help ID this 4 legged fish

[paceman]

That thing is freaky. No way would I even touch it....

[Gordie]

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

that would make them hushpuppies

There is a pic in the bait store in Monticello of a mudpuppy and it was huge next time I go by there I will try and remember to stop and take a pic of it. the thing is about 18 to 24 iches long

[Jim Uran]

Four Wheel Drive Trout

Lol!!!

[BartmanMN]

That thing is weird as He|| looking. I'll stick to fishing for things without feet.

[The J-Man!]

Here's one I caught on the MN River:

[Sonicrunch]

Four Wheel Drive Trout

this.

[fishersofmen]

Man that thing is ugly.

[DTro]

It's always fun to catch the reaction of someone that has never seen one. I bet it's double the pleasure on the ice in a confined house.

[Rick G]

The five to eight in ones are some of the best big walleye bait there is.

[JbuZZo]

me and my buddy caught two of those on Saturday on big cormorant lake not too far from Lizzie. Last year on Pelican Lake (the one by big cormorant) is the 1st time i saw something like that come out of an ice fishing hole...I think they're most active at night, thats the time of day I've seen them caught.

[MeyersBros]

We actually caught it in lida not lizzie, and yea it was around 6-7 at night! scared the you know what out of me when we got it out of the hole

[Burnham]

so will they run around in the house? how come they dont go on land if they have lungs? also, since it is not a fish, couldnt you use it as bait legally, like a frog?

[Mr. Wizard]

Caught a big one on Lida many years ago. We took it back to the motel room without everyone knowing and put the mud puppy in the toilet and closed the lid. We're watching a basketball game in the room and one guys goes into the bathroom... a blood curdling scream...and he came back out THREW the hollow core door without opening it first. Cost us a few $ for damage but we sure laughed, still do when the story gets told.

[DTro]

This guy didn't make it very long in my tank

[jwmiller33]

thats awesome dtro! that would be a sweet fish to put in your tank at home. is it legal to bring it home and keep it in your tank? what are the regs with bringing game fish home and putting them in a tank at home?

[DTro]

There are a few stipulations regarding that. Kids under 16 can take them legally, and also you can purchase them at various pet stores.

There are a few around the Metro that have game fish. Just make sure to keep the receipt.

That video was from quite a few years ago and I just have a few bullheads in there now.

[Lundisnumber1]

Waterdogs... Al Lindner was big time promoting these as killer walleye bait back in the 80's. My dad found a salamander in the yard and thought it was a waterdog and took it fishing. He hooked it through the tail and a few minutes later it was deader than a doornail and he caught nothing with it.. I did not have the heart to tell him he truth.

[Outdoor Authority]

Just to let you know thats not a fish. Its actually part of the salomander family. It could even be a stage between hatch and when they exit the water. Dont quote me on this though. I would have to check my reptile books to give you more info. Give me a day or so and I will get back to you.

[DTro]

In contrast to many salamanders, mudpuppies never lose their gills during maturation from larvae. This aspect of their physiology is known as pedomorphosis. Despite having lungs, which appear to provide little use in respiration[5], mudpuppies spend their entire lives underwater. The adult gills resemble fish gills in many ways, but differ from fish gills in that they are external and lack any form or operculum or covering. The bright red exposed gills are often found closed against the body in cool, highly oxygenated water. In warmer, poorly oxygenated water, the gills expand to increase water circulation and provide greater surface area for oxygen in-take. Mudpuppies also absorb oxygen through their skin and by occasionally breathing air at the surface[6].

Other distinguishing features of mudpuppies, as compared with other salamanders, are the absence of eyelids and of an upper jaw. They show a degree of parental care, tending to the eggs after attaching them to submerged stones and logs. Mudpuppies range in size from 28 centimetres (11 in) to 40 centimetres (16 in) in length.[2]

Mudpuppies prefer shallow lakes and streams that have slow moving water and rocks to hide under, but have been found in up to 90 feet of water[7]. The mudpuppy diet consists of small fish and many invertebrates, including crayfish, snails, and worms. Mudpuppies mature at four to six years and can live to be more than twenty years old. Progenesis is common for mudpuppies, enabling them to reach sexual maturity in their larval stage.

Even though they eat fish eggs, negative effects on fish populations have not been documented. Fishermen have been known to catch mudpuppies, sometimes in large numbers, but most often when ice fishing[8].

To distinguish between a larval mudpuppy and other larval salamanders, note that larval mudpuppies have distinct longitudinal banding and four toes on their hind legs, the combination of which is not found in most larval salamanders within the same range[9]. The main difference between a mudpuppy and a siren is that, whereas mudpuppies have both front and hind legs, a siren will only have one pair of very small front legs.

[jwmiller33]

do you know for sure if its kids under 16? or if its kids 16 and younger? reason im asking is cuz my little sister is 16, so i could possibly legally do it

[DTro]

I'm not sure, but I know it's in the regs, take a look.

[Brad B]

doesn't that rule only apply to game fish. I don't know if that would apply to salamander species. I just read the reg book and it is 16 and under but it only applies to game fish.

[andrew chadwick]

Miller, you would be fine taking them beacuse they are NOT a fish. They are a type of salamander, an amphibian like a frog. I can't imagine there being any regs on taking one or two.

I would not eat them though.

[servocam]

...and I thought the Bowfin was creepy / ugly thing to catch. This would of caught me off-guard.