# Can anyone identify this fish at West Branch?



## SRXMAN (May 13, 2004)

I know the video isnt the best but my 8 year old boy was walking on the thin ice (in inches of water) at West Branch and notice this strange fish swimming beneath him. I handed him my iphone to take some video and heres what we both observed. The fish has four legs and was crawling and swimming on the bottom, it had spots, an orangeish tail, very red gills and was about 14 inches long. Take a look and tell me what you think.


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

It's a mud puppy/water dog. Its a type of water salamander. We caught one out of the ohio river this year. It was crazy to see at first, but they are pretty common.


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## SRXMAN (May 13, 2004)

Thats it!! Thanks!! I didnt get a good view of it because i would have went through the ice getting out to it


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

No problem. It's always neat to see new things after all these years of fishing. To be honest I was a little hesitant getting the hook out, but I did it in the sake of the salamanders health. 

Cool video of it swimming around. Must have been real neat to see through ice.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

reminds me of a trip me and a friend made to dale hollow. we were fishing the headwaters of the east fork. he caught one on a live minnow, and was going to cut his line. it was about 24" long. i told him we were just about out of jigs and needed to save the jig. he reaches out and grabbed it around the belly, it wrapped its tail around his arm and it goes nuts, and so does he. he starts screaming like a little girl and slinging his arm, when it finely let go it broke the line and landed about 100 yrds down the river,LOL. i still start slinging my arm and screaming at him, he always knows just what im doing. we just have a good laugh at his expence,LOL.
sherman


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## snake69 (Sep 26, 2005)

They do have a nasty bite...and by that I mean very dirty. You'll get infected almost for sure if they get ahold of you! Catch them all the time at the Ohio River and alot thru the ice at Berlin. Don't know why, but never caught one at Berlin *except* thru the ice!??


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## Nipididdee (Apr 19, 2004)

> reminds me of a trip me and a friend made to dale hollow. we were fishing the headwaters of the east fork. he caught one on a live minnow, and was going to cut his line. it was about 24" long. i told him we were just about out of jigs and needed to save the jig. he reaches out and grabbed it around the belly, it wrapped its tail around his arm and it goes nuts, and so does he. he starts screaming like a little girl and slinging his arm, when it finely let go it broke the line and landed about 100 yrds down the river,LOL. i still start slinging my arm and screaming at him, he always knows just what im doing. we just have a good laugh at his expence,LOL.
> sherman


Every once in a while I get a total visual and audio from a fishing story...this one is what it's all about! Fishn' at it's best!!!! Still laughing!!!

I watched a copperhead try to injest one of these dudes on waters edge on Laurel Lake KY - he had similar experience as your buddy


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

My son has caught them thru the ice at Mogadore. They usually chase after whoever pops them thru the ice snapping their jaws like a mini alligator!


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## jiggin'fool (Dec 18, 2005)

I caught three of thos things in one night ice fishing WB... down off of porter rd... all three were different sizes so I knew they were different ones... I later found out those things reek havoc on spawning fish beds! should have killed them I guess!


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## Fish G3 (Jul 16, 2008)

jiggin'fool said:


> I caught three of thos things in one night ice fishing WB... down off of porter rd... all three were different sizes so I knew they were different ones... I later found out those things reek havoc on spawning fish beds! should have killed them I guess!


No you there is no need to kill them. They're not going to hurt any fishery here in Ohio. They're completely harmless and pretty cool interesting little critters. I've got some pictures of some from this summer from some streams around Ashtabula.


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## Bantam3x (Sep 12, 2010)

Cool video! Thanks for sharing! Havnt seen one for years last time was 20 yrs ago fishing in mud brook by state rd and bath rd in the Falls


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

aint never heard of no four legged fish before


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## sonar (Mar 20, 2005)

Bantam, that's my childhood stompin grounds!!! that creek fed LEONARDS MILL,at Graham Rd & Rt 8. lots of them in there &the lake above the mill dam, That was a while ago! Fished/frogged, all of that water around there! Back in the day, that was prime water! ----->>>>>sonar<<<<<-----


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

Nipididdee said:


> Every once in a while I get a total visual and audio from a fishing story...this one is what it's all about! Fishn' at it's best!!!! Still laughing!!!
> 
> I watched a copperhead try to injest one of these dudes on waters edge on Laurel Lake KY - he had similar experience as your buddy


i would love to have seen that copperhead after he got loose. i had never seen my friend so happy to do a catch and release,LOL.
SHERMAN


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## GULPisgreat (Mar 17, 2009)

Looks like another type of live bait. lol. I saw a package of soft plastic waterdogs at Land Big Fish. They were called Nest Raiders or something and are used to fish spawning bass. Pretty interesting when your catch craws out of the water on its own. lol


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

I've never caught one of these, but I've had success bass fishing with imitation brown salamanders with spots. I would just crawl them along the bottom with a split shot and hooked weedless. Now I know why!


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## mishmosh (Jul 22, 2007)

Cool thread! I have actually never encountered one.


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

Wow they're ugly!!! I'd probably scream at the top of my lungs if I got one of those on my line. Just bein honest. I saw a guy got one up on Erie I think while Perchin. At least I think it was a Mud Puppy or Water Dog


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## fished-out (Dec 20, 2005)

Yep, and a 3 footer can run over 20 mph!


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Yes they can move fast on land and like Snake69 says, don't get bit by one of them. Lots of bacteria in their mouths. We used to catch quite a few of them at Berlin while night fishing for cats. The Muskingum and Ohio River are loaded with them. 
My buddy had never heard of them before and caught a big one in a tail race area at Willow Island Dam on the Ohio River. He dropped his rod and screamed like a woman! We laughed all the way home. Cool video by the way!


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