Setlines For Turtles Haul In Giant Snappers With A $2 Setup

Setlines For Turtles Haul In Giant Snappers With A $2 Setup

- Jason Houser

Almost every body of water—ponds, lakes, creeks, rivers, swamps and ditches—potentially holds snapping turtles. Since turtle traps can be expensive (and illegal in some states), the next best method—my preferred method even over traps—is to catch snappers with setlines.

The materials needed for turtle “fishing” won’t break the piggy bank and are easy to find. To get started catching turtles, you’ll need sharp fishing hooks, nylon cord, rubber boots and a knife.

The Tackle

Hooks must be at least 3 ½ inches long with at least a 1-inch gap. Make sure they’re sharp. Even new hooks straight out of the package should be sharpened before use. You want the turtle to hook itself when it picks up the bait to eat it. A dull hook won’t do the job. Hooks can easily be recovered from inside the turtle’s stomach when you’re butchering them. Make sure to sharpen the hooks before using them again. Also, from time to time, touch up the hooks on your lines.

When choosing cord for the setline, look for these two things: non-rotting nylon and strength. I use braided-nylon twine, which many people use to make trot lines. The roll I currently use is of 73-pound test, and I paid around $12 for a 1-pound spool (about 2,200 feet of cord). I set a lot of turtle lines each summer. A spool this size is probably more than most people would use in one summer.