A turtle that big has been around at least 50 years. It would be a shame to kill him.

If you do catch him and decide to relocate him don't let anyone see you. Knowing Michigan there is a law against that too!

I certainly don't want to kill it. Michigan is such a nutty state with it's regulations.

If you don't mind him eating your vegetation one turtle shouldn't be a problem & they are cool to have around.
But it won't be one turtle for long. One large turtle in a pond usually means it's a female. Females lay eggs. Eggs hatch.
How many are you willing to have in your pond?
It's alot easier to remove the one.

Just to be clear I love Michigan! I really do. Got my fisheries degree there. But...

The inside joke around here for our anglers fishing in Michigan is you need a law degree to understand the fishing regulations.

Ironically my state of Indiana is exact opposite. Too lax IMHO! People developing wetlands for housing divisions, rivers dredged straight as a board etc. etc. Many of our major rivers down here are chocolate colored after ever rain.

It will also take care of any baby geese or ducks that happen to come along during the spring. Of course when that happens, it sorta traumatizes the kids if they happen to see it happen.

That's call wildlife education.

Seriously I am amazed at the kids growing up that think animal life is like the Disney cartoons and movies.

I think I hear the theme music from JAWS..............

30-50 lbs. could certainly be a problem. As was stated above, this is probably a female that will lay eggs, leading to more problems. I've never been grabbed by one, but I've sure been hissed at by some big ones, and I've had them break some pretty big sticks as we were catching them.

I love to have wildlife around my pond, but some critters are just not welcome. Large breeding size snappers are one. I've used chicken quarters and 6/0 circle hooks under a big free floating jug to catch them. When I catch them, I usually "dispatch" them with a .22 shot just behind where the neck goes into the shell.

They are excellent table fare for soups, stews, and casseroles. If you cut the head off, just keep your hands and fingers away from it for quite a while, as it can stay active and dangerous for several hours. Pond Boss had a great article within the last two years about big snappers.

The problem is not the one turtle. It is that particular turtle bringing in the whole extended family, and the generations that follow.

Good luck,
Ken

P. S. If you catch one, don't try to transport it live in the trunk of your car. As a teenager, I tried this with my dad's fairly new car. A friend and I caught a big one crossing a country road one night. We rolled it over, and tossed it in the trunk. By the time we got it home for butchering, it had peed (marinated) the car trunk into an unbelievably nasty odor that never left that car.

A snapper that big will eat anything it can get its mouth on. I mean that almost literally. It will probably not significantly decrease the fish population, but it will eat some of them if it gets a chance. IMO, it would be best to remove it,for both your sake and the turtles. In a small pond like yours, I would want as few potential fish predators as possible. Catch him using one of the methods the other posters mention and either relocate her to a more secluded area or eat/kill the ol' girl, depending on your preference. Your kids are in no danger from the snapper, unless they fall asleep in the water, then all bets are off!

I've read that story before from catmandoo, but that is some funny stuff right there!

My kids are young, but when they're older, if fun is hauling a snapping turtle around in the trunk of my car, I might have to live with it considering what could be worse. The pee in the trunk stinking is the ying of the yang.

Brian - I have them around my ponds too. My ponds are about the same size as yours. I had one last year that would show up when I was feeding the fish. He would get his share of Aquamax 600 and then move on. I say live and let live........

Chuck

In the words of good ole Uncle Bill (Dance), and I quote, "If a turtle eats a fish, the fish deserved it".

They are merely a part of the ecosystem.

He is of no threat to your fish population, IMO.

There is, or at least was, an American Alligator Snapper on display at the Fair Park Aquarium in Dallas for as long as I can remember. This ole boy was around 200lbs, and BIG!!! I used to stare at that turtle for ever it seemed. For some reason I have always been facinated by the snappers.

I borrowed a trap from a friend to remove one. If I remember right all it was, was a box made of fence material with a funnel of the same material on each end. I put a rotten fish in and in no time the snapper was trapped in the cage. The cage was just above water on the top so he could come up for air I think.

I simply moved him to a river about 5 miles away. Like PFV I find them fascinating and wouldn't want to kill one, especially one that has been around as long as me. Correct me if I'm wrong but just like the dogfish, and gar, when you look at one you're looking at a creature that hasn't changed much since the dinosaurs.

Believe it or not this eve. as I was finishing feeding FHM in my forage pond a small snapper apeared & began feasting on the FHM as they fed on the floating game chow. He hovered just under the minnows picking them off. Never seen that before.

I, too, am fascinated by snapping turtles and have caught a couple from my creek in the past. Haven't seen any this year though.

Alligator snappers will eat some of your fish. They use their tongue like a lure to attract them, then snap, like a mouse trap. That being said, Alligator snappers are getting pretty scarce so I would try to catch and move him. Regular snappers live in my pond until I get a craving for turtle soup. I treat them like the catfish in my pond. Only take out what I (or family/friends) want to eat.

send him to me

Reminds me of a Chuck Berry song....

Once while swimming cross turtle creek,
Man them snappers right at my feet,
Sure was hard swimming cross that thing,
with both hands holding my ...... Well you get the idea.

Shaving cream?

You guys crack me up! I have been gone for a week fishing in Canada. I will head back to the pond today (have not built my house on it yet) and look for any signs of the turtle. I think I will let him be for now. If he starts making lots of appearances, I will catch him and move him.

Caught this little guy in our creek this afternoon.

I captured my third painted turtle this year tonight. He or she was drifting into the lighted area of my belt feeder of the bluegill production pond, and I just scooped the turtle up with a net. In the morning I will relocate him to a natural lake a few miles away as I did the last two.

I just don't want to take the chance that they will multiply and possibly chew into my fish cages at least for the pellets. I've been told they won't but I'm not so sure. If I didn't have the cages they could stay.

I have one more to capture in the big pond. I could have today if I had the net ready. It was hiding under some floating vegetation. I'll get him yet.

The turtle is in a the bottom of a five gallon bucket in the garage for the night. Very pissed off. He or she nipped the dog's nose. Didn't do any damage though.