Lake Champlain Gar and Sturgeon Sightings

ScottMardis sent in some information regarding the possibility that some sightings at Lake Champlain were due to mistaken views of large fishes. He also mentioned that there were occasional reports of large eels (both at Lake Champlain and also at Lake Memphremagog) but there was independant evidence that conger eels occasionally stray in from the sea.

The initial description of the monster in Lake Champlain was obviously a gar and PURSUIT published this information in the 1980s

  Scott also sent some pages from the book The Untold Story of Champ, A Social History of America's Loch Ness Monster  by Robert E Bartholomew (2012), which included reports that in particular sounded like alligator gars and Atlantic Sturgeons:

In addition to these fish and the seals known to occasionally come into Lake Champlain from the sea,there are also reports of "Giant Water Lizards" and other reports that sound suspiciously like our Master Otter (the Native Americans' Mishipizhiw)

North America does not have any native species of large water lizards, in casual speech the term ordinarly means "Salamander" and in this case we would best understand it as "Giant hellbender". These Giant hellbenders as alleged in the area around Lake Champlain are said to be 2-3 feet long, occasionally reported as much as 6 feet long and possibly even longer by mistake.

Hellbender information http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7160.html  LINK

P denotes reports of "Giant Water Lizards" that can be pink. The one in New Jersey was reported by Ivan T Sanderson. Other reports are further to the South, in the Carolinas We are not concerned with those especially now, what I wanted to bring up for discussion was the area I have circled on the Map (GH). Lake Champlain is in the Eastern part of that circle, but while I was douing research in Sanderson's archives I found some letters and clippings which led me to believe there was a giant salamander or "Giant Water Lizard"along the lines of the Chinese giant salamanders and which were probably related to the pink one Sanderson reported in New Jersey. None of these Eastward reports are ordinary hellbenders although they are said to look just like them. They are larger than the usual hellbenders at 2-3 feet long commonly, sometimes twice that, They also seen to be reported in the adjoining parts of Canada. (Mark A Hall discusses the ones in Ohio and there may be similar ones in the Ozarks but they also do not concern us here)

 Independantly we have good cause to suspect the giant otters or Master Otters in Lake Champlain and surrounding areas: we have some pretty good videos that seem to indicate them. There are also reports in Pennsylvania that clearly name them as Master-otters.  These animals would not be in competition with the salamanders ecologically and they live very different lifestyles

                                  THIS WAS THE 1000th POSTING ON THIS BLOG

Lake Seneca Serpent

 

Posted at the Facebook Lake Monsters page. I think this is a case of a giant gar like fish (such as Samuel de Champlain said was "The" monster of Lake Champlain) especially since the gar has hard rectangularish scales that can look like brick work (Ganoid: see picture below)

             
I have seen this image before and it was supposed to be showing "Manipogo", but it makes more sense in this context

 A giant gar also has a shape close enough to a small Mosasaur that an inexperienced observer might be led to describe one as being similar.

Another Native Water Monster From Scott Mardis

Scott Mardis posted this to my facebook wall the other day. He commented:

Kiowa Indian drawing of water monster called Tenocouny (Nebraska?). Thought by some to be representing a mosasaur, but maybe it's meant to possibly be a gar.

Kyle Germann Looks like an alligator gar to me.

Yesterday at 6:44pm

Scott Mardis Me, too, but I'm not sure the alligator gar is in Nebraska/ Minnesota. Long nosed gar is ,though.

Yesterday at 6:45pm

Kyle Germann And it doesn't have that big, fleshy sack under it's lower jaw.

 

Dale Drinnon Could be artistic convention. All of those forks are an artistic convention, they are symbolic and meaningful in Native terms. So are the horns.

 

[-I'm going to put this down as possibly (A) Alligator gars possibly were more widespread in the past (the fact that Samuel de Champlain seems to describe an Alligator gar rather than a regular gar in Lake Champlain goes along with this), or else (B) the story and the symbol originated further South but was imported into other areas along with the movements of nomadic Native Peoples over time. The Kiowa currently live in Oklahoma.-DD]

Alternative "Lake Monster" Types of North America

Bear Lake Monster

The Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce made an online statement about their local monster as follows:
        Our website would not be complete without the story of our Bear Lake Monster. The story was written in 1868 by Joseph C. Rich and was sent to the Deseret News Newspaper. It goes as follows:

"The Indians have a tradition concerning a strange, serpent-like creature inhabiting the waters of Bear Lake, which they say carried off some of their braves many moons ago. Since then, they will not sleep close to the lake. Neither will they swim in it, nor let their squaws and papooses bathe in it.

Now, it seems this water devil, as the Indians called it, has again made an appearance. A number of our white settlers declare they have seen it with their own eyes. This Bear Lake Monster, they now call it, is causing a great deal of excitement up here. S. M. Johnson at South Eden was riding along near the Lake the other day when he saw something a number of yards out in the lake which he thought was the body of a man. He waited for the waves to wash it in, but to his surprise, found the water washed over it without causing it to move. Then he saw it had a head and neck like some strange animal. On each side of the head were ears, or bunches the size of a pint cup. He concluded the body must be touching the bottom of the lake. By this time, however, Johnson seems to have been leaving the place so rapidly he failed to observe other details.

The next day three women and a man saw a monstrous animal in the lake near the same place, but this time it was swimming at an incredible speed. According to their statement, it was moving faster than a horse could run.

On Sunday last, N. C. Davis and Allen Davis of St. Charles; Thomas Sleight and James Collings of Paris, with six women were returning from Fish Haven when about midway from the latter place to St. Charles, their attention was suddenly attracted to a peculiar motion of waves on the water about three miles distant. The lake was not rough, only a little disturbed by the wind. Mr. Sleight ways he distinctly saw the sides of a very large animal that he would suppose to be not less than 90 feet in length. Mr. Davis doesn't think he was any part of the body, but is positive it must not have been less than forty feet in length, judging by the waves it rolled up on both sides of it as it swam, and the wave it left in the rear. It was going south, and all agreed it swam with a speed almost incredible to their senses. Mr. Davis says he never saw a locomotive travel faster, and thinks it made a mile a minute. In a few minutes after the discovery of the first, a second followed in its wake, but seemed much smaller, appearing to Mr. Sleight about the size of a horse. A larger one followed this, and so on until before disappearing, made a sudden turn to the west a short distance, then back to its former track. At this turn Mr. Sleight says he could distinctly see it was of a brown color. They could judge somewhat of the speed by observing known distances on the opposite side of the lake; and all agree that the velocity with which these monsters propelled themselves, was astounding. They represent the waves rolling up on each side as about three feet high. This is substantially their statement as they told me. Messengers Davis and Sleight are prominent men, well known in the country, and all of them are reliable persons, whose veracity is undoubted. I have no doubt they would be willing to make affidavits to their statements.

Was it fish, flesh. or serpent? Amphibious, of just a big fib, or what is it? I give up, but live in hopes of some day seeing it."

The Deseret News ran the story July 31, 1868. Great excitement followed. A news staff member during the next month quizzed many Bear Lake people and found hardly a person who doubted it.

