The Pond Monster: Giant Neotenic Tiger Salamander. Nature, Herping, Fishing, Funny Animals, 4K.

Support us on Patreon and get better videos more often! Then play games with us online!   / krazykids   Tuesday April 18th 2015 2:18pm UT, 82 degrees Air, Water temps were mid 40s to low 50s at the bottom of pond and and maybe 7 degrees warmer at the surface. The location was in an irrigation pond In the Town of Leeds Utah but I can not be exact because it was private property that I was Invited to. Tiger Salamanders Do not turn black and yellow/green until they have started growing out of there aquatic phase so that's why this big guy does not look like most videos and pics you might see. Tiger Salamanders Prefer Lakes, ponds, rivers & Streams that are normally below 70 Degrees and do not have any predatory fish or other animals to eat them and their young but once they have grown out of there 3-4 month aquatic phase they will normally seek shelter in holes or any where else with safety and moisture, some times man made places like sewers and they are more likely to be seen during and right after the rain close to water sources or where a water source once was. Some tigers Do not leave there Aquatic Phase and stay that way there whole life If the conditions permit. Full grown size is any where from 7-15 inches about. This was our most amazing catch. Some random nice guy goin for a nature walk drinking his beer starts a conversation with me and gives me some history of the area I'm exploring then he asked what we were up to and I said were looking for tiger salamanders but cant find any. He says I got a whole pond full of em and Im tripping over the damn things when it rains lol. He give us a tour of the property where he has a rescued tortoise and a farm with an orchard and after a friendly talk gives me his number and says I can come catch them later. A few days later I come over with my free dive gear and once I was in I realized there were literally hundreds of tiger salamander babies all over most of them 1-3 inches long hiding in the shadows and at the bottom witch was about 7 feet at its deepest but will be closer to 10 if when full. I looked deeper and deeper slowly swimming in circles until I started seeing the bigger 6-9 inch ones and as I was swimming around in circles chasing these guys but they kept out manuevering me stirring up silt and it took the max 3 foot visibility down to 3 inches with the silt so I moved to a new spot but as I was pursuing them I was making mud clouds and sabotaging my self with my burst of speed to get these guys and literally right at the edge of the last clear pocket I had not assaulted yet there was this monster sitting there and I was like oh great a catfish lol.... but a split second later he moved and I realized he was the trophy I had been seeking for my boys and the chase was on I was determined to not leave empty handed round and round I went for about 7-9 seconds and right as he was disappearing into the mud clouds I just stirred up I reached as fast as I could a with both hands blocking his path with one hand and then wedging him with my other and at this point I was blind and could not even see him cause of the silt now stirred up everywhere, it was all done by feel then I just floated to the top blind and right at the top I was in disbelief for a second doubting my self goin maybe it is a catfish and I was halucinating and seeing what I wanted to see but once he was close to to top it hit me that it was real and that I just caught him and now I get to share him with the family and the world, It was the most rewarding herping victory so far I was so scared to fail. I wanted so bad to get this guy for the family that I might have cried if I failed once I saw laid eyes on it lol. Changed the title on may 16. Be sure to check out our other videos of us catching amphibians, Reptiles, Insects and Mammals when we travel all over the country to National Parks, State Parks, Forest, Deserts, jungles for some camping and anywhere else adventure takes us even to amusement parks to ride roller coasters and water slides or just having some fun doing anything really like swimming or rope swings and bridge jumps to the water. There is a lot more to come Thanks for watching.