The Hungry Bear Saltwater News Article
 Local captain, anglers free turtle caught in net
By: By Jennifer Schroeder correspondent
April 13, 2004
STUART, FLORIDA- After saltwater fishing Treasure Coast waters for
7 1/2 years, Capt. Larry Laffler has seen a little of everything.
Until Wednesday.
While trolling aboard Hungry Bear, just south of the St. Lucie Inlet, Laffler noticed a lot of commotion in the water. As he maneuvered toward the source, he thought he was looking at a group of porpoise.
Instead, it turned out to be a 7-foot leatherback turtle struggling to free itself from a large piece of netting.
"It was all tangled up, with its head buried in the net," Laffler said. "It was upside down and drowning, and looked almost like a whale shark with its flippers coming out of the water like fins.
\I told my mate, J.D. (Sachs) to get up front."
It was an extra Kodak moment for the Stein Family. Perry, Suzanne and son Justin, of New Hope, Pa., had chartered Hungry Bear for the day.
"The Steins really helped assist J.D. in holding onto the net and cutting away the Leatherback as I maneuvered the boat along side," Laffler said. "It was like a horse with blinders on, once its head was free of the net it came to life. It tried to swim straight away, but the net was still wrapped around its body."
Finally, the net was cut away and the turtle was free.
The net measured longer than the 16-foot beam of Laffler\'s 42-foot boat.
"When the turtle got caught, whoever had the net just cut it," Laffler said. "I\'ve only seen dead turtles out there. It was nice to be able to let one go."
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FLORIDA SPOTFISHING ON HUNGRY BEAR is just minutes from St. Lucie Inlet and is docked at Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort & Marina in Stuart. Serving Hutchinson Island, Jensen Beach, Vero and Jupiter on the Treasure Coast of Florida
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Less than 15 minutes from Florida's Turnpike or I-95. Please click here for Directions to the Hungry Bear Dock.
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