However, the inevitable skeptics did appear on the scene. [The Wikipedia article states: "The myth originally grew from articles written in the 19th century by Joseph C. Rich, a Mormon colonizer in the area, purporting to report second-hand accounts of sightings of the creature. However, he later recanted the stories.^{[citation needed]}-The all-important statement now being made that the allegation that the stories were recanted is itself unsubstantiated!-DD]

        The Indians had taken a great deal of interest in stories of the monster and claimed that their ancestors told them about a monster. They were telling some pretty good-sized stories about the creatures.

In 1874, a traveler named John Goodman came through the Bear Lake Valley. He described an Indian legend about two lovers whom, upon being pursued by some of their fellow tribesmen, plunged into the lake and were changed by the Great Spirit into two large serpents. However, this is just a legend.

The description of the Monster was the following: A creature with a brown-colored body, somewhat bigger in circumference than a man, anywhere from 40 to 200 feet long [Typo for "Anywhere from 20 to 40 feet long"in standard accounts, a much more modest range!]. Its head was shaped like a walrus without tusks or like an alligator's, and the eyes were very large and about a foot apart. It had ears like bunches, about the size of a pint cup. It had an unknown number of legs [usually 4], approximately eighteen inches long, and it was awkward on land, but swam with a serpent-like motion at a speed of at least sixty miles an hour. No one ever described the back part [tail end]of the animal since the head and forepart was all that was ever seen. The rest was always under water.
Make believe? No one knows for sure. Come on up to Bear Lake and find out for yourself.

http://www.bearlakechamber.com/bearlakemonster.aspx

Found on recent Google photo searches and matched against their most likely real-life counterparts: the "Bear Lake Monster Model 1" is at top and "Bear Lake Monster Model 2" shown to thr Left. Model 1 seems to be something like Collossal Claude wandered inland along the Columbia and Snake river systems, and Model 2 is the "Canadian Alligator" or "Ooogiboogies"-reported in British Columbia and the High Rockies area ofMontana (Waterton lakes district) as well as more familiarly in California where they are more regularly recognised to be akin to the Giant salamanders of Japan and China. The second reconstruction drawing comes from Animal Planet: http://animal.discovery.com/tv/lost-tapes/bear-lake-monster/

 Although the giant salamanders do have numerous small sharp-pointed teeth (Skull shown at left) the teeth are made out to be more formidable in the reconstruction drawing.

The Animal Planet description states: 

 

MAKING OF A MONSTER: Since its first reported sighting in 1868, the Bear Lake Monster has been a source of pride for locals in a small Idaho town. A Mormon colonizer, Joseph C. Rich, published a series of articles in the Desert Evening News claiming locals had seen a monster on the lake. Witnesses gave differing descriptions of the monster; some compared it to a [tuskless]walrus, while others described it as a large reptile or crocodilelike creature. Rich later recanted his stories, but the legend of the Bear Lake Monster prompted an influx of tourists hoping to catch a view of the lake beast. NEW SIGHTINGS: Well over a century later, in 2002, a new report of a sea monster living in Bear Lake surfaced. Brian Hirschi, a local business owner recalled seeing two humps just above the water's surface while out on his boat one summer day. Hirschi said the humps disappeared, and then he suddenly felt his boat move. The monster reappeared right next to his boat and Hirschi came eye to eye with a creature he described as having "dark [blackish]green, slimy skin and beet red eyes." As quickly as the monster appeared, it disappeared. Bear Lake residents weren't sure what to make of Hirschi's tale, but they all agreed on one thing: The Bear Lake Monster continues to be good for business. [Italics added for emphasis by DD]

VIDEO: Myth or reality? Get a closer look at the Bear Lake Monster. ON TV: Check the Lost Tapes Episode Guide for air dates.

Earlier on, I was willing to grant that there had been authentic "Creature" sightings but that they were actually of known animals. The "Fact" that Joseph Rich had allegedly recanted seemed to account for all of the earlier, first-publicised reports. But still given that some of the accounts were spot-on for an elephant seal: a tuskless walrus-like beast some 20 feet long with four flippers. And there were some authentic accounts that came along later that were recorded by Rangers in the area but written off as mistaken views of swimming elk leaving the "String-of-Buoys" effects in their wakes.
Allowing for some exaggeration, many of the Lake Monsters of Washington and Oregon sound like Elephant seals and they are often compared to Hippopotamuses in appearance. Thuis includes not only "Big Wally of Wallowa lake, the Monster of Upper Klamath Lake, sightings on the Cloumbia river itself, and in Crescent Lake, also compared to "colossal Claude" and discudded in the same articles.John Kirk in the book In The Domain of Lake Monsters, on page 163, speaks of a description of what sounds like a definitel large pinneped carcass found far inland by a trapper in the earlies, no definite location cited.This in turn cited Strange Northwest as its source.

Map I-various kinds of Water Monsters-most are of or are similar to known species: giant Salamanders and
Lizards are possible new unknown species but of genera otherwise well-known. Reports and locations
Are very widely scattered over large slices of territory and there are not many reports in any one locatiom

Map II -Eastern generalised areas for "Canadian Alligators", "Giant Hellbenders", and the Giant-Pink ones on the Eastern coast-Evidently the Eastward extensions of the same species that are Canadian Alligators (Pitt Lake Alligators) and the Californian Giant salamanders of the Far West. There could be Alaskan ones too , but that part is unconfirmed

                  

 Zemoguani, painted kiowa medicine lodge, collected by James Mooney, 1891-1904

 

Some of the water monsters and "Serpents" spoken of by the Navajo and Kiowa are also probably Alligator gars similar to the ones which must live at Walker Lake and at associated areas. Some of these creatures are traditional and are represented on prehistoric pottery and on petroglyphs. The Mimbreno design on the lower Left shows that these large fishes were thought to transform into human beings and to walk on land.

 

 

Unknown Giant Lizard preparing to pounce on Goth Girl. By Angelia Mclean, Colorado
This would be the "Faux-Alligator" again by the way the feet look-In Colorado, their young are said to lurk in trees

http://angeliamclean.blogspot.com/

Terracotta plaque from Northern Mexico, looks to be two iguanas of very large size mating and with a human figure pastered over on top of it, which does not match (white square area, I have removed more of the mass over the middle of the figure where it did not match because I could not make out what it was and it looked foreign to me.Iguanas are important in Mythology of Central America and representations of giant iganas keep turning up every now and then. The surface of this plaque matches  some of the older pottery types in texture and the facial features of the creatures also matches later representations of the giant Iguana lizard types.from both Mexico and also Northern South America (Colombia) But the human figure (if that is what it is) is of a different style and it looks to me like it is pasted on (It also has a much smoother surface)

Walker Lake Monster, Tahoe Tessie and California Monster Snake-Fish

[Above: Tahoe Tessie as represented in children's books and at right, the real thing, a photo taken in 2006 allegedly showing the creature poking a big fishy head out of water and photographed as it was submerging]

