No more wood duck chicks

B

Brian Moyse

Active member
for this guy!!! Caught this turtle in a nice little wood duck hole off a main river. Lots of hens with chicks this time of the year back in there.

Not a really big one, but believe it or not they are extremely tasty!!!

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Brian,
Just think how many ducklings and or adults that one snapper has taken in its lifetime.
Al
 
There is a bigger one in there, a much bigger one that I would like to catch. It wasn't my primary intention to help out the ducks to catch him, but rather for the eating. Despite their looks, prepared properly they are really great to eat. But, if me catching him also benefits momma woody then I guess it is a win win situation!
 
Brian: Capt. Eric and myself had turtle steak for dinner a few years back at Wandas Starfish A little native reastaurant in Harbour Island, which is just off north Eleuthera in the Bahamas I am still thinking about it. It was as good eating as just about anything you could eat! The natives pound the steaks out much as you would pound or tenderize veal or conch for that matter, then they bread it and chicken fry it. MMMMMMMMMMMM! If done right that snapper should be just as good! Rich
 
Rich, funny you mention conch. A sushi restaurant my wife and I frequent had fresh conch flown in recently. Never had it as sushi and I really liked it.

I prepare the turtle two ways. The neck and tail sections I use for base for a gumbo of sorts. The legs, shoulders and thighs are great fried up like chicken and then roasted in the oven until tender. I plan on catching a few more this summer to make "gumbo", and then freeze for duck season.

Isn't that bad to clean once you get the hang of it. I watched a video on youtube where a guy used a hose stuck under the skin to help seperate the skin from the meat, once the turtles head is removed of course.
 
Having a snapper in the boat while wearing sandals doesn't sound like fun to me.

Looks delicious! Nice work Brian
 
Very nice Brian,

Last time I had snapper was at a turtle 'feed' over in Monroe, Wi and that had to have been at least 25-30 years ago. They had rows of Nesco cookers full of turtle. Wonderful stuff. I think our season is open now - might be time to get a few.
 
So how does one catch a snapping turtle?

I remember being a little boy. My Grandpa was a big fisherman. We went to someplace near Rochester MN and went fishing right off a dam. My rod bent over and up I pulled a snapping turtle. Some guy who wa also fishing paid me $5.00 for the turtl. I was a rich little kid.

That one was by accident. How do you purposely catch a snapping turtle.

Mark W
 
Having a snapper in the boat while wearing sandals doesn't sound like fun to me.

Looks delicious! Nice work Brian
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HAHAHAA, yeah you gotta watch your step!!!

I use a strong braided line with a 4/0 Eagle Claw laser sharp hook. Make sure the braided line is strong enough and resistent to abrasion. I tie on the hook with a uni-knot. Go and catch some bluegills, white bass, small sheepheads, whatever is available locally. Caught this one on about an 8" sheephead. Bury the whole hook into the fish, I don't like to leave the barb hanging out. I have tried cut fish and even tough pieces of beef but have always come back the next day to an empty hook. The whole fish seems to work better for me. Probably keeps from catching the small ones also.

If you catch a good one there are plenty of good cleaning instructions on youtube. I take the meat and soak it in saltwater overnight. For the legs and thighs I run them through a thin eggwash and then dredge in seasoned flour. Cook in hot oil until nice and brown. Preheat the oven to 350, place in covered baking dish and roast for about 2 hours. You need to cook it this long in the oven so that it will be nice and tender. Better than fried chicken!

Just be careful handling them! Also good to remove the head first and hang them to bleed out for a half an hour or so. But be careful with the head even removed they can clamp down on you!!

Brian
 
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Nice Turtle Brian. We have them at our game dinner in gumbo. Very good eats.

A pressure cooker is your friend if you want tender meat.
Give the parts a ride in some stock and with some veggies. Falls off the bones.


Bob
 
Don't eat that snapper too fast - I'd hate to see you get bloated up.

Thanks for sharing - good stuff.

T
 
Jim, I hope you take me up on the offer to go after cans this fall and I will bring soup turtle soup/gumbo with me!!! Hope all is well !!!


Tod, I believe Mark Twain said it best "Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." You win....

Brian
 
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Mark,

When I was a kid we got them two ways: The first was with a stout hand line - braided casting line + sinker to hold it to the bottom and a large hook that was baited with either hot dogs or bacon. Chicken works too but the hot dogs and bacon have enough fat that the hook floats just off the bottom maybe a foot (depending on where the sinker is attached). Fling it out in the water and tie it off to a tree on shore. Come back the next morning to get your turtle.

The other way was with a bow and fish arrow. Yep, a fish arrow will indeed penetrate a snapper's shell. It's a bitch to get it back out though. Fun way to spend an afternoon sneaking up on turtles.
 
Tod, I believe Mark Twain said it best "Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." You win....

Brian
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Ah shucks, I'm touched.

T
 
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