CC, I was not too optimistic last year but I did remember you said you hadn't see yours so I was hoping for the best. I was excited at the prospect of finally seeing a full grown one, he was in the 8-10" range. Wish I had my wits about me at the time and I would have remembered to put it on a tape measure.
The only thing I can catch in my traps is tadpoles, or "frogpoles" as my kids call them, and lots of them. Trying to setup my traps in the current of the inflow, Bill C. said I would have better luck there but it is still hard to get them.
I assume they grew so well due to the FA in the pond, I read a science advisory paper out of Canada that stated FA is a big part of their diet while under 5" and to a lesser extent when they are bigger. They also use it or dead grass for spawning which I have both. I would love to catch one in a trap to verify reproduction. I would seine it but it would not be easy due to the slope.
