Kettle Creek/Potter 10/17-10/19 2008

[steve98]

Kettle Creek Potter Co. PA.
Special Reg. Section

Weather: Mostly Clear and cool highs in the low 50s
Water: LOW LOW LOW!! and VERY Clear hardly any flow.
Temp 48 to 50 F
Hatches: Some Caddis and Midge or Tico acttivity not to sure
there.

Plenty of RB's in the special reg section from an earlier stocking.
Very difficult to get a take. Muddler Minnow was the only fly I had
success with.

I observed what appeared to be a large salamander maybr 8 to
10 inches long. Could this have been a Hellbender?

Steve98

 

[pcray1231]

I'm assuming it was in the water? There are really only 2 possibilities. Mudpuppy and hellbender. Unfortunately, at first glance they look fairly similar.

Size: By your description, its either an average mudpuppy or a small hellbender.

distribution: Hellbenders are less common, but definitely inhabit both the Allegheny and Susquehanna watersheds, as well as Kettle Creek. Mudpuppies are very common in the Allegheny watershed. The Susquehanna watershed is not typically listed as in its range but they have been reported in, for example, the Pine and Loyalsock.

Best way to tell the difference: Mudpuppies have external gills, hellbenders do not.

Mudpuppy:
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/water/amprep/salamander/mudpuppy.jpg

Hellbender: http://www.fish.state.pa.us/water/amprep/salamander/eastern_hellbender.jpg

P.S. like anything else, color varies between individuals. But in general, the first color impression of a mudpuppy is black, hellbenders brown.

 

[tomgamber]

Could have also been a spotted, tiger or jefferson slamander. Each will get to 8-10 inches or more. Remember, he was fishing so his measuring skills were temporarily altered... :lol: :lol:

 

[afishinado]

Now this is a hellbender! (see photo). We always called them waterdogs. You'll never forget one once you see one. As a kid, I used to pick bait (stonecats/madtoms & helgrimites) under the rocks. Every once in a while, I ran into one of these. Good reason to fly fish instead of using bait!

 

[pcray1231]

Afish,

Now I'm no biologist, but I always associated the term "waterdog" to mean a mudpuppy, and not a hellbender. It was common to see either or both in NW PA, and they even are commonly caught in trout season. When someone saw, the first question was always whether it was a hellbender or a waterdog.

Anyway, I suppose waterdog is not an official term, and could be used to refer to either species. You most certainly hold a hellbender in that picture. Nice pic!

 

[Jeep_Angler]

This is the typical hellbender in Kettle. I see several each year, sometimes multiple ones in the same day. I haven't seen any different colored ones than this.

 

[JackM]

At the Jamboree this past spring, there were at least a couple people on a hell(of a)bender, that's for sure.

 

[ryanh]

I would have an involuntary reaction in my waders if I ever saw one of those by my feet.

 

[wgmiller]

If you even saw it in the first place. Those things look like masters of disguise! But I agree, freaky...

 

[afishinado]

PCray: “I always associated the term "waterdog" to mean a mudpuppy, and not a hellbender.”



I’m sure you’re right about the name. Many times, the local names of things are not accurate. In NEPA, where I grew up, madtoms are called “stonecats”, “caddies” for short, hellgrammites are called “clippers”, and night crawlers are called “night walkers”. How they walk I never understood. Tim Murphy is the local expert on the board and speaks fluent northeastpeease. Perhaps he can translate.