TX Man Shocked as He Reels in Enormous 200 Lb Endangered Turtle

A Texas father and son reeled in the surprise of a lifetime while out fishing in Lake Cherokee.

HOOKING SOMETHING UNUSUAL

Justin Broomhall was hoping to catch some catfish when he put dough bait on his hook. However, when Broomhall hooked something he knew it was not going to be a tiny little catfish. 

As the creature on the other end of the fishing line began to come ashore, Broomhall's dad yelled, "Holy smokes, look at the size of that!" That's when they noticed they had just hooked an alligator-snapping turtle. The enormous creature frightened Broomhall's 3-year-old son as he yelled, "Let it go. Let it go. Put it back!"

HOOKED AND ENDANGERED

Broomhall knew that particular turtle was an endangered species so he began trying to release it back. However, he noticed the hook was still stuck in the turtle's mouth, so he tried bringing him land to remove the hook, "So I just slid off in the water with him and grabbed him by his back leg and grabbed him by his tail," Broomhall said 

A MASSIVE CREATURE 

The turtle was beyond massive. Broomhall estimated it was around 200 lbs and was likely between 100 to 150 years old. "For how old he is and knowing it took him how many years to get that big, he has to live in lakes and rivers. He needs to be free."

He eventually removed the hook and sent the turtle on his way, but everyone was completely amazed at how enormous of an animal they had just encountered. 

"I mean photos and stuff like that don't make justice to how big his head was and how big his mouth and body was. My hand, from the tip of my pinky to the tip of my thumb measures nine inches, and it still wasn't big enough to cover his head," Broomhall said.