I never felt that bad when catching a freshwater turtle and unhooking them or when I catch a Diamondback Terrapin but this little fellow had one of those faces. He winced every time I would try to pull the hook and was really calm when I handled him. I felt really bad for him. I caught it in the harbor by the DNR along with 15 plus stingrays a few small fish and one big break off.
17ft Key west
Did you contact DNR to come get the turtle after you caught him?
No thought he would be fine it was just a lip hook and I got it out and he seemed fine.
17ft Key west
I would delete that
Funny, I caught a big turtle off the coast of Tampa. He was so persistent going after my bait even after we unhooked him and turned him loose, we pulled anchor and moved.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
I second the idea of deleting this post. Just the image of having your hands on a sea turtle can get you in trouble.
If DNR would burn someone for touching a sea turtle to unhook and release it safely, that’s just silly. It’s not like he was specifically fishing for turtles if that’s even possible??
That said, you should probably delete the pic OP to avoid people who get caught up in stupid technicalities and enjoy making other people worry about telling the truth.
Yeah, next time just cut the line. Leave him about 20 foot to drag around with lead and all. Just quit targeting those sea turtles. I would have doen the same, he is better off w/o the hook.
Catfish
I think you did the right thing. I practice catch and release quite regularly and I hate it when I really gut hook a fish or stress them out when removing the hook. No body in their right mind would burn you for what you did. Unfortunately, the world is full of idiots and bleeding heart libs. I can only imagine that somewhere, someone is crying about that picture.
I can see it now: “look at that picture, he is strangling that turtle so hard that blood is coming out it’s mouth. Look at all of the turtle blood in the sand. What is this world coming to…First Global Warming and now The Great Turtle Strangulation of 2014…Everybody Panic”
All jokes aside, you obviously did the right thing, and I wouldn’t worry about the picture.
Narcosis
Not saying you didn’t do the right thing. Was just recommending take picture down to avoid the ridicule from some people assuming you hurt it.
DNR website says if you can safely and quickly unhook it to do so and release it. What 40 did was correct.
2014 Wilderness Systems Ride 135
1995 Searay 175 Series
Now that I look closer, it does kind of look like he is wrestling that turtle. Yep, better delete it.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
I was fishing down the bank from 40"er. that thing floated by me, I netted it, coolered him, ate him the next day. taste like chicken. 23 told me they’re delish, and he was right.
Cooter stew?
quote:
Originally posted by PeaPodI was fishing down the bank from 40"er. that thing floated by me, I netted it, coolered him, ate him the next day. taste like chicken. 23 told me they’re delish, and he was right.
PeaPod you are right, they are delicious , but to me they taste like a cross between spotted owl and bald eagle.
quote:
Originally posted by PeaPodI was fishing down the bank from 40"er. that thing floated by me, I netted it, coolered him, ate him the next day. taste like chicken. 23 told me they’re delish, and he was right.
He’s a little on the big side for me; I usually gather up about forty of the little diamondback terrapins for my stews…tender little guys once you pry em out of their shells.
Redfish Baron Extraordinaire
I like clubbing a few dozen or more harp seals. They go great on the smoker, plus you can make a snazzy jacket with their fur and fuzzy undies to match.
Nothing, and I mean nothing, tastes better than baby manatee…
Right thing to do but I would not have taken the time for a photo. NMFS says protected species must be released immediately. While it might be a technicality, some officers could be looking to make a name by writing a huge ticket. I occasionally work with some of those people and some of them lean so far to the left if they fell over they would land in Australia.
Seafox 246 w 300 Yamaha
quote:
Nothing, and I mean nothing, tastes better than baby manatee....
You’ve obviously never tried braised Bald Eagle wings.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.