Newbie Catter finaly hooks into...something

[Random guy]

My Cattin' days are off to a good start. I managed to catch one of the rivers very elusive creatures in other than good conditions. I'm so proud!

Sad thing is this little guy wasn't even hooked, he just wouldn't let go.

[Lunker]

Hmmm, never good to catch something with legs while fishing.I've never caught one, but I thought they were small, that thing doesn't look that small.

[Random guy]

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I thought they were small, that thing doesn't look that small.

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I thought I had a branch tangled up when I reeled it in until it started kicken around and I pretty much freaked out once I relized how big it was, I then had to make a decision to run up the bank or face this critter with VERY long needle nose. As soon as I got close it spit the bait and the hook out and sat there like it couldn't figure out what to do so I "helped" it back to the water.

[Big Cat Dad]

what and the hell is that?

[fishin789]

that has got to be one of the biggest water dogs I've ever seen.

[DTro]

I think I'd rather have the monkey.

I'm pretty sure that thing wouldn't have made it into the boat. The price of a hook, or the price of a new pair of shorts

[Ralph Wiggum]

Jon, that is awesome. What a hog

[Deitz Dittrich]

That has got to be the ugliest thing I have ever seen. Dang dude... yuck!

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'd be tempted to toss that out for a flattie or hunk it up for cutbait

[rushing]

Yeah the first time I caught one of those "mud puppies" I didn't know what to do so I burnt the line and left. They are freshwater slamanders and can get quite large. Hope to catch more of them they are a sign the river is getting cleaner! I dunno if they are legal to use but I have heard they make GREAT flathead bait.

When I was a kid growing up in AZ my first memory of a bait store was of seeing "waterdogs" for sale.

[Guest]

Yes.. they are legal to use and they can be very good bait. I have seen waterdogs(mudpuppy) up to about 12" long.

They cant hurt you.. a little on the slimy side although. I have caught many in the Mississippi River around town. I have even caught them on 3" Mr Twisters and a fathead... they like to eat, but they wont bite us. They dont have teeth.

[Random guy]

I wear a size 13 shoe and it was longer then my insulated rubber boots. So 14" long? I looked on them up on web and I guess they can get up 16" long.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Dude.. that could have been a state record .. you should have had it mounted.. LOL

[Random guy]

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Dude.. that could have been a state record

.. you should have had it mounted.. LOL

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I could have put it next to my trophy eelpout!

[rushing]

I have yet to catch or even see an eelpout. Wonder if they would make good flat bait

[Guest]

Eelpout for cat bait? You go right ahead.. be sure to stock up on 24/0 hooks and bring some type of grease cutting soap for your hands after you put it on the hook!

[Kurt Paulsen]

Hey! Glad to see these little guys are out and about already. I hooked two of them last year around Rapidan Dam. I took one home and put it in my 55 gal tank. It is by far the most interesting creature in there. I am now able to hand feed it whole nightcrawlers. It will even snag a minnow if it swims past his rock. These are a good sign for the river!

[Maashkinoozhe]

I'm guessing from size and the tail that that's the larval form of Tiger Salamander. There's something like four salamanders in MN but I think only the Tiger Salamander is that big (14"). A friend of mine caught an adult version up north and gave it to me. I kept it in a terrarium and fed it crickets and whole nightcrawlers. You definitely have to have a bowl of water, as they prefer to stay damp.

Dave D.

[DTro]

I'm pretty sure if I show this post to the "A.D." that it would pretty much wrap up any trip(s) on the river she may have planned this year.

On a side note, I have 75 gal aquarium and would love to have one in it. I currently have one bullhead and a large crayfish. I have tried to put other fish in there, but it doesn't take long and one or the other must get a little too hungry and that's all she wrote. I caught a perfect size channel in New Ulm the other weekend (about 7" long), but no bucket....er.....someone under 16 to transport it

I might try putting a few large river shiners, or creek chubs in. Course I'm sure I'll find the chubs on the carpet, but it's worth a try.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Once, in college, we came back from a break to find one of our 11 inch oscars under the kitchen table. Mmmm, fish jerky anyone?

[BlackwaterStout]

Waterdogs are excellent catfish bait. One of the best as a matter of fact. They are very nasty when you real one in because they have this nasty slime coating that sticks to everything. I reeled one in last year and set it on a dock. It stuck to the dock like velcro. I've used them both live and cut and they are fatastic. In fact, some bait shops sell them for high dollars. Beware, if used live they have a tendacy to snag up very easily.

[ShoepacSally]

Man those things are cool looking. "necturus maculosus"

Jon, we chatted with you right when you got to your spot on Saturday. We were in the 16' Lund. Is that when you got that mudpuppy? Did you get any catfish?

[Random guy]

I didn't catch any cats in that spot and I caught the Mudpuppy just as you guys started to motor around the corner.

Good thing you two went into that back water, a big log jam must have let loose up stream and it was five minutes of steady trees, stumps, and just about every shape and size of wood that could float. You wouldn't have held your ground very well against all the trees flopping over that current edge.

[Tyler Holm]

Good bait or not, if my finace caught one of those, I'm pretty sure I'd have to buy her a new rod as her current one would be thrown a long ways into the drink. That sucker is ugly

I've used them as bait while spring fishing for Northern.