Lake Erie Mud Puppy and Ling Thread

[Conklin]

My friend Steven kept a mud gecko last week to bring home and show his grandkids. He did not keep it though. He augered a hole and put it in his pond in the backyard. I just hope it doesn't grow to 5 feet long and eat his chickens which are free range.

[kguerrette]

I caught one of these here in Patties pond in Winslow , Maine last week, I had never seen it before and show the biologist and I released it alive. kinda weird fish.

[FrankM]

My friend Steven kept a mud gecko last week to bring home and show his grandkids. He did not keep it though. He augered a hole and put it in his pond in the backyard. I just hope it doesn't grow to 5 feet long and eat his chickens which are free range.

Now he needs to find a mud puppete to keep his mud puppy company or he will get lonely.  Then he can have a pond full of little mud puppinos.  Just make sure you give them plenty of rawhide chew toys and train the chickens to stay away from the water.

[fish4fun8]

My friend Steven kept a mud gecko last week to bring home and show his grandkids. He did not keep it though. He augered a hole and put it in his pond in the backyard. I just hope it doesn't grow to 5 feet long and eat his chickens which are free range.

what do u mean he possessed and kept it both illeagal

[Conklin]

he caught it in canadian waters on erie, so it was out of state and as mentioned previously.

[loneranger]

I just got my 1st mud puppy ice fishing yesterday in Owasco lake and cut the line let it go about 12 inches twist and curl ugly why would anyone want to keep one are they good for anything what do they do clean up the bottom  I have heard of them being caught in the Susquehanna up to 3 ft. is that possible or I've  never seen a hellbender  are they the same thing?

[Conklin]

if they grow to 3 feet long then my friend's chickens are in deep trouble, but i'm not sure how long they would last out of water running around with those giant red ears of theirs. i would tend to think theyd be better foraging for cat tails shoots and seeds on the bottom.
When we were in China back in the early 60's, in the navy, they grew some ungodly looking salamanders and geckos. They would eat them. I guess you could try to take the backstraps off a mud gecko and deep fry it?

[jackie bushman]

When we were in China back in the early 60's, in the navy, they grew some ungodly looking salamanders and geckos. They would eat them. I guess you could try to take the backstraps off a mud gecko and deep fry it?

I bet the Chinese welcomed a US naval fleet with open arms in the 60's ? That must have been a pathfinder mission for Nixon !!

[loneranger]

if they grow to 3 feet long then my friend's chickens are in deep trouble, but i'm not sure how long they would last out of water running around with those giant red ears of theirs. i would tend to think theyd be better foraging for cat tails shoots and seeds on the bottom.
When we were in China back in the early 60's, in the navy, they grew some ungodly looking salamanders and geckos. They would eat them. I guess you could try to take the backstraps off a mud gecko and deep fry it?

I think I can remember something about the red ears being external gills thou not sure  as for the back straps I will stick with the deer and perch 

[FrankM]

When we were in China back in the early 60's, in the navy, they grew some ungodly looking salamanders and geckos. They would eat them. I guess you could try to take the backstraps off a mud gecko and deep fry it?

Be careful, the L6 at China King just might be mud puppy backstraps, or some other kind of puppy.

[Conklin]

I think I can remember something about the red ears being external gills thou not sure  as for the back straps I will stick with the deer and perch 

I read about them. They are ears and fins combined. They listen for vibrations with them, thus ears, and along with their tail and legs it helps them swim faster, thus fins. There's no need to come up for air since their aquatic geckos.

[Whatever]

We watch one couple years ago on camera at Oneida lake come and eat every minnow that came off while jigging for walleyes but it would not touch the one on the jig. pretty neat watching it .

[youngblood]

Deep fried Mud Puppies are almost as good as poached Eagle cheeks if you fry them right.

[aquaman]

I read about them. They are ears and fins combined. They listen for vibrations with them, thus ears, and along with their tail and legs it helps them swim faster, thus fins. There's no need to come up for air since their aquatic geckos.

   When does the Comedy Tour start guys. ( such crazy hijinks need a stage)

[sbuffaloice]

Mr.Conklin, is it not true that the elusive mud puppy gecko breathes thru it's anus? I thought I saw that on the Internet somewhere. It would also aid in blood oxygenation to the geckos large red ears.for the record, only young mud geckos are called "puppies" when they reach age 10 ( which in amphibian years = 37.5 years) then they are known as Mud Dogs. You're welcome.

[loneranger]

Deep fried Mud Puppies are almost as good as poached Eagle cheeks if you fry them right.

Ahh  yes those poached eagle cheeks a long time favorite 

[FrankM]

Don't forget sea kittens.  I love sea kittens whether fried or baked.  (Sea Kittens is another silly concept dreamed up by our psycho friends at PETA.  They figure if you call fish sea kittens it will make more people feel sorry for them so they can further their agenda to eliminate us evil carnivores and fish killers.)

[1952]

Sea girlything much better then kitty

[fishmaster13184]

I caught one today! After a couple whacks with the scoop the hook popped right out, I'm sorry to report that when I walked away for a second that a seagull decided he looked like lunch

[loneranger]

if I catch a sea kitten maybe I could release it in the coy pond with the mud puppy?

[FrankM]

Only if you pull his teeth.
See Ladge, You pull his teeth and he's harmless as a heel hound.