Recently I had been posting a couple of articles on the CFZ Canada blog as a guest blogger. I was basically reviewing a statement in the press made about Native North American water-monsters, which was implying all such monsters were similar and possibly all based on finds of fossils. I considered this to be misleading and I explained that the problem included several other separate things, and I might have been trying to make it too complicated because not all of my material got posted through on the blogs there. However, I basically was done with it except that I felt I should explain a couple of the matters in more detail on this blog. To quote the posting on CFZ Canada:

Back in 2007, Craig Woolheater wrote an article for the Cryptomundo site which touched upon the interrelatedness of some Native North American water-monsters and uncovered fossils which were supposed to have inspired them. The discussion at that point included some quotes from one Adrienne Mayor, author of a book on fossil discoveries and related mythology, and cited a recent find of a fossil fish-tailed crocodile in the state of Oregon.
http://www.cryptomundo.com/bigfoot-report/na-water-monster/

'...Most intriguing, the initial restoration of the fossil croc bears a striking resemblance to a mythic animal of some Native American tribes, the Kiowa, Sioux, Pomo of northern California and others, says Adrienne Mayor, a visiting scholar at Stanford University, author of Fossil Legends of the First Americans. A University of Oregon artist’s depiction of the crocodile greatly resembles the Kiowa artist Silverhorn’s 1891-94 sketch of a water monster with scales, a long narrow head with needle teeth and a forked fish-tail drawn to illustrate water serpent legends, Mayor says. The Pomo Indians described a fish-tailed, needle-toothed water monster called Bagil, as well.' [Similar water monsters are described in several lakes along the California-Nevada border, including the 'serpent' of Walker Lake. The long toothy jaws and flinty-hard scales, together with the 'snaky' head and body with the forked fish-tail, all remind me irresistably of some sort of a garfish - DD] '...A very similar dragon-creature is described from northeastern California, Parkman adds. The Ajumawi people have a legend of a big serpent-like creature with fish tail ... similar to Bagil...'

In this case I would like to review those creatures most like Bagil, the flinty-scaled, alligator-headed, needle-toothed, long-jawed, fork-tailed serpent-fish around the borders of California.

Cecil the Sea Serpent of Walker Lake, Nevada

Read more at Suite101: Cecil the Sea Serpent of Walker Lake, Nevada | Suite101.com http://sharon-damon.suite101.com/cecil-the-sea-serpent-of-walker-lake-nevada-a388685#ixzz1iG87lHT8

posted Sep 13, 2011

by Sharon Damon

Folklore or fact? Fiction or fable? The Paiute of Walker Lake have told of sea serpents inhabiting its depths for many years. Local legends of Cecil concur.

Walker Lake is a beautiful natural lake in Nevada, approximately 75 miles southeast of Reno. It is a terminus lake: a lake with no outflow, fed by the Walker River. It’s known for fishing for cutthroat trout, boating, camping, but most especially, for the legend of the Tawaga, or Cecil, the Sea Serpent of Walker Lake.

The History of Walker Lake

Walker Lake is a rare remnant of ancient Lake Lahontan, an inland sea that covered much of northwestern Nevada during the Ice Age. As Lake Lohantan retreated, many “dry lakes” such as this were formed. Walker Lake, fed by the Walker River, has dried up completely several times in its long history.
Native Americans have inhabited the area surrounding the lake for approximately 11,000 years and in 1874, a reservation was formed on the lake’s northern shores for the Paiute Agai-Dicutta (“trout-eaters”) tribe. Unfortunately, the use of the Walker River for irrigation of surrounding desert lands has caused a severe drop in the level of the water in Walker Lake, increasing the salinity of the lake and putting the ecosystem in danger. Paiute tribal tales and local folklore have long claimed the existence of huge reptiles dwelling within depths of Walker Lake.

The Story of Cecil: Southwest Loch Ness Monster or Ichthyosaur?

Walker Lake is a beautiful place with a rich history. Over 200 million years ago, the sixty-foot long [fossil]Ichthyosaur lived on the floor of the ancient sea that became Walker Lake. This “fish-lizard” is Nevada’s official state fossil.
Forty of these gigantic creatures became stranded in the mud flats in central Nevada, and were discovered in 1928 during the geological exploration for mining near the town of Berlin, NV. In 1957, this region became Ichthyosaur State Park.
Local folklore abounds in this area of the country. You have rich urban legends, tales, fables and stories no matter where you travel. If Paiute legends are to be believed, Walker Lake may be home to a mysterious creature that is known as Tawaga, or more affectionately, as Cecil, the Sea Serpent.

Tribal folklore tells us the tale of two sea serpents, which were once a man and woman, now inhabiting the deepest regions of this lake. Paiute children were warned not to tease them or make fun of them. In 1868, white settlers described a creature “with a head similar to a crocodile, four feet [thick] near the neck, an enormous tail covered with scales.” Is this Tawaga, or [an] icthyosaur?
[Neither the Ichthiosaur nor the fossil crocodile have the requisite thick scales. However the overall crocodile-headed fish-tailed "serpent" pattern is quite clear already-DD]

Fact or Fiction?

Some locals have reported sightings of this large reptilian creature in the lake, likening it to the Loch Ness Monster. There have historically even been rumors that huge serpents have been killed in the region. Some say that Cecil inhabited Walker Lake by day and slithered across the old highway to the nearby caves at night. Without concrete proof, and with his reputation of living deep in the depths of this glacier-formed lake, one can’t say for sure. But wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing if prehistoric reptiles had, indeed, found a home in this rich environment?

For now, we may have to make do with the “Cecil” float that emerges every Armed Forces Day to cruise the streets of Hawthorne, NV. Whether fact or folklore, giant prehistoric reptile, or the serpent of Paiute legend, Cecil is a local favorite, possibly the best-known sea serpent around. Except, of course, for the Loch Ness Monster.

Sources:

http://www.lakelubbers.com/

http://www.strangeark.com/

www.theothersideofcalifornia.com

www.walkerlakenv.org

A historical report sent in by Jerome Clark to the Cryptomundo site follows. Loren Coleman offers no classification for the creature sighted:

Serpent in Nevada Lake
Mining Man Brings Strange Story
to Goldfield.
From the Savannah Bee.
A report from Walker Lake states that a monster sea serpent has been seen at the northern end of the lake. Dan Cornelison, a mining man of good reputation for veracity, brought the story to Goldfield.
Cornelison says that he and a companion named John McCorry sighted the reptile while fishing from a boat half a mile from the northern shore of the lake. The monster was then making its way toward the east shore of the lake. Cornelison says that at first sight he took the serpent for a man in a skiff, and when it disappeared for a moment he thought the boat had capsized, and rowed toward the spot, when it suddenly reappeared, giving them a good view of its proportions, which they estimated to be about thirty feet in length and six feet across the back.
Another resident of that vicinity, a man named Peters, is said to have discovered the serpent sometime ago reposing in shallow water near the shore, and on being aroused it disappeared in deeper water. There is also said to be a legend among the Piutes around Shurz concerning the existence of a serpent in Walker Lake.Washington Herald, September 22, 1907

Thirty feet long and six feet across might be considered a maximum, and for purposes of argument we might make the minimum fifteen feet long and three feet across. It depends on how close the witnesses were and how good at estimating sizes of objects on the water; the general run of actual sightings has a series that will say fifteen to twenty feet long and three to four feet across the width of the back, and a series at a much larger size of forty to sixty feet long and as much as four or five feet out of the water - but in the latter case there is a very good chance this describes a wave rather than the creature's body. A longer blog entry with some of the further-out legends from this area follows.

http://skylaire.com/walkerlakemonster.htm

WALKER LAKE MONSTER

by Skylaire Alfvegren

Cecil, the mechanical serpent who does double duty as Hawthorne’s goodwill ambassador and high school mascot is no PR pipe dream. Indian legend says that when Lake Lohontan began to dry up, a pair of serpents were forced apart. The male made his way to what became Walker Lake, while the female burrowed north into the land, creating Sand Mountain. 600 feet high, the shifting sands sing: it’s said the music is simply the serpent whimpering for her beloved.

