Hi Guys I have been snooping around Pond Boss Forums for a couple of months now and finally registered today.

I didn't want to hijack Kevin993's thread on his really cool turtle platforms. Which by the way I will be building one this week.

I have a 2.3 acre spring fed pond that stays full year around stocked with LMB's and bluegill. I believe I have a pretty balanced ecosystem here but I was admiring my pond this morning and noticed all the turtles poking their head up out of the water. At one point I counted 23 at one time. I usually try to let mother nature do most of the balancing act but I am curious if I may need to weed out some turtles. I don't have any snappers that I am aware of. All I have seen are red eared turtles. So how many is to many from a fishing stand point?

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Stan
Welcome to the forum. I'm a turtle lover also but no expert on how many is too many. Since they are mainly the cleanup crew I don't (IMHO) think I would worry to much. I would think they would move on to greener waters after their breeding season, some anyway. Maybe some of the pond gurus will chime in. Post some pictures of your pond... We like pictures!


Pat

Edit for spelling

Thanks Pat I have really been digging this site since I stumbled on to it a few months ago. I was looking for place to add pictures when I find it I will postem up.

Stan, since u have been snooping around for a spell, do u remember the turtle soup discussion a while back Louisiana boys will eat most anything lol And since I grew up in Okla, I am betting during the depression those Okies had some turtle soup also and probably still do.
Tracy

I hear that soft shell turtles make for pretty tasty soup




Pat

I was brought up that you only shoot what you plan to eat. If I thin my turtle population you can sure bet I will be calling some of my Louisiana friends for a good turtle gumbo recipe. But at the moment I am just trying to figure out if it's time to make turtle gumbo

Are red ears table fare?

Turtles that is

I don't know right off hand. I would imagine that they would make good table fare. LOL I guess it depends who you ask. Some think possum is fair game.

You can eat redears. My grandpa ate them in turtle soup during the depression and says they taste like chicken. I think I'd rather eat chicken.

Chicken sure easier to get! Funny how everything is compared to chicken

Yea. Should be frog legs. Chicken tastes just like frog legs! Frogs were here first!

Sho nuff mr B

I too don't have a good answer for you. I'm just not sure you can have too many non-snappers in a pond. I usually have a snapper or two, and several "sliders". There are so many similar kinds, I don't think we can easily distinguish between minor differences.

From my experience, they cause very few issues.

Tonight was the first time I've ever caught a "slider" on a moving bait. I was jigging for crappie and got about a 10-inch slider on a small plastic jig.

I've never tried cleaning and eating anything but snappers. I'm not sure why, except that they are usually a lot smaller and they aren't vicious.

Snappers, when their insides have been cleaned out by being in something like a cattle tank for a few days, are pretty darn good. They just take some work to clean and butcher.

I catch a number of snappers when fishing for my channel cats. I've only cleaned and prepared one in about the last three or four years. I brought it in to work as "BBQ". Everybody thought it was delicious, even though I also told them that it was snapping turtle. I'm not sure if they believed me or not, but they sure devoured it quickly.

Ken

You guys all talk about Golden Shiners as nest robbers. Ever seen a turtle in a fish nest? Its like me at the Chinese buffet. They don't even come up for air!