I bet most have never seen this (OT)

[skiptomylu]

I had a couple of holes develop inside my & my neighbor's bulkhead from the lake getting real high a couple years back. The water washed out from underneath. I filled them with quickcrete and left one about 1' from full until it thicken up some (was a little too much water). When I came back to check it to see if it was firming up like it should and sitting on top of the quickcrete was something that looked something similar to a Salamander with a snake head, but different. Anyway here is a picture of a Two-toed Amphiuma and a little write up about them. I had let this thing go before I learned about it's bite, but read about it so if you ever see one you will know to not get close enough to get bit. I am posting this because this thing swims where we fish.

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/h...s/ampmeans.htm

[frank lawhead]

LEARNED SOMETHING NEW TODAY--- NEVER HEARD OF THEM

[bowdenja]

One UGLY dude! Thanks for the info Skip!

Don't worry............ I ain't gonna touch it!

john

[skiptomylu]

They lay their eggs in the mud and is why he/she was up under and behind the concrete bulkhead. I guess it was forced to come to the top.

[PieEye]

Keep them out east!!!!

[Roberta]

Reminds me a little bit of a hellbender, another one of the large salamanders. Well, they have their niche in the environment, too. How big was it? My field guide says they can reach 45 inches. - Roberta

[skiptomylu]

Reminds me a little bit of a hellbender, another one of the large salamanders. Well, they have their niche in the environment, too. How big was it? My field guide says they can reach 45 inches. - Roberta

The one I saw was about 30" long and the snake head really set it as looking very different than any eel or salamander I have ever seen. I had no idea it had big sharp teeth and only a snapping turtle in it's family had a worse bite.

[stumpjumper]

Looks like what we call a lampery Eel to me,whatever you call him looks like a snake and I hate snakes....

[DavidD]

Darn! you shoulda had it mounted would make for a great conversation piece!

[fishingpox]

It looks like something we called mud puppies. When I was a kid we would catch them all the time in our ditches. However, the ones we caught were more darker. They would sure scare the heck out of people.