Historically, the Walker Lake monster has Nevada’s strongest record of sightings, and we don’t mean Cecil’s patriotic lumber down Main Street in Hawthorne’s annual Armed Forces Day parade.

When white settlers founded the town on the south end of Walker Lake in 1881, they noted a strange absence of fishing boats--the local Paiutes refused to traverse its waters. According to the Hawthorne Arsenal, it was “believed to be have been the only lake in the country near which resident Indians had no boats, and they had no desire for any.” Traditional teachings said one or more huge serpents lived in the lake.

According to legendary Fortean John Keel, “Early Indian settlers around the lake became annoyed because the monster occasionally dined on members of the tribe. They decided to launch a major effort to trap and kill the creature. But, somehow, the swimming sneak overheard the plot, surfaced, and held a pow wow with his persuers. A bargain was struck. If the Indians promised not to kill him and turn his hide into moccassins, he would promise to eat only white men.” When a small steamer was launched by whites in the summer of 1876 and quickly decommissioned, the natives weren’t surprised.

The Walker Lake Bulletin reported in August 1883 that settlers near the lake were “awakened by a horrible, soul-shrinking screech” when a pair of monster pythons, writhing in battle, took it ashore. The Paiutes made a peace offering of the loser’s corpse, which was measured at exactly “seventy-nine feet, seven inches and a quarter in length.” The victor slithered back into the lake—but, like many of his brethren, was fond of sunning himself lakeside. A quarter century later, local businessman E. J. Reynolds told the Goldfield Daily Tribune the uncoiled beast was seen “wallowing” on the sand, and estimated its length at as least 70 feet.

Walker’s giant water snake piqued the curiosity of professor David Starr Jordan, president of Stanford University. In the summer of 1907, newspapers reported Jordan, “generally conceded to be the foremost icthyologist in the United States,” and his colleague planned to high-tail it to Nevada upon the next sighting, capture the beast and send the dissected remains to that most reviled of institutions—the Smithsonian.

Samuel Pugh, superintendent of the Walker River Indian Agency, apparently rethought what he had chocked up as Indian superstition after “several white men claimed similar visions” of the serpent. In 1909, it was sighted by a Reno police captain; two years later, miners made a fuss of the monstrous “serpent-like fish” which disturbed their work. After a highway was built around the lake, “respectable” tourists and locals reported seeing “a huge monster, wholly unlike any fish inhabiting the waters of the lake, swimming about.” One hermit even asked the district attorney how much he would be paid in exchange for its scalp. A 1930s account in the Hawthorne News claimed it was sighted in a cave at the base of Mount Grant. The witness went to retrieve his gun—but by the time he returned, it had vanished.

As recently as 1956, a couple from Babbit, Nevada wrote to the editor of Hawthorne’s newspaper, claiming to have seen “something moving in Walker Lake at a terrific speed” which actually outpaced their automobile. It performed an aquabatic 100 yard dash before plummeting below the surface. The fall 1969 issue of non-fiction magazine Old West reprinted their letter, which continued, “It must’ve been 45 to 55 feet long and its back stuck up above the water at least four or five feet when it was swimming fast.”

Lake monsters are perennial newspaper fodder; nicknamed Sarah in the early 1900s, the Walker Lake monster was exploited for Hawthorne’s 1964 centennial celebration. One old coot claimed May 15 as Serpent’s Night at Walker Lake. He told the Nevada State Journal that every 100 years on the dot the serpent surfaces and seeks his prey. “He never fails, the old timers say he is as regular as the Capistrano swallows and far more dangerous.” As part of the celebration, local Paiutes attempted to lure the beast ashore with “an hours-long serpent dance,” even halting Naval frogmen from their exercises for fear it would be disturbed. Luckily the creature continues to elude capture.

http://jill-stefko.suite101.com/move-over-nessie-make-room-for-cryptid-lake-tahoe-tessie-a281694

Move Over Nessie, Make Room for Cryptid Lake Tahoe Tessie

posted Sep 2, 2010

by Jill Stefko

Loch Ness' Nessie is probably the most famous water monster. Lake Tahoe has its Tessie who has been sighted by many witnesses. What could she be?

Lake Tahoe, a natural crater lake, borders Nevada and California. It’s twenty-two miles long, twelve miles in diameter and 1,645 feet deep. The lake is one of several that are the remnants of a huge inland sea, Lake Lahontan, which was 8,500 square miles.
In the 1800s, members of the Paiute and Washoe Native American tribes told white settlers about a monster living in the lake. There have been many sightings since then. The locals dubbed the aquatic cryptid Tessie.

Lake Tahoe Tessie – Description

The vast majority of witnesses describe Tessie as being more than sixty feet long, with reptilian features, an undulating serpentine body and dark skin; however some say she looks like a giant sturgeon

The reptilian accounts remain consistent from sighting to sighting and many compare her appearance to that of Nessie’s of Loch Ness.

Jacques Cousteau Investigates Lake Tahoe Nessie

In the 1970s, the highly respected French oceanographer is said to have led an expedition to investigate Nessie after he heard about the sightings of the water monster. It was reported that Cousteau encountered something so frightening that he refused to reveal any information to the public about what he had seen. He never released any of his information or films. Cousteau told his colleagues that the world wasn’t ready to find out about what lurked in Lake Tahoe.

Cave Rock and the Lair of Lake Tahoe Tessie

This is a large rock formation by the southeastern shore of Lake Tahoe. About three million years ago, it was part of a volcanic vent when the lake was deeper than it is now. Waves crashing against the rocks created the caves.

Cave Rock was sacred to the Washoe Indians. It’s alleged that the tribe tossed their dead off of the rock. It's said that several spirits perform tribal rites there and people can see the Lady of the Lake in the rock formation. There have been reported sightings of a female specter garbed in clothing of the late 1800s, seen floating below the water’s surface. Cave Rock is said to be above Tessie’s underwater lair.

