mud puppies for bait?

has anyone ever used mud puppies for flatty's, and what is the best way to catch them? i think they would be a good bait, easy for them to eat. ...justin 

I'm not sure on the legality of it, but If you could find small ones and keep them from going under the rocks when you have them hooked, I think they would work. I never thought about using them though, they kinda creep me out.

if you throw a mud puppy out on bottom for bait, its gonna crawl under the closest rock.

ORIGINAL: Fishken

Mud puppies are a protected or are a species of concern as listed by Pa fish commish.There is a no take / possession regulation on them.They don't seem as rare as they once were. Fished the Allegheny river last night and caught 5 of them, the longest was 13 inches & ugly.

I used to catch a bunch this time of year, just upriver from you near Ford City. After it got warmer out, I didn't get nearly as many.

ORIGINAL: akitadog

if you throw a mud puppy out on bottom for bait, its gonna crawl under the closest rock.

 
While its there it might find some of the posters on this site...LOL

ORIGINAL: Fishken

G30,I've been out 2 x in two weeks 1st time caught 3 (mud puppies),the river was high & muddy (this is more than I've caught all my days fishing). 2nd time caught 5 as stated above, river conditions were much better that day. I don't know if they are spawning or what, but they do seem to be hungry.Chicken livers & night crawlers... honorable mention to the med. size channel cat caught 1st time out.

Yeah, they do seem to be real active now. Havent been down to the Allegheney yet this year. Been spending all my time at Crooked Creek spillway and Delayed Harvest area of Buffalo. Have an all night catfishing trip to Lock 9 planned in a week or so.

hey fishken what were u using to catch them, i think a flat would eat one cause there soft and easy to eat. thats why im thinking they would be good in the spring. and as far as them crawling under a rock i would just cut there legs of or fin. when are you guys going to start fishing for flats, the ohio in emsworth is down to 47 was up to 49. this **** cold  spell is killing me looks like we got some warmer days cmon this week. i heard that if you get a week of the highs in the 60's and low in the 40's then the water should warm up enough. i can't wait anymore, f@#$ this cold weather.lmao..

Moose22, I would check out the regs on these slimy little things,I believe they are protected by Pa. fish commish.I caught them on everything I was using.Most were caught on night crawlers & some on chicken livers.Ultimately most swallowed the hook due to the heavy catfish rig.(their bite was hard to detect.)I did catch one on a 3-3 1/2 inch creek chub fished on the bottom for walleye.They all were caught @ night,on a mud flat,in the Allegheny river.

 

What are you calling a mudpuppy? The one that is wrinkled or the one that is smooth with gills behind the head. 

2dog, mud puppies are the smooth & slimy little (about 10-12 inches) critters with the red gills that fan out just behind their head.They are brown in color with black dots.The "wrinkled" ones I believe are the hell benders.

thanks 2dog i just look it up today in the book