Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Pics of a Smooth Soft Shell Turtle my son caught

Here is some pics of what we believe to be a smooth soft shell turtle. My son caught this tonight using shad sides as bait. I have done a little reserach and really can't find a lot of info on these turtles. I would think this turtle would actually be good for the pond. I have huge snappers I am planning on getting rid of, I believe they are eating all my small fish.

Anyone know much about these soft shell turtles?

they make good turtle stew.

Got any recipes?

We used to call those pancake turtles, but those were spiny soft shells. You might check them out, they look a lot like this guy. They do bite, and eat fish.

Hey all. Let me just jump in here with my usual "Ain't no way those turtles are putting a serious dent in your fish population".

Ok, carry on.

PS. Don't mind me, I'm "differnt".
PPS. I don't even have enough experience to have an opinion, but that never stopped me before.

Agreed.

Also agreed.

The truth shall set me freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

They're fast, and can easily catch unwary fish. They have razor sharp jaws, and a lightning quick bite. They aren't prolific breeders like the various sliders. I wouldn't want more that about 1 per acre.

...commonly referred to up here as "animated pancakes"

When they're big enough, they eat just as good as a snapper...which isn't really all that often.


Oh...and ask me how I know they can bite!

Hey Matt, how do know that softshells bite?








sorry

Thats a nice size soft shell! I've caught a few of those while fishing for small catfish using 8# line(forgot my catfish rod only had bass pole). They sure hiss and bite alot but I'm not sure which is worse, their bark or bite...

Their bite is MUCH worse than their bark, I can assure you.

When I young and puny (at least I ain't young anymore) had a buddy that swore their "beaks" were just as soft as their shells. I decided I had to get that hook back out of one's mouth, rather than just cut it off. NASTY surprise! Way faster than a snapper, and once he felt some flesh between them jaws, he was determined to hang in there. Screaming like a lil girl, swingin' him around smackin' him on the boat seat. He finally did let go...and cost me a tetanus shot, some stiches and a really great tongue lashing by grandma.

"They EAT stuff and they don't have teeth! Didja really think he couldn't bite?"

They seem a bit slow to actually bite...but don't be fooled.

See, now that story shouldn't be funny, yet I find myself laughing at the image of a young Matt swinging a poor turtle around like a New Year's Eve party favor and screaming like a girl.






sorry again (and sorry to you girls also)

sure breaks up the monotony of swingin' a dead cat

A softshell turtle's neck can come out about half his body length, so if you try to grab it, you need to grab by the back.

That's funny, I never tire of swingin' a dead cat.

Swingin' LIVE ones can get old though.

Oh sure...laugh at me, why dontcha? Well, the wife does the same thing.

I have the scar to prove how unfunny it seemed at the time...but it's a itty bitty one, I guess.

That kinda backwards crescent moon shaped thing on my right index finger just below the first knuckle. Hey, it hurt REAL bad at the time...