Selected Sightings of Lake Tahoe TessieSightings of Lake Tahoe Tessie include:

• Ashley ___ sighted a cryptid that looked like Nessie and said it was black, green and brown.
• Rick Osborne and three other people witnessed a large serpentine creature hunting and feeding on a school of large trout in the winter. It was about the size of a telephone pole in diameter and, approximately, thirty to sixty feet long. It dove up and splashed into the school of fish.
• Ingrid and her aunt saw Tessie one morning. The water was still and clear, without waves. Suddenly there was a wake that caught their attention. They saw four dark blue humps in the lake, but couldn’t see a head or tail, before the humps sank into the water.
• Samantha and her family were watching Fourth of July fireworks and heard something swimming near their boat and felt the vessel shake. They saw a long serpentine creature that swam by, then disappeared.
• Barry and a friend watched Tessie swimming for thirty minutes from the highway on the eastern side of the lake. She was black and serpentine-shaped, like a huge snake. He estimated she was fifty to sixty feet long. She floated in shallow water about ninety yards from the shore as if she was sunning herself. Then, she swam to deep water and disappeared.
• Gene St. Denis and a friend sighted spotted gray creature about ten to fifteen feet long swimming in Lake Tahoe. On another occasion, St. Denis and another person were swimming over a large hole in the bottom of the lake and felt an explosion underneath them, followed by seeing what appeared to be a sixteen feet long creature swimming away. After the silt settled, they found large fin prints where the creature had been.

What Might Lake Tahoe Tessie Be?

The only evidence that the water monster exists is the accounts of witnesses and an alleged video tape that hasn’t been released to the public. There are about six sightings reported every year. The majority of witnesses say she’s serpentine, while some say she resembles a sturgeon. It could be possible that there is more than one water monster in Lake Tahoe.
The late Dr. Bernard Heuvelmans, Father of Cryptozoology, the study of unknown mysterious animals, classified water monsters in his 1968 book, In the Wake of Sea Serpents. According to him, there are eight types of these cryptids. While Nessie is probably the most famous water monster, these cryptids have been documented world wide.
In addition to Tessie, there are the Lake Norman’s Norman or Normie and Lake Eerie’s South Bay Bessie. Some postulate these cryptids are giant sturgeons or mutant species of know aquatic animals, such as catfish. Others postulate they are surviving species of dinosaurs believed to be extinct. The coelacanth, a fish, was believed to be extinct until one was caught in the last century. Since then, schools of this fish have been found in the ocean. The tuatara, an animal resembling an iguana, is another example of a living fossil. There is a museum and a hotline dedicated to Tessie in the Lake Tahoe region. Perhaps, some day, one or more will be captured alive and join the rank of the living fossils.

Articles Related to Cryptid Lake Tahoe Tessie

Readers who enjoyed this article might like Cryptid Sea Serpents or Monsters –Categories, along with Lake Norman's Cryptid Water Monster and South Bay Bessie Lake Erie Water Monster.
Source:
Cryptozoology A to Z, Loren Coleman and Jerome Clark,(Fireside, 1999)


Read more at Suite101: Move Over Nessie, Make Room for Cryptid Lake Tahoe Tessie | Suite101.com http://jill-stefko.suite101.com/move-over-nessie-make-room-for-cryptid-lake-tahoe-tessie-a281694#ixzz1iGJLLnwj

http://criticalbelievers.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=crypto&action=print&thread=2753

Tessie, the Monster of Lake TahoePost by blacky on Feb 1, 2010, 1:44pm

The state’s largest freshwater lake, Tahoe has long been rumored to be home to both an underwater Mob graveyard and a huge unknown creature.

A story often told around Tahoe is that a few years back a fisherman trawling off the south shore got his hook caught on something in the deeps. When he finally freed it and reeled his 'catch' back to his boat, he found a well preserved human ear on the end of the line. (Another version of the tale has the fisherman snagging a three-fingered human hand.)

According to local legend the 900-foot-deep waters off South Shore served as a dumping place for Mob victims from the 1920s to the 1950s. Hundreds of gangsters’ corpses are suspended in the depths, they say, preserved from decay and prevented from gas-bloated surfacing by the near-freezing deep waters. So pervasive is this tale that many local fishermen refer to the area as “The Graveyard,” and a Tahoe-boat Mafia execution was featured in the climax of The Godfather Part II.

Even stranger are the tales of “Tessie.” Locals maintain that a large, unidentified, serpent-like creature lives in the deepest parts of the lake, and usually appears around June in even-numbered years. Dubbed “Tessie” in imitation of Loch Ness’s Nessie, the beast allegedly appears in Washoe Indian legend, and may have first been spotted by 19th century settlers.

Tessie made headlines in the San Francisco Chronicle on July 12 1984 when the paper reported that two women had seen the Lake Tahoe leviathan a month earlier. Tahoe City residents Patsy McKay and Diane Stavarakas were hiking above the west shore when they spotted the creature swimming in the lake.

McKay said the beast was about 17 feet long. She watched it closely and saw it surface three times “like a little submarine.” Her companion said that the creature had a humped back and seemed to surface in a whale-like, lethargic manner. She was also sure that it wasn’t a diver, a log or a large ripple.

Two years earlier a pair of off-duty Reno policemen had also taken a turn with Tessie. Officers Kris Beebe and Jerry Jones were water-skiing in the lake in June 1982 when an “unusually large” creature swam by them.

Yet another story about Tahoe asserts that there’s an underground river system that links the lake with Pyramid Lake in Nevada. Apparently the bodies of people who have drowned in Tahoe have surfaced in Pyramid Lake, fifty miles to the north. This phenomenon, however, might be due to the corpses floating over the north Tahoe spillway onto the Truckee River, and then downstream to Pyramid Lake.

The closest anyone ever came to figuring out Tahoe’s mysteries was in the mid-1970s. Famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau brought a mini-submarine to the lake and did several dives in search of the 1,600-foot bottom.

He returned to the surface allegedly saying, “The world isn’t ready for what is down there,” and to his death refused to release any pictures or data from the expedition.

What did the legendary diver find? Pin-stripe-suited, bullet-riddled corpses bobbing in the dark depths? A colony of living, amphibian dinosaurs? Or something even weirder?

The answers lie in the chilly depths of blue Lake Tahoe.

Re: Tessie, the Monster of Lake Tahoe
Post by darrylmckay on Feb 6, 2010, 12:11am

Quote:

The closest anyone ever came to figuring out Tahoe’s mysteries was in the mid-1970s. Famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau brought a mini-submarine to the lake, and did several dives in search of the 1,600-foot bottom.
I have been trying to find info on this and it appears to be a myth that this ever happened.

