Catching turtles using a rod and reel is fun. However, if you don’t feel like going on a long fishing tour, you can easily spend some quality fishing time at little ponds and lakes.
You can find turtles in just about every pond and creek that you are going to be around. I’m going to show you guys today how I catch turtles with a fishing pole. First of all, let’s talk about baits.
What Is The Best Turtle Bait?
The answer would be fish. If you wish to use bait, you should use various kinds of meat, either dead or alive. Live turtle traps use fish as bait primarily because fish makes up most of the turtle’s diet. You can catch minnows to use as the bait for turtles. Besides minnows, bluegills and small bass can also be two other great options.
By hooking bluegills, small bass, or minnows, you can transport them live into turtle traps or attach them to a dock by securing their fins with a fishing line after placing them in the trap. Fish scraps or catfish heads are also easy and inexpensive sources of bait for live traps.
In addition to beef cuts, live turtle traps also use beef cuts. Beef cuts with more toughness stay fresher longer in water than ground beef or softer meats.
Turtles can be attracted by using inexpensive cuts, such as the neck. Perhaps the butcher can give you scraps. If there are fish feeding on the bait, the cuts will also endure longer.
You can use worms if you don’t want to use fish or beef. Turtles are not as easily caught with worms as with fish or beef, but they are readily available and free bait.
By mistake, fishermen sometimes catch turtles while trying to catch a fish with worms on their hooks. Fish are not likely to eat worms in a bait bag, so the turtle can find the trap before the fish eat them.
Become Familiar With Local Laws
First, find out what the local laws are regarding fishing for turtles. There may be local laws that prohibit the fishing of turtles in certain states, such as Maryland.
Getting rid of them all at once can negatively affect an ecosystem, and they can play an important role in local ecosystems. The commercial pet trade and overfishing have now made fishing for turtle’s illegal in some parts of the United States.
The removal of turtles from their habitat or fishing for them is now illegal in other areas. Many of these laws, including those passed just a few years ago, mention private lands in the language.
You may still be prohibited from catching wild turtles without a permit, even if you own the land. To ensure compliance with local laws, check them first.
Catching A Turtle With A Fishing Pole
Trapping turtles can be a bit challenging, but it can be a rewarding experience. A fun part of the process is figuring out exactly what is needed.
The turtle, as a species, is usually omnivorous, but this does not mean you cannot hook it with a broccoli piece. Hopefully, the information here will help you become an expert turtle fisherman in the future.
Choose The Right Bait
You must use the right bait when fishing for turtles. Some fish will take looser bait, but a turtle will pull the bait off the hook and run off with it. The tougher the meat, the more likely it will need to become broken up by the teeth to be consumed.
It’s fine to use chicken liver when you’re targeting turtles that are not aggressive, but if you’re targeting snapper, use tougher meat. Connective tissue or freezer-burned meat that you plan to throw away works well as well as meat that has a lot of connective tissue in it.
Snappers tend to be aggressive, both when they are eating their meals and when they are caught. Shells that are more than one foot long will actually be unwilling to give back an object they have taken. It is never worth losing a finger for a meal, no matter how good it might be.
Finding the Right Spot to Fish
The right spot is more important than the bait sometimes. There is no doubt that turtles, especially snappers, can be found in a wide variety of water bodies, whether they are large lakes or small creeks.
You may be surprised to find a lot more swimming around your boat or along the bank than you think. It’s easy to see only one turtle at a time, but there may be a dozen or more hidden elsewhere.
Basically, you need to make sure that turtles can be found where you want to fish for them. There may appear to be turtles everywhere, but sometimes you will happen upon an area where there are none at present. You may find others in your local community who like to go turtle fishing and know where the best spots are.
Naturally, you’re going to want to check the local area to find some. It might be more difficult to find turtles during the day, but if there are enough turtles nearby, you might see one or two after dark. With a flashlight, go around midnight or just after dusk in the area to see if you can spot a turtle or two roaming around.
Use A Bobber When Turtle Fishing
If you want to catch turtles, you will need a bobber. You can use them to determine when something is on the hook and maybe even to determine whether it is a fish or a turtle on the line.
Bobbers are essential for fishing for turtles. Bobbers can also help keep your bait level for fishing while providing a visual clue as to what is after your bait. The turtles will pull the bobber down when they take the bait, and it will stay down.
In general, they don’t swim around as fish do. Rather than eating directly from the surface, they go straight to the bottom of the pool. Therefore, selecting a bobber appropriate for the situation is crucial.
Turtle Fishing During The Daylight Hour
Use a milk jug as a bobber if you’re just planning to set a line while you’re actually fishing. Since you wouldn’t be holding the line in your hand as you would if you were with a fishing pole, you might want to use a tougher line than just a regular fishing line.
The more the jug stays down when you see it, the more likely you are to have a turtle on your hands. A turtle just goes to the bottom of the water because that is what fish will do when they see something like that.
The hook should be brought to the surface with slow, steady pressure since a quick jerk may cause it to fall out of its mouth. Though they can be a little difficult, the result is worthwhile.
Turtle Fishing At Night
The likelihood is that you will have difficulty seeing a fluorescent bobber at night unless it is in the brightest of lighting sources. It is important to pick one that is appropriate for your needs.
A glow-in-the-dark or an LED-equipped bobber might be a better option if you plan to fish at night when they’re most active. It is easier to fish at night with bobbers because visual cues are provided. The line where you can be cut by something powerful, such as a turtle, shouldn’t be in your way.
Don’t Forget Slip Sinkers
You will need a slip sinker on your line as soon as you decide what bobber you will be using. Slip sinkers are lead weights that are just slid onto the line. The bobber should be far enough from the hook to prevent the hook from getting too close to it.
The bait would otherwise float up too high, making it difficult for the turtle to get close enough to get interested in it. If there are no sinkers on the bait, it will just float in the water. Weighting down the line a little bit will help reduce the amount of space it occupies.
Final Words
Time spent fishing never goes to waste, whether you’re soaking up the sun on a boat or soaking up the sun on a dock. Maybe you would like a more challenging challenge so you can go turtle fishing. It’s fun and easy to catch. And that’s how to catch a turtle with a fishing pole.
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