So, Who Knows Salamanders?

[Randy Roberts]

Originally Posted by Stan Hillis

How can you get anything in or out of your shop with that huge stack of firewood there, Bill?

When I was a kid we used to be able to buy salamanders at a local bait and tackle shop to use as live bass bait. Hooked through the nose they would stay alive for a long time. They were called "spring lizards" down here. That may have been a local colloquialism, not sure. They were a relatively expensive bait to buy but were hugely effective on bass. I'm told that bass hate them because they are robbers of fish eggs when bass are bedding. I do know that artificial salamanders evoke a vicious attack from a big bass when she's on the bed and you cast one into her bed.

Anyone else remember spring lizards as bass bait?

You betcha Stan. Back in the day my brothers and I would catch them in the spring thaw as I recall it. Simply wade the local creek and over turn rocks to find them. Mom and Dad had an old fashioned cellar where all the garden goodies were kept. Dad worked at the local munitions testing facility so we used a wooden box the government used to ship 155MM shells/bombs in to store the critters. Keep them cool and moist and they would live a long time in the cellar. Their primary purpose was bass on a nest and boy did they ever work. I seem to recall if we had a creek where the banks were wooded we had a good chance of finding lots of them, other areas not so great.