---

Re: Tessie, the Monster of Lake Tahoe
Post by blacky on Feb 6, 2010, 4:12pm

the submarine part is the myth? hmmm

--in the case or Tessie we have several of the same features, basically a creature described as either a big fish or a "Serpent": we need not wonder at the common reports of a train of humps or a "Long undualting/ 'Serpentine' body" because that is not the body of the creature, that is the wave on the surface of its body passing underwater. Several creatures can produce the effect: there are other wave effects as well, and the Walker Lake sighting of 1956 could well be a seiche wave or a "Surge" unassociated with any living creature. The general run of reports also sounds much like Ogopogo, and Ogopogo reports seem similarly at base a big sort of fish and a long series of sightings of wave effects. All the same, the identification of the "big fish" reports at Lake Taho are possibly not sturgeons as stated. Mapping out the probable sturgeon reports elsewhere in North America shows that Tahoe and associated lakes are well outside of the usual territory for such reports: and then again the usual riun of reports and traditions insist that the creatures have long jaws full of sharp teeth. So it may be that Tessie is really Bagil under a new and less threatening guise.

In the case of the last discussion on Tessie, the one reconstruction of the whole animal offered is very much like the Altamaha-Ha. I think the Altamaha-Ha is a sort of Alligator gar and that furthermore the Bargil, Cecil and Tessie reports represent the West Coast variant o a similar creature. As a matter of fact, some internet sources refer to alligator gars as being reported around California, but they are assumed to have been introduced secretly by sportsmen in order to spice up their local fishing possibilities. It is possible they might be native there. If so, there is a fair possibility that they are the same species as the alligator gars in the east, since they are regularly identified as belonging to the "Known" species.

Below, some Easterner sports fishermen show off their alligator gar catch. These photos came from an Indian site which specializes in recirculating photos off the internet and so I do not know their original source. These fish are known to reach ten feet in length, although reports of 20-footers are not uncommon. Some "Monster" reports from Lake Norman are known to be such.

Snakeyes. The pattern of scales also reminds some people of snakes

Generalized area of BAGIL or TAWAGA Reports

UPDATE: of probable interest is this recent article about an alligator gar caught in Arizona:
http://current.com/green/89156714_alligator-gar-caught-in-arizona.htm

Giant Catfishes and Other Lake Monsters

Normal Blue Catfish compared to the Monster Catfish, BIG BLUE

At the Yahoo group Georgia Bigfoot Society, we have been having an interesting exchange of messages considering the impact upon one field of bordline study that the number of borderline subjects a person advances has upon that one area. Patty was the first to advance the subject and so I'll quote her message first:

I have a question though.  On the Crypto Mundo website it says bigfoot, lake monsters, sea serpents and more.  How many people here who have interest in bigfoot also believe in the various lake monsters and other unknown animals.  I read the other day someone here post about bigfoot and Santa Claus.  As a Christian I cringe when I see people linking faith in God with belief in Santa Claus.  Mainly because I believed in St Nick growing up and it didn't damage me for life.  I see nothing wrong with kids believing in Santa or reading fairy tales or having invisible friends.  I don't want to be the person who bursts their bubble when it comes to St Nick so there's not a good way for me to respond to posts without risking some kid reading it, sooner or later they'll learn Santa's not real but I still remember how much more fun Christmas was before I knew he wasn't real.  I don't want to be the one to ruin it for them.   But to me bigfoot has an established history and just seems more logical to expect than the various lake creatures people say they see, many in man made lakes that really couldn't be expected to have large sea serpent type critters swimming in them.   Does anyone think it detracts from serious bigfoot research by clumping it in with sea serpents, loch ness, lake monsters, giant birds, chupacobras, giant spiders and all the other things that go bump in the night?  Our lake here is man made and has been impounded since the late 1940's.  It's got huge catfish in it but people claim from time to time to see someting similar to Nessie but logically it couldn't have grown in a man made lake so quickly, it couldn't have swam in from rivers that in places are only 1-2 feet deep.  People will insist they saw it though.  I think it's possible to logically defend one's belief in Sasquatch.  I think it possible that something is in Loch Ness but lumping every unknown animal together in an all or nothing type proposition makes it hard to defend.   I like to think I can intelligently defend my faith in God.  It does take faith, I don't have all the answers and part of it is probably because I want there to be a God.  But when I read people writing that God spoke to them and told them to do something usually stupid or something that makes them rich it's impossible to defend what they write.  Some people claim to have seen angels, some of the stories seem plausible and I want badly to see one but people have written books about this running almost nightly visitation from angels who share the secrets of God with them.  Some say they've been taken to Heaven, many say they've been healed or now have the power to heal others.  It's really close to what people say who claim to be visited by ET's over and over.  Seeing something in the night sky that one can't explain and claiming ET's have taken them to other planets and visit them weekly are totally different.  Does so often having people presume belief in one thing means belief in everything bother anyone else? 

Reports of outsized Catfish Water Monsters:
Most of the "Spots" are in introduced locations

And then I made my reply (October 7):
 Well, I was the first guy to complain about the linking of believers in Bigfoot to belief in Santa Claus. Yep, that was pretty cringe-inducing. As far as lake monsters go, they are not all the same thing and people that even SAY they are all the same thing are being misleading from the onset. Not all sightings at Loch Ness
are the same thing, some sightings are just big fish. And all over North
America, I would say the most common sightings are big fishes, ESPECIALLY big catfishes down in our middle latitudes (up North in Canada it's sturgeons more likely.) We introduce catfish into ponds and lakes all over the place, and in
absence of competetors, some of those catfishes grow HUGE. They basically have all they could ever want to eat from scavenging, and there might also be chemical or hormonal factors due to enviromental pollution involved.Those aren't the only kind of Lake Monsters there are, but the whole problem in Lake Monsters is getting over the hurdle that all the reports refer to the same thing and it is somehow "wrong" to believe there are Water Monsters. It's not wrong to believe in big fishes, outsized otters and beavers,swimming mooses or whatever. The problem is in the prejudice and not the sightings.

Now if you are going to make a big overall theory like John Keel does, and has a
vast interdimensional conspiracy theory that is behind all UFO and Monster
sightings, all Religious experience and ghost stories, well then I've seen that
theory come into and go out of fashion and IMHO it really DOES hurt credibility
for the people that believe in it. So I can see your point in reference to that.

Everybody believes in something different and in a different number pof
different possibilities. So I don't think we have to force everybody to
necessarily believe alike and to believe in EVERYTHING all at once. Because when
you believe in EVERYTHING, people think you're just stupid and gullible.

Best Wishes, Dale D.

To Which Patty Replied (Same Day):
Our lake has catfish over 6 feet long already and I'm sure they'll be larger
decades from now. Even a normal size bass slapping the water trying to catch a
bug sounds way bigger than they are and at night after a lake person's had a few
beers I'm sure they grow even more. I think that's the problem with so many
groups and organizations that research sasquatch, they also are whole hearted
believers in every critter coming and going. Believing in God and running
around trying to see Christ or the Virgin Mary in people's lawns or the frost on
their windows or wherever else people say is totally different I think. Looking
up at the night sky and wondering who or what's out there and thinking aliens
come to my bedroom to update me on cosmic affairs are also totally different. I
know groups have to play to the masses to be successful but serious discussions
and really off the wall nonsense are different. We listed to coast to coast but
way over half the time it's utter nonsense and is just something to provide
background noise to pass the night. Some people think they've seen sasquatch,
some have I'm sure but then way too many swear they've talked to them, lived
among them, killed them, even seen them being unloaded from flying saucers! I
wish serious debate no matter what the topic could be carried on without
silliness.To Which The Group Owner Replied:

It is my personal opinion that any catfish that is too big for my net classifies as being a MONSTER!  Nuff said.  Incidentally, has anybody here ever watched the series "River Monsters" on Animal Planet?

