Fish hook caught in turtles mouth! Need help!!

[jcrew]

I was fishing in my pond today in front of our condominium complex. I tied a fishing line to a branch and stuck a branch deep in the ground. I sat there and waited for a fish to nibble on the bait.

Anyway, within 15 minutes a got a snag on my fishing line and I grabbed the branch. Im trying to reel it in thinking it might be a possum or some huge fish! Then I pulled up on the fishing line and I see its a large turtle! The turtle turns powerfully back and yanks the branch out of my hand and swims off with the fish hook, bobber and branch with fish hook in its mouth. I tryed getting into the water to chase it but they are fast.
So today the poor turtle was swimming around the pond today because I see the bobber glide across the water. I am trying desperately to catch the turtle to remove the hook from its mouth cause I dont want it to suffer. If I dont the fishing line could strangle him or he could be in the pain from the fishing hook. This is driving me crazy and I cant sleep or eat. Im very upset about it.

Would someone help me? Would Wildlife conservation come out to my complex and remove the hook? A vet? What do I do? I looked for him tonight and I dont see the bobber anymore. He might be sleeping in the mud. Watching that bobber float around is disturbing me. I cant let others in my apartment complex know I am chasing down this turtle or I might be in trouble with the association for fishing in a condominium pond. Oh man I need help!

I made a mistake and will never fish again! Need help on this.

 

[Yvonne G]

Well, yes, it must be pretty scary for you. Fishing line is bad stuff. It never goes away and turtles and other animals get caught up in it. However, eventually the fish hook will rust out and the turtle will be free of it.

Can you still see the log floating? You might try to cast a line with a treble hook across the log and see if you can snag it and bring it to you.

 

[jojodesca]

is fishing allowed in that pond??....Is not this may be why....

 

[jcrew]

Well, yes, it must be pretty scary for you. Fishing line is bad stuff. It never goes away and turtles and other animals get caught up in it. However, eventually the fish hook will rust out and the turtle will be free of it.

Can you still see the log floating? You might try to cast a line with a treble hook across the log and see if you can snag it and bring it to you.

I don't see the log floating. All I see is the red bobber moving from one end to the pond to the other end while the turtle is swimming. It is disturbing to watch.
I suggested your idea. I rigged another another large branch and tied another fishing line, 3 hooks, and 3 sinkers to it(for weight) to throw it between the bobber and the turtle--hoping to snag the the turtles line with my 3 hooks and pull it in.
Once I get the turtle onshore I can AT LEAST clip the fishing line with a needlenose pliars so it dont get tangled up in the turtle. I would rather have the hook in its mouth rather than the fishing line.

However, the good news is I went out about 6 pm tonight(still light outside)and I saw two turtles in the same area and the bobber and branch were gone. So maybe he broke free. I don't know. But I cant sleep. I am done fishing in freshwater ponds because there are too many turtles! I dont wantt to snag a turtle with a hook. I want to catch a fish. But these pesky turtles get in the way.

 

[jcrew]

is fishing allowed in that pond??....Is not this may be why....

I don't know. I am trying to find out.

 

[Jacqui]

May I ask how old you are?

---

However, the good news is I went out about 6 pm tonite(still light outside)and I saw two turtles in the same area and the bobber and branch were gone. So maybe he broke free. I don't know.

Except the bobber should still surface, unless maybe the turtle has gone deep down and the bobber is now below the surface temporarily.

 

[jcrew]

is fishing allowed in that pond??....Is not this may be why....

It DOES NOT state in my rules and regulations condo association book if whether an occupant/owner can fish or not fish in the pond on our property. However, there are signs posted saying do not feed the wildlife. So that is the where I broke the law because I casted out a a very small piece of shrimp. I did not break the fishing law. I broke the "do not feed the wildlife" law.

 

[jcrew]

Should I tell my condo association that I did this? I may get kicked out or arrested. All I was trying to do was practice fishing for a camping trip and now this turtle has fishing line and hook and bobber in his body and mouth.

Any ideas? Should I let the association that I saw a turtle with a hook in its mouth?

