On Sun, 30 May 2004 14:26:34 GMT, Kayla wrote:

We have a large pond and have 3 generations of fish which we feed
daily. Last year 10 surfaced in the spring and we assumed they died
of lack of air so this winter we made sure that air holes in the ice
were kept open. This year we have not seen one fish. NONE!! There
were about 200 fish last year. The neighbour put in a few bass one
year and they have multiplied over the years. How could that many
fish disappear without a trace? Would a snapping turtle clean out a
pond? The pond is about 50 x 100 feet. We are completely puzzled.

Lori


Snapping turtles, water snakes, herons, raccoons and bass will eat
fish. After the fish are gone, the predator will leave too. If you
have a snapping turtle make a trap from chicken wire. Basically, a
cylinder with an inward entrance cone on one end. Bait the trap with
a raw chicken bone. Set the trap such that some of the trap is above
water (to allow the turtle to breathe). Check the trap in a few hours
and relocate the turtle at least 5 miles away. These can remove a
finger, so use caution when removing the beast from the trap.
Whenever we catch a snapper, it is covered with blood-sucking leaches.
Check with rec.ponds for more info.