I fear these skeeters will carry me away out of my bow stand.

Not at all. You can't leave any hook/line unattended, even for 5 minutes.

if legal hoop nets offer a far better choice for harvesting turtles as they allow you to select and keep turtles of a larger size.
it would be difficult to remove a hook from a smaller turtle without damaging or killing it.

I need to learn more about the commercial demand for turtles around here. We have plenty that need to be thinned out by trapping.

Dave

I had a Asian guy that I sell scallops and lobster call yesterday and ask about buying turtle. PM me if any of you are looking for a buyer. The guy is from NY

hmmmmm, I think I see the baitholder, but I know nothing about trapping
RR

mousie, I have a question? The skip jack herring and carp are a oily fish, Have you ever tried beaver meat for bait?

I have had beavers devoured in less then 24 hours on some of me nuisance jobs during the summer time. I know it was turtles, they were still there.
Just a thought.
Dave

I once knew a guy who used groundhog meat on hook lines and claimed it worked well...
Like Dave, I have had summer nuisance beaver fed on by turtles, as well as muskrat and 'coon, (which were accidental catches in footholds set for muskrat).
I have heard of guys using chicken meat and fat with good results.
I myself, have only used fish.
Trout would be my first choice but not readily available here.
Carp is however and works fairly well.

I just thought the oily beaver meat would travel as a slick in the water better than chicken, Cheaper and more plentiful for me any way.

I like to try to utilize my catch to the least amount of waste that i can during the summer time nuisance control.

Just thinking with the key board again.
Dave

Beaver,Coon and Muskrat work well. if you cant get FRESH FISH

I have a great source of road kill deer meat, liver etc. and I have tried it many times and have never caged trapped a turtle with it. Have tried beaver also with poor results, yet I have had snappers kill live snared beaver and like others have stated eat them. Best bait is still oily fish, salmon and bluefish the best.

I ( think ) and Newt will correct me if I'm wrong, that he ( Newt) used menhaden, which like Bluefish, isn't readily available this far east.
It reminds me of a 'Ship Jack Herring', which is a common fish here in the rivers.
That may, or may not , be the true name of them...anyone know ?
The guys out east use 'carp caps', which is the top of a carp's head.
They claim the oil gland is in the head, and if you toss one into the water, you can surely see oil float to the top.

The 'oil slick' is, of course, what 'pulls in' the turtles, as it has the taste and smell of fresh fish...

"I ( think ) and Newt will correct me if I'm wrong, that he ( Newt) used menhaden, which like Bluefish, isn't readily available this far east."

Dont you mean WEST ?

I think that is what he meant

See what I mean, always correcting me...

Yeah, ok west. I never think of Ohio as west. It's in the eastern part of the United States, but yes, it is west of N J.

It's not east coast, like Virginia, Carolina's or yes, Jersey.

And I think that's probably where you catch Menhaden and Bluefish.

Still people refer to Ohio as eastern or I have even heard it called Mid-west.

Ohio is east ??????????

Remind me never put you at the helm of a boat.

All depends on where you're standin'

I got my bug toe in the Atlantic

the weather is changing fast. the catch is low as the last gasp of summer comes to a close. time to pull the nets and dream of next year.