I get a turtle call every couple years or so. Customer calls with a 1/8 acre pond that she lets her ducks swim in. A large turtle took her hen mallard. With the tiny size of the pond, I figured I'd be done in a couple days. Set two traps with fresh frozen fish. Caught two snappers in two nights. Since then, she still sees a couple small ones, but hasn't seen the big one in about a month. I suspect that one is no longer there. But, I can't catch the other two small ones. Typically fresh bluegills work. No luck. Tried porgy, nope. Fresh chicken, nada. Floated the cage out towards middle instead of shallows, didn't work. Are they done feeding for the year? Maybe small bits of fish on a hook, on the bottom? Any ideas?
I've hooked snappers with worms while bullheading, so not usually hard to catch.

Sure she is seeing snappers and not what we call stink pots

I don't know what a stink pot is, but I've never seen anything here except snappers and sun turtles, and one box turtle on the road. I saw one of the small ones, looked like a snapper to me.

If it's legal where you're at, take a medium size treble hook with a steel leader hooked on a empty 1gallon jug . Bait it with chicken gizzard and just toss it out in the pond .

Make a castor set and use a 330.I guarantee you'll have it the next night.