And after that came the last-posted response, from Paul on Tuesday (Oct 11):

yeess,       river monsters are certainly larger than the average catch. however, the dude does go to some exotic places to make his catches. what a life, getting paid to go fishing.

[The matter of monstrous catfishes in Indiana was  discussed on one of my recent podcast interviews for the Indiana chapter of the American Fortean Society. It seems we have some very big and very ugly examples in the state, according to my host, and to which I added a few reports I had heard about myself.]

To focus on the matter of Giant catfishes in particular, here is the excerpt from my "Catalogue" of unknowns that has been reprinted in the CFZ Yearbook (longer section quoted at bottom):

Giant Catfish. It is suspected in certain instances, reports of Freshwater octopuses actually refer to Giant catfishes where the whiskers are being described as tentacles. In the case of the "Oklahoma octopus" this is fairly certain because not only are the reports to areas where Giant Catfishes are otherwise reported, they are reported in similar terms, each time using the description "As big as a horse". Furthermore some descriptions of the supposed octopus specify that it has the body of a fish or shark.
Giant Catfishes are also universally indicated, in both [Southern] Canada and the USA; Coleman also has information on these, published in FATE magazine. Reports of Giant catfishes in general may be nearly world-wide. In the USA several of the indicated lakes have been stocked with introduced catfishes and the assumption is usually made that the catfishes are not an unknown species, but individuals of known species which grow to enormous size. The most common form in the USA seems to be a gigantic blue catfish which can grow to 12-16 feet long and weight 300 to 500 pounds. This variety of giant catfish is frequently said to be "the size of a horse" and estimates of the length can run up to 20 feet long, although ordinarily 10-15 feet (3 to 5 meters long approx.)

A pertinent internet posting on the matter is quoted below:

　A FRESHWATER MONSTER? The Oklahoma Octopus is a mysterious creature generally said to inhabit three lakes in Oklahoma (Lake Thunderbird, Lake Oolagah and Lake Tenkiller) where it attacks and kills unsuspecting swimmers. According to legend and rumor, this freshwater demon measures the size (girth) of a horse and resembles an octopus, with long tentacles and leathery, brown skin. Skeptics question how an octopus — an ocean creature — could survive in freshwater lakes, but it is easy to believe that such a creature would be a fearsome predator. The Giant Pacific Octopus, for example, has tentacles that each boast the strength of a 200-pound man and a powerful beak that it uses to kill prey.

EVIDENCE OF AN OCTOPUS? Although no physical evidence exists in the case of the Oklahoma Octopus, many point to the high mortality rate and large number of unexplained drownings in the Oklahoma lakes as a clear sign of its presence. There have also been numerous reported sightings. Cryptozoologists have pointed out that species of jellyfish have been able to adapt from saltwater to freshwater conditions, and the same adaptation may have been possible for a giant cephalopod trapped in an inland lake when coastal waters receded.
 "Oklahoma Octopus" from Animal Planet:
http://animal.discovery.com/tv/lost-tapes/oklahoma-octopus/
Additional comments added by readers include :
"It is also added that octopi occupy other states. The writer says that gigantic, horse sized octopi occupy Lake Tenkiller, Lake Thunderbird, and Lake Oolagah in Oklahoma of all places. He has no sources."
[The sources are traditional and new native reports circulated locally but continuing the same tradition. I had heard about these reports independantly from informants in the area-DD]


And
"The problem with the water chimera creatures such as the Oklahoma Octopus is that they are sometimes reported as having composite features such as a shark or fish body also, specifying that it has fins, and that sounds more like a Giant Catfish instead."

To give you some king of idea about how extensive our zoo of Freshwater Monsters is in North America, I append two catalogue lists: the first is the list of Lake Monsters as defined by location (which is not necessarily the best way to tackle the problem, some locations have more than one type) and the lower longer list includes all of the lakes with probable identifications as to the type of "Monster" involved, when such information is already on the books or can be easily inferred from the descriptions.

Aushaps-Lac St. Jean, Quebec
Beast of Busco, Ocar the Turtle- Fulks Lake, Indiana, USA
Bessie; South Bay Bessie- Lake Erie, New York/Ohio/Pennsylvania, USA
Champ, Champy- Lake Champlain, New York/Vermont, USA
Cressie- Crescent Lake, Newfoundland, Canada
Elizabeth Lake Monster- Elizabeth Lake, California, USA [incl. probable Hoax]
Hamlet, formerly Elsie- Lake Elsinore, California, USA
Hudson River Monster- Hudson River, New York, USA
Igopogo, Kempenfelt Kelly- Lake Simcoe, Ontario, Canada
Illie- Iliamna Lake, Alaska, USA
Isabella, Bear Lake Monster- Bear Lake, Idaho/Utah, USA [Hoax]
Kingstie- Lake Ontario, Ontario, Canada [Several sightings including two prominent Hoaxes]
Le Monstre du Lac Hertel- Lac Hertel in Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada
Lizzie- Lac Decaire, Quebec, Canada
Manipogo- Lake Manitoba/West Hawk Lake, Manitoba, Canada
Manitou- Homer Lake, California, USA
Memphré- Lake Memphrémagog, Quebec, Canada
Mugwump- Lake Temiskaming, Ontario, Canada
Mussie- Muskrat Lake, Ontario, Canada
Ogopogo- Lake Okanaga, British Columbia, Canada
Pepie- Lake Pepin, Minnesota, USA
Ponik- Lac Pohénégamook, Quebec, Canada
Rocky- Rock Lake, Wisconsin, USA
Sharlie, Slimy Slim- Payette Lake, Idaho, USA
Tahoe Tessie- Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada, USA
Tarpie- Lake Tarpon, Florida, USA
Thunder Bay Manitou (Merman)- Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Winnipogo- Lake Winnipeg/Lake Winnipegosis, Manitoba, Canada
Woodsie- Lake of the Woods, Ontario, Canada




