Not talking jugs or baited set lines, cant do that here (long list of cant do's here)

Nice FB page...should have a few more comments with the pictures.

We always called what you are talking about noodling I think rats4me. A pole with a hook on the end... my grandpa used to catch 1000's of pounds a week of alligator snappers and common snappers like that way back when.

Yep thats what I am talking about Shane 10-14 ft pole with a large treble hook on the end, hook them by bubble trails, floaters in the weeds or certain times of the year in clear water situations where you can see them ( thats the easy ones) My my grandpa used to make a living just hooking years ago, my dad has been hooking them for 60 years never was many guys that did it or were good at it, steep learning curve and varying situations.

Anyone used the Quarles style turtle traps? How do they work? Caught any softshells in them?

I do. All of my turtle traps are similar to them. Some of them are concrete reinforcement wire with 1 1/4" webbing throats, some are just the wire frame with webbing throats, and some of them are completely wrapped with webbing of either 1 1/4", 1 1/2", or 2" webbing.

I also have a single trap that's entirely made of PVC coated 1 1/2" hex wire, even the throat. It works really well for turtles.

I just purchased 2 rolls of PVC coated wire, and I'm going to make some turtle traps with some of it. I'm going to make at least one with a throat made of webbing, and I'm going to make at least one that has a wire funnel throat.

I can tell you this much...if you make your turtle traps out of PVC coated wire "crab trap wire" they will last forever as turtle traps. The one I have I have been using since 2002 and it's still going strong. Now that I have plenty of wire my traps will be made of coated wire from now on, either webbing or wire throats. It's cost effective, it works really well, and it lasts. A person can make them out of coated wire for roughly $10 each, not to mention you can make one in minutes.

I also make mine square or oval. They stack and they don't roll as easily.

Better hurry up and catch them. They are gonna get away.

https://youtu.be/hyUmGHdK9e8


Told ya.

What was the weight on that turtle? Also, how long is the shell?

madcotrapper, in all fairness, that is a softshell turtle, which is a totally different type than a snapping turtle. Both water turtles, yes but, a softshell is much faster in the water and on land. Snapping turtles are much, much slowly on land due to their bulk and weight.
Those snappers pictured are all females out of my nets at the lake and are going to be returned to the water anyway, as I don't kill females and I don't take any turtle under 13 inches in length,( Ohio state law).
The bigger males,(like pictured below) are what I'm after.

I know sweet pea. I was just having a bit of fun.

Dandy catch.

I have a whole bunch more just like him !

Thanks for sharing!!

How many turtles can you put in a tote and how often do you change water?

I have between 30-40 usually on snappers, sometimes a little less on softhells but not much.( They're a little more fragile than snappers).
We have a 13 inch law here so I only keep the larger turtles. I change water once a week, Try not to hold turtles more than a week or they will end up with tank rash from over crowding. Also the cooler water is, the better. I use well water that's ice cold and shade them.

Endangered species they say. Some of these biologists need to go back to school. That makes 7 loggerheads out of 3 nets checked so far this morning.