Over the years I've stayed at several campsites with a local camp snapping turtle in residence. 
We had walleyes on a stringer overnight on one trip, woke up to find a smallish northern with one of the walleyes held crosswise in its mouth.  He didn't let go till we nearly pulled him out of the water with the stringer of fish.
I doubt that fish fillets would go bad overnight, especially if salted a bit and sealed in a ziplock.  I wouldn't try keeping them longer than for breakfast tho.
The sinking into cold water method sounds nearly fail-safe.

Yeah, no kidding, those damn turtles just pop up and can really get the adrelaine going.  We had a daily visitor on Crooked at one camp, was huge, netted him once to inspect.  Pulled up on shore,  shell was more than 3' across, measured with string across longest part.  Slimy, leech or parasites sucking on skin parts on legs, wild stab on weight, we lifted it up, 50#.  Then it got mad, started hissing.  Needless to say we were very careful not to be anywhere near the head anytime!  Manoevered by holding tail.  What a beast.

" I bet more than one fisherman has had the bejeezers scared out him, when "FIDO" popped up in front of him "

ST,
That line made me laugh. I will confess that a similar "Fido" once produced a fine scorch mark on my shorts one morning, too!    Whew!!!
Wind-in-Face

Since were off point anyway , I asked this before but got no response?
Are snappers on the menu in Quetico park?
I checked the MNR site and from what I can figure it's a hit and miss depending on area? I didn't see them mentioned one way or the other in the Q. You have to think the Native People have used this resource as they do all the others?
I would like to try the Survivor Man method of grilling one whole on a bed of coals.
I've never heard anyone talking about it, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been done?
Snapping turtle is excellent fare but the meat is strong flavored, so NO it doesn't taste like CHICKEN

solotripper wrote on May 18^th, 2008 at 5:16pm:


That turtle got a couple of walleye when I camped on that site. I was taking a lazy nap and only to be rudely awaken by swearing and splashing and as "Fido" was persuaded to leave. After that we saw huge snapping turtle on the paddle the next and at our next campsite. (Which also had a huge fish crib)

SOUPS ON !!!

Now that's what i call a portage monkey

ST, I know the spot and turtle too. First place I noticed one doing that.

Ever meet one on the portage trail, or crawling though your camp?

This guy was doing one of the higher portages on the creek between Darky and Williams. I passed him on 2 carries. Should have given him a pack too.

JJS,

Your turtle comment reminded me of being on that big island on Bentpine Lk, ( the one with the big logging chain).
I intently filling water bottles for the next day, when a HUGE snapper stuck his head out of the water, so close it startled me.
 He sort of treaded water for at least a couple of minutes, staring at me like a hungry dog.
 I finally noticed that there was some signs in the shallow water that people had cleaned fish there.
Apparently, he was the camp turtle and was looking for a handout.
I went for my camera, but of course he was swimming away when I got back.
 I bet more than one fisherman has had the bejeezers scared out him, when "FIDO" popped up in front of him

I have seen Eagles eyeballing our stringer. Had Eagles sit over my head while I filleted a few too.

Seat down quietly in the evening on a good fishing lake near where you'd normally have your boats and stringer tried up. The turtle come up like begging lap dogs looking for a hand out. First thing you hear is them clear the water from their nose. Next time I may save a cheek for one and name it too.