We used to catch snappers on a line or by hand.
Kept them in a tub of clean water for a day or two.
We had a spike in a post at eye level. we would bring the snapper to the spike. When he grabbed it we turned him over to expose his underside. His hooked bottom jaw kept him locked to the spike.
With a sharp knife we cut his throat and bled him out. Then we unhinged his shell like a book. Skinned the legs, neck and tail. The jaw hook held him on the spike so we could work.
Wash in saltwater. We usually made a stew but sometimes parboiled and fried. Delicious and if you didn't know better i doubt you could guess what it was or that it had come from a pond.