 

[Jacqui]

To me, I don't see that you broke any law. I also wonder if Fish and Game would even bother for a "lowly" turtle.

 

[wellington]

It's not worth getting kicked out or arrested. I would tell someone that you noticed a turtle with a bobber stuck to him. Then ask them is there anything that can be done for him. In the mean time keep trying to get him. Good luck. I also don't think fishing is included with don't feed the wildlife.

 

[jojodesca]

I dont know your laws from where are are..however...in the State of California you can not fish without as license, and usually only at lakes..not ponds...ponds tend to not have the fish you would eat, if any....ponds are mainly for ducks, turtles, other water fowl...etc....if the pond was made by man, then if there are fish they are of a goldfish variety...

 

[ascott]

I don't know how many days have passed since the turtle got snagged? However, if you were fishing in a body of water that fills with a natural water way/river then you likely needed a fishing license..what type of turtle did you snag? If you broke a rule of your association....they likely will only cite or warn you not jail time ...and if you did it then well you need yo just say what ya did and deal with it....a turtle can suffer long periods of time before they die..if the turtle ingested the hook he will suffer a painful death due to impaction....if he submerges with the fishing line and bobbed and he goes into a grassy area under water or through sticks and such they often become stuck under water and drown.

I apologize for my abruptness and am in no way scolding you...I have rescued many turtle...ducks...water towel from the dreaded fishing line and have walked into jumped into and swam to reach critters in distress being victims of fishing line and hooks....I wish fishing line was more expensive so people would not leave the wads of it along shorelines ....I hope your little turtle surfaces...I really hope he got loose some how...

If you do observe your bobbed gliding through the water you can also use a long handles fishing net to try to swoop him up....

Depending on what species of turtle you have in your area will dictate what agencies will be of use to your little turtle....

 

[oscar]

I don't think you should be beating yourself up over this, it is clear to me
that you had no intention to harm a turtle you were trying to catch a fish,
I have found that water turtles that I have dealt with can be a fairly tough reptile if the turtle has broke loose of the line I do believe that the hook
will rust and the turtle will be fine. Hopefully you were not using a stainless hook or plated hook.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I totally agree with Angela and add this... that the least you can do is call F&G and tell them you saw a turtle with a fish hook in it's mouth.. You need to try and get the turtle out of this mess that YOU caused. Even if it means that you have to suffer some. You certainly won't suffer as much as that turtle is going to. Why haven't you gone into the pond yourself looking for the turtle?

 

[jcrew]

I totally agree with Angela and add this... that the least you can do is call F&G and tell them you saw a turtle with a fish hook in it's mouth.. You need to try and get the turtle out of this mess that YOU caused. Even if it means that you have to suffer some. You certainly won't suffer as much as that turtle is going to. Why haven't you gone into the pond yourself looking for the turtle?

I haven't seen the turtle in a few days. I am looking for it though and will get it untangled and release the hook if I see it. I don't want the neighbors to see me jump in the pond and grab the turtle without causing a scene. Some neighbors are so nosey anyway. I learned a lesson, never, ever fish in a apartment or condo complex. Damn it was so convenient until I realized too many turtles live in it. Never again!

 

[tortoises101]

How to safely release a fish hook:
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Articles/fishhooks.htm

 

[jcrew]

I did it! I found my red oval bobber and fish hook! Here is my story....

I was depressed for a week because I caught a turtle and it took off with my red oval bobber, fish hook in mouth and pole. It was too strong and wily. But that wasn't what bothered me. What bothered me was the turtle who had the hook still in his mouth and it was suffering. That is what depressed me. I didn't care about my red bobber. But I knew if I found the red bobber floating somewhere----then a turtle would be attached to it and I could release the hook from the turtle's mouth so it could live.
So I went on my mission and looked for almost a week and I didn't see my red, oval bobber floating anywhere. I assumed the turtle choked and died because of the fish hook lodged in its mouth since I hadn't seen my red bobber in a week or maybe he was buried in the mud. Who knows? All I know is my bobber is nowhere to be found.
Then today I was walking along a canal and I saw a red bobber! I thought wow if I get that bobber then I can get the turtle! I MUST GRAB HIM! I jumped into the water and lo' and behold---it was not my bobber. It was a red, old, round bobber. It wasn't attached to anything either. My bobber was red, new, and oval shaped with fishing line and a hook attached to it.
So I carried the old, red bobber back to my place and contemplated on what happened to that turtle and my red, oval bobber? Why did I find this one? Who else was fishing in this pond besides me? So anyway, when I got home from walking the canal that led to my pond old I threw the round bobber in the garbage can and decided to give it ONE LAST LOOK around my apartment in the pond I figured why not? What do I have to lose? It is getting dark.
So I decided to walk around my apartment and THERE IT WAS!!!! MY RED, OVAL BOBBER! It is was bobbing gently in the water under a branch on the other side of the pond. I thought I was seeing things. I'm finding two red bobbers in one day? This is my lucky day. But is that red bobber mine? I got a closer look. Yes it was! It was new, red, and oval shaped with fishing line attached to it!
I got excited and ran to my neighbors apartment and asked him to help me. He gladly came. He fetched me a long stick and I told him I am going in the pond after my red bobber because there might be a dead turtle attached to it----or an alive one! He told me to be careful because the pond is full of snapping turtles and alligators. I said I know, that's why I have you here to watch me in case I am attacked!
I have to get my red bobber and save that turtle because I caused his pain and suffering and I have to release the hook from his mouth!
With anticipation I jumped into the cold, muddy pond. Instantly I was deep in mud. It was gross and smelly. I forced myself to pull my foot out of the deep mud to take my next step. I waded through moss, mud, bacteria and all kinds of gobbly goop. It was disgusting. I thought to myself, what did I get myself into? I kept sinking and sinking deeper into the mud. I became a little anxious because it was like quicksand. I looked back at my neighbor and he looked at me with disbelief. He said you can do it.
I was waving my stick in the muddywater to ward off alligators and turtles so they wouldn't bite me. But I persisted and persisted. After 15 minutes I reached the vicinity of my bobber. I was waist high in water and mud. My neighbor called out YOU ALMOST HAVE IT! Just one more step! i SAID I can't MAKE IT! He said keep going! I said the mud is pulling me under! He said just one more step man! I pulled my leg out of the mud and made one more step, I lost my balance, and fell head first into the murky, mucky, muddy pond---and I grabbed my red bobber!! I swam up to the surface and choked on the "sewage like" mudwater as I spit it out of my mouth. I vomited a little.
My legs were stuck in the mud and I was covered in gunk! Crap was all over me and it smelled awful. I frantically stepped backwards as I grabbed the bobber and fishing line. I slowly reeled it in. My neighbors eyes were as big as saucers! He said are you ok? What is it? What's at the end of the fishing line? I said I dont know! But its heavy! Its probably the dead turtle! I kept pulling the fishing line in towards me with my red bobber in my left hand. All of a sudden a big glop of green gunk came rolling up on the end of a .....bent fish hook? WOW! The turtle that I hooked managed to get away!! It must have wrestled for a week with the fish hook in the muddy water and broke loose from it. Which means the turtle is still alive! All I know is that my red bobber is my left hand and the fish hook is in my right hand---and no turtle! That's great news! My buddy came in after me and helped me out of the water and patted me on the back. He said I'm proud of you that you went in to save that turtle! I said its a great relief that the turtle managed to get away from this bent and mangled fish hook. I said wildlife is simply amazing. To think that a turtle escaped death by having a fish hook stuck in its throat or mouth and to break free of it after week is unexplainable. I am now one, relieved, happy guy. We both celebrated with a beer! Thanks for everyone's support on here!

 

[Laura]

i bet it was a snapper you caught.. prob a good thing he got himself free.. aligators in the pond?!? seriouisly? where do you live?! I dont think i would have been that 'brave'. I hope you dont get sick from being in that water..

 

[oscar]

Glad to hear your fish hook in turtle came to a good conclusion. I am not from
alligator country but if I knew they were in the pond and I had to wade out there like you did bad feelings or not the turtle would have
been on his own.

 

[tortoises101]

I hope you dont get sick from being in that water..

Just what I was thinking.