SHOCK: Are Dangerous Ancient Predators Lurking in Lubbock Playa Lakes?

Admit it, you've driven past a playa lake here in Lubbock and wondered to yourself: "What the heck could be in there?" We all know that the fish in those lakes average 5 eyes apiece, so who knows what evil lurks under the surface?

Maybe something...like THIS?

Awww, HELL NO!

Well, a fisherman in East Texas had a quiet Father's Day on the lake suddenly take a turn when he landed a 100-year-old alligator snapping turtle. Let's pick up the story from the news hawks at CBS 19 in Tyler.

According to the story, Justin Broomhall and his son, Lakestine, were fishing at Lake Cherokee south of Longview when he landed the massive reptile confirmed to be an alligator snapping turtle. These animals are considered a threatened species here in Texas.

Broomhall worked quickly to remove the hook from the massive reptile and released it, but not before snapping a photo of the mega-snapper. Obviously, we need to redefine the term "threatened," because that sucker is the most threatening thing I've ever seen! (The turtle, not Broomhall.)

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The turtle was estimated to weigh over 200 pounds, was close to 100 years old, and full of turtle-esque rage.

As I read the story, the more I kept thinking that we really don't know what resides in our own playa lakes here in Lubbock. Between the rain runoff, assorted vehicle discharge and discarded Lone Star beer cans that inevitably make their way into the water, I can only imagine a super-secret race of Old-Age Mutant Ninja Turtles, waiting just under the surface to ensnare their next victim and drag them to the depths of Lake Melanoma.

Either that, or I've been watching to many bad movies on the Comet channel. But seriously, this is one scary freakin' turtle.