North American Lake and River Monsters
Canada
AlbertaBattle River-Ogopogo, swimming moose
Bow River-Ogopogo, large eel or catfish caught
Christina Lake-Christina, swimming moose
Clearwater River-Ogopogo, swimming cow moose (taking its calf from the water's edge)
Cold Lake-Kinosoo sturgeon
Cow Lake-swimming moose
Frog Lake-Monster Frog, sturgeon
Glenmore Reservoir-suspected fabrication to attract tourists
Heart Lake
Lake McGregor-"Ogopup" 12 to 14 feet long
Lake Minnewanka-"Ogopup"
North Saskatchewan River-Pink Eye-swimming moose
Saddle Lake-swimming moose
South Saskatchewan River-Agopogo 5-8 foot-long "Ogopups"
British ColumbiaBennett Lake
Chadburn Lake
Chilliwack Lake-Canadian Alligator
Cowichan Lake-Tsinquaw, Water Bears=Giant Beaver
Cultus Lake-Canadian Alligator, Slal'i'kum=Giant Beaver
Fowler Lake-1800s-Slal'i'kum=Giant Beaver
Francois Lake-Water Bears=Giant Beaver
Fraser River-Canadian Alligator, Ogopogo
Harrison Lake & River-Chunucklas, possible Longneck
Kalamalka lake-100 foot finned creature, prob exaggerated sturgeon or sturgeons
Kamloops Lake-Ogopogo, 8-10 foot long furry creature
Kathlyn Lake-Mythical (?=Boiling Water Lake - Monster Fish, Mythical)
Kootenay Lake-Canadian Alligator, amphibious sighting; also swimming moose; Water Bear
Lower Arrow Lake-Ogopogo
Martin's Lake-Ogopogo
Mill Lake, Vancouver Island-Large Fish, possibly Catfish
Moberly Lake-Ogopogo, swimming moose
Nicola Lake-Mythical
Nitinat Lake-Canadian Alligator
Okanagan Lake-Ogopogo
Osoyoos Lake-Ogopogo, 100 foot "whale" prob exaggerated large sturgeon
Oyster River-Klato, Possible Longneck?
Pitt Lake (Pitt Lake Giant Lizard, Canadian Alligator=Andrias Giant salamander)
Seton Lake-Great White Sturgeon
Shuswap Lake-Shuswaggi=Sicopogo=Ta-Zam-Na=Water Bear & "White Seal"
Skaha Lake-Ogopogo, large sturgeon 18 to 30 feet long, some called "serpents"
Somenos Lake
Spirit Lake-Wasgo, Giant Otter?
Sproat Lake-Mythical
Tagai Lake-Tag, Sturgeon
Thetis Lake-Scaly Humanoid unlike any other reports [Confessed Hoax]
Upper Arrow Lake-"Ogopups"? [Giant beaver or otter?]
Williams Lake-"Ogopogo" (?swimming moose)
ManitobaCedar Lake-swimming moose
Dirty Water Lake-swimming moose
Lake Dauphin-swimming moose
Lake Manitoba-Manipogo-swimming moose, possible giant sturgeon
Red River-Northern Alligator
Lake St. Martin
West Hawk Lake-Manipogo-swimming moose
Lake Winnipeg-Winnipogo-swimming moose
Lake Winnipegosis-Winnipogo-swimming moose
(Manipogo "Vertebra" is no vertebra, probably a discarded old soup bone)
New BrunswickGrand Lake-Nessie-possible Longneck
Killarney Lake-Coleman Frog [Hoax}
Loch Lomond-Nessie
Lake Maquapit-Large snapping turtle
Oromocto Lake-possible Giant Eel
St Croix River, Seal with eyeglow & foreflippers noted
Skiff Lake-1887, possible Giant Eel
Utopia Lake-Old Ned, Poss Giant Eel
NewfoundlandCrescent Lake-Cressie, Giant Eel, 10-20 feet long reported
Dildo Pond
Gander Lake-Maggot-probable lobster (1 foot long)
Great Gull Lake
Long Pond- 30-40-foot-long Giant Eel
Swanger's Cove-Maggot-probable lobster (1 foot long)
Nova ScotiaLake Ainslie-Beathach mor Loch Ainslaigh-swimming moose
Cranberry Lake-swimming moose
NunuvutDubawnt Lake-Angeoa-"Inland Whale" reputedly 30-50 feet long a probable sturgeon;
poss Giant Otters in area, including Reindeer Lake, etc.
OntarioAgawa Bay, Lake Superior-Giant Otter, Colonial period or older
Bay of Quinte-19th ct sighting
Berens Lake-Alligator-like, possible Giant Otter
Big Ridge Lake
Charleston Lake-"Charlie the Dinosaur", possible Longneck?
Chats Lake, Ottowa River, 1874
Conway's Marsh
Darky Lake, Giant Otter, Colonial period or older
Georgian Bay-Seal2
Lake Huron- congregations of Seal1
Lake of Bays-possible swimming moose, large wake.
Lake of the Woods-swimming moose, poss older records of Giant Otter
Lake Superior-BichiBichi or MichiBissi=Great Sturgeon=?Bessie
Long Point Bay-1994, possible Giant Otter or large Seal (Seal2)
Mazinaw Lake-Sturgeon
Muskrat Lake-Mussie=Seal2 & Hapyxelor=possible Bessie
Niagra River-South Bay Bessie, Lake Erie Monster
Nighthawk Lake
Lake Nipigon-Giant Otter, Colonial period or older
Nith River-Slimy Casper, possible Giant Otter sightings of more recent date.
Lake Ontario-Kingstie, Osawa Oscar, Rafinesque's Giant Eel, possible Longneck
Red Horse Lake, possible swimming moose or ?Longneck, reported as 60-80 feet long
Rideau Canal -1881possible ?Longneck seen attempting to enter the canal
Lac Seul, Seal2
Lake Simcoe-Igopogo, Seal2, rare "Porpoises" possible small Bessies
Lake Temiskming-Mugwump, probable Seal2
Thunder Bay-Seal2 as a "Merman", Originally called the Guardian Water Manitou
QuebecLac Bowker
Lac Breeches-possible swimming moose
Lac Brochu-possible swimming moose, speed exaggerated as 35 mph+
Lac Brompton-swimming moose
Lac Descaire-Lizzie
Deschenes Lake (Ottowa River)-1879-1880, reports like "Bessie"
Etchemin River-Mythical
Lac Moskunge-Muskellunge, Giant Pike
Lake Massawhippi, Giant Pike
Lac Megantic-Hoax
Lac Mekanac-Giant Pike/Muskellunge
Lac Memphremagog-Memphre-swimming moose, Possible Longneck
Moffat Lake-Loglike monster in the 1880s, ?Bessie
Lac Pohenegamook-Ponik-Sturgeon and swimming moose
Lac Remi-Giant Pike
Richelieu River-Siren-Seal1
Lac St-Francois-Sturgeon
Lac St.Jean-Ashuaps (Possible Longneck)
St.Lawrence River-Onyare (Mythical); Giant Eels and possible Longnecks
St.Maurice River-1956 poss Giant Eel
Lac Simon-White Shark-?Bessie ?Sturgeon
Lac Sinclair-unidentified partial corpse (no identification possible)
lac-a-la-Tortue-Giant Pike/Muskellunge and possible Large snapping turtles
Les Trois Lacs-Giant fish/Pike
Lake Williams-30-40 foot long "Great Serpent" ?Bessie (Small whale)
Subsection, Horse's Head (all of them swimming moose):
Lac Aylmer
Baskatong Lake
Lac Bitobi
Black Lake-sightings 1894-1896
Lac Blue Sea
Lac-des-Cedres/Cedar Lake
Lac Creux
Lac Desert
Gatineu River
Lac Pocknock
Lac Trente-et-un-Milles
(And others, not all lakes listed)
Saskatchewan
Hayman Lake
Last Mountain Lake-swimming moose?
Peