How to catch a turtle?

Question

i go fishing to a lake i no theres turtle there i never seen one in water but i no people and seen people catch them so what would be a good way to catch them

Answer 1

First you need to find out what kind of turtle it is and whether collection from the wild is legal and/or if they're in season (here in Florida, you can't possess a wild caught softshell turtle during breeding and nesting season... other than that, have at it, they come in their own bowl for a reason.) Bacon will work for snapping turtles, bread will work for softshells... oh, wait... are you asking this in the fishing section because you want to hook one and take it home and eat it, or because you want a pet?... softshells don't take to captivity very well, and the hook size you'd want to do a sethook for snappers will cause such massive internal injury that I would not suggest trying to keep a hooked snapper alive... when something's digestive tract is punctured, the most humane thing to do is make soup.

Answer 2

we go up in creeks

you take a stick poke around under the banks in holes until you hit his shell [its a distinctive sound ]

then you get down and run your hand under there until you feel him grab him by the shell and pull him out [90% of them go in head first then back out]

Answer 3

I caught a huge snapper just last weekend while fishing for carp.I had corn and hot dogs.At first I thought it was a plastic bag until it started fighting.And man was that thing vicious once we got it out of the water.

Answer 4

A common way is using a basket trap where you build a rectangular shaped box with a double muzzle for them to climb in but cannot get back out. Place it with the open end laying right on the waters edge on the bank of the pond and bait it with chicken necks put into a ladies pantyhose using the foot part and tie to the top of the trap.

Some people will use a cheap brand of dog food and take a screwdriver and puncture holes in it to allow the scent to get out. Meal cake is also good and again, put it in a pantyhose.

Another method of catching turtles is to take a piece of plywood about 2' wide and 3 - 4' long. Take large nails and drive them at a angle, all slanted the same way about 2 -3" long. Lay the board at a 30 degree angle just at the waters edge with the nails pointing up wards. The turtle will be able to slide over the nails going up but unable to come back down because of the nails angle. I almost forgot, around the outside edge, drive the nails toward the center to create a wall if you will.

Answer 5

They do make traps for them but I do not know how effective they are.  The way that has worked best for me is just to be quick on your feet and use your hands.  When you see one, try to creep up on it (will see you almost immediately), when it goes in the water just full out charge for it.  Chances are that it didn't get a full breath of air and will come up to the surface in the general area that it was.  All you have to do is sit there and don't move and scan the area until it surfaces and then quickly grab it.  One summer a buddy and I used our hands only to catch over 100 turtle in 4 months.

Answer 6

don't catch turtles they are already coming closer to instinct. stick with fish.