If ya can't take the HEAT

:Fire = Stay out da PITCHEN!]:Rofl
Well, it's here in Sunny FLORIDA = Daytime temps in low 90's, Water temps 80's(midday was 84*). Serious(Delirious) fisherman need only apply!:check
Dependable winds start @9am that help your comfort level but pre-planning easily yields to l/l'g(air movement) to create more "chase-time". Early starts lend to the equation as well... Attachment 458888Attachment 458889Attachment 458890
Same strategy means 1/16 oz. underspins/2" twisters/1 mph(+-). Planned on about 4-5 hours of effort and thankfully, that was enough. I actually think that rumor has circulated that an ice-bath is awarded to fish meeting acceptable minimum-length requirements!:Rofl Caught Crappie, bluegill, bream Attachment 458898Attachment 458899 in modest #s, but kept 8 to filet.Attachment 458891 The true :Gift came @1230 when I decided to head back to the barn= Honest, lip-touching board-measurement :check Attachment 458895Attachment 458896Attachment 458897
Even caught a bird-brained, feather-headed, fish catcher, hidden(so he thought) spying on me up in the shoreline cattailsnonono Attachment 458900
Back at the house, 1st mandate is to let the dog out to water the drought-stricken lawn. As I was unhitchin' my rig, RAVEN was embarrassingly trying to wakeup the napping Senior Citizens with his vocal skills!:Rofl Further investigation revealed him almost nose to nose with an uninvited excavation specialist Soft-Shelled Turtle that was digging a hole to drop her treasures!:yikesAttachment 458901 I lifted/relocated her HEALTHY self to the pond just 20 feet away, kicked the sandy-soil back in place and surprisingly she hasn't returned!:highfive Actually heard they are very good tablefare!:cheers2

Thanks for Readin'/Ridin'/Reelin'

Awesome job and pretty sunrise pics. Congrats on the slab! Good trip.

Nice catches. Awesome scenery

Good read sir, thanks for sharing with us all

Another good read Doug. Having gotten off early today I had too much other stuff to do to get the boat wet. You did well and got some good groceries to show for it. Should you try the turtle, and yes they’re very good, be sure to remove all the yellow fat you may find. It’s nasty but the meat is tasty. Maybe I’ll get some time out this weekend.

good trip Doug.

Nice fish, especially this time of year. Great job Dougy. Surprised you never tried soft shell, I know I havn't.

SOFT-SHELLED CRABS= ZILLIONS/ SOFT-SHELLED TURTLES= WISH-LIST ITEM!!:check:hatchet::biggrin

Locals to me call that turtle meat- Cooter.


Our local restaurant, The Yearling, has it on their menu card. They act as if their cooter is really something special, as they sell tee shirts advertising the stuff. Even their waitresses wear these tee shirts asking do you want to order up some of their famous cooter. I suspect it is all just a trick though. As soon as I say yes, I want some of your cooter, everyone will bust out laughing at me or something.

My wife won’t touch the stuff no matter how many times I ask her to.

I invited a feller to come visit us and go to The Yearling for a nice lunch. Maybe he will request some cooter and let the rest of us sample it.

Might get me one of them tee shirts though. Pretend like I ate it when I didn’t. Run around telling everyone how good cooter is…. like some of the fellers on here do. Gotta get you some.

I landed a huge snapping turtle one day years ago and we hacked at that stupid thing forever. Fried it up and spit it out. Supposed to make a soup they said. Try it again they said. No way decent folk should be told to do such things.

Back in the 1970s there were a few local guys who had " Eat Mo Cooter" front truck tags they got at The Yearling Restaurant.. I got a good sized soft shell 25 years ago. I didn't grow up eating turtle so i did not know exactly how to prep it. I split the meat with a friend who's mother knew how to cook it.. I fried some of it and it was tough. I gave the rest of the uncooked meat to another friend who said you have to pound it with a hammer to tenderize it..