Hellbinder (waterdog,mudpuppy)

[Death Pony]

Seems when you find them you've found a clean stream.

Yup!!! They're a good indicator species.

 

[coura]

I like this guys They are sooo primordial loking

 

[warmouth]

Anyone kept one? A young neighbor caught some yesterday. I'm gonna go study these guys. I have'nt seen one in years.

The best thing you can do is release it into the wild; both Bass Pro and the Missouri conservation center in Springfield Mo have been unable to keep one alive for more than a few months. They need clean moving water and a lot of crawdads and snails to eat. They are also endangered or threatened in most areas.

 

[andyjs]

Yep, let them go. They need incredibly clean water and at least here in Ohio it's illegal to collect them. I'd think WV would be the same

 

[N.C.]

any pics?

 

[HeatherDawn]

Where in WV did you find one? The only place that I have seen them are in Cranberry. I have seen them a foot long there.

 

[parasite paradise]

hellbenders are a very rare find..though it could be possible in virginia i suppose. i wish we had them in wisconsin.

 

[duke33]

Wow, I forgot about this thread. I did'nt get any pictures, and talked the young man into turning them loose. West Virginia has some of the best trout streams on the east coast. After this thread started I did see one about 18" in the little kanawha river.