Fishing Forum

I went fishing at daybreak pond today. I caught a few bass and saw three good size turtles. I had seen some last summer. And figured they wouldn't survive the winter. They are red ear sliders. Common in the pet trade and not native to Utah. My concerns are that the turtles might multiply and upset the ecosystem in this small lake. Anybody read or hear (from a reliable source)of this species becoming invasive in northern Utah before.
Personally I want to eradicate them before they can become a problem.
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There are red-eared sliders and painted turtles in lots of Utah lakes. Although they are not native, they do quite well here and have been around for many years. I suspect most were released pets.

I've never heard of any place where turtles became a big problem, although when I was a kid you could not leave an unattended stringer with fish on it because big snapping turtles would steal them.
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