help ID this 4 legged fish

[jwmiller33]

i need some help identifying this fish my buddy caught today. the fish was caught on lake lizzie. this fish had 4 legs and was suuuper slimey and we dont know what kind of fish it is

i looked all over the mn dnr HSOforum at all the fish that are listed on there, even the rare species, and i didnt see it anywhere.

here are two pics taken with a camera phone (sorry for the bad quality)

thanks for your help

[MNfan]

Mud Puppy

[jwmiller33]

are these common? ive never seen or heard of one before

[GrizzlyAdams]

I think they are most common in the river. Catch them once in a great while when river fishing for carp.

[Dave S]

There are lakes that are loaded with them. I know Stalker Lake in Ottertail County was covered with them a few years ago.

[katophil]

yep, Mud Puppy

[jwmiller33]

thanks for the help guys! i guess you learn something new everyday!

[bturck]

How did it taste? Did boil it like a pout? YUM

[fishuhalik]

Mmmmm, mudpuppies. Fry that bad boy up!!!

[KG243]

I caught a couple on grindstone last year.

[Waterfowl_Kid]

MUD PUPPY!!! official bait stealer pest of the river!

[Supercrew]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudpuppy

[Surface Tension]

Bad luck if you didn't bite its tail off..

PS: don't worry they will grow a new one.

[Bassinbob84]

I hope you didn't touch it. They are poisonous. j/k

[Scott K]

Walleyes love them!

[blackdog1101]

They're kind of cool looking, but I think I'd have to go change my drawers if I caught one ice fishing.

[wyattboche]

So can you eat mud puppy's or no?

[jwmiller33]

how come this species isnt listed at all on the DNR's HSOforum? even under the rare species list. is it even considered a fish since it is a part of the salamander family?

[jwenzel]

i would have mounted that if i caught it ice fishing

[jwmiller33]

i would have mounted that if i caught it ice fishing

how come? what is considered a big size mudpuppy?

[waterbound]

I don't know whether or not they are edible, but I would imagine so...probably kinda like frog legs. It isn't a fish, it's a salamander or something like that, an amphibian at the least and not a fish. You can find it on the DNR's HSOforum, just do a search for it. I was able to come up with this:

"Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) never loses its gills and is completely aquatic for its entire life. It is found throughout Minnesota's major river systems and some larger lakes. An exception is the Mississippi River above St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis because mudpuppies were unable to get around the waterfall. Some animals can walk around the waterfall on land, but mudpuppies cannot leave the water.

The largest salamander in Minnesota, the mudpuppy can be more than 15 inches long. It is active all winter, which has startled many ice anglers who have caught one."

[RumRiverRat]

Walleyes love them!

Best Big Walleye bait IMO.

[jwenzel]

Originally Posted By: jwenzel

i would have mounted that if i caught it ice fishing

how come? what is considered a big size mudpuppy?

just because how many ppl have a mounted mud puppy above their fire place?

[fishnfool]

Four Wheel Drive Trout

[fishermatt]

Mud Puppy's have External gills (little Red gills on their sides ahead of the front legs) , and I can't see those on these pics. JW, do you recall seeing those? If it didn't have those external gills, then it was a salamander and not a Mud Puppy.