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Fishing Friday at the lake at Cofer Park in Tucker when a huge turtle came to the surface thirty yards or so out from the bank. The head looked broader than my hand and the shell had to be over two feet across. Pretty clearly a snapping turtle but unable to tell if common snapper or the protected alligator snapper. From the size more likely the alligator, but didn’t see the characteristic rows of spikes on the shell. If it is a common snapper this one might be a record breaker. Soon as I get clear photos I’ll post. Let me know if any of you have run into one of this size. I’m going to give cut bream a try and see if I can get a hookup. Got a feeling that hooking will be a lot easier than landing.
Back to the lake this afternoon to fish in general and to also try for Moby Turtle. No luck on the bass or catfish but late in the day I hooked a just the right size baby bream. Transfered the little bait bream to one of the heavy bottom fishing rods and dedicated the last fifteen minutes of fishing time to turtling. It didn’t take that long. Within a couple of minutes the line straightened, the rodtip bowed and I set the hook. From the beginning it was obviously a turtle and a big one. The old haul and reel worked him all the way to the bank. If it wasn’t Moby Turtle, it was his twin. BIG turtle. And a common snapper, too, so he (or she) was eligible for the cookpot. But not this time. I was reminded of the value of wire leader when the knife edge of Mr. Turtle’s beak severed the line. Back in a day or two with wire leader and a big landing net. Next post should include pix and a recipe for turtle soup.
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