I was out treating a small shallow pond the other day and I had trouble getting the boat off the trailer so I ended up making a big muddy spot in the pond, on the edge of this muddy spot i saw a strange object swimming so I scooped it up in my net and couldn't believe it, the biggest water dog i've ever seen. It was about 14-16" long, I'm not sure if it's actually a waterdog but that's what we always called them, I haven't seen one since I was a kid!

Nice catch and yup, that's one big Waterdog.

That's a big one. Must not be any bass in that pond.

Just realized that I haven't seen one in years. Like looking in my rear view mirror.

Damn, I'd hook that big sucker through the lips on a 5/0 Gama hook and throw it in Lake Fork or another big bass lake.....20lb big game line and hang on!!!!!!!

Every water dog I have ever seen have back legs and they also have little finger like things coming off their gills. I dont see either of those things on the one you caught. I have caught several just like the one you caught in a creek on my property. They look just like yours, except they dont have back legs or the finger things.

Does anyone know what the one I have caught could be?

A peckerleg

That is either a siren or an amphiuma. Not real common, but not rare. I see them when sampling fish populations with the shocker or in traps. Sometimes we catch one when seining production ponds at the fish farm.

Here is some info on these strange creatures.

http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/posters/Herpetology/Sirens_and_Amphiuma/sirens_and_amphiuma.html

Not really a waterdog, but closely related.

thanks for the reply, that's one thing I love about what we do! You never know whats going to happen or what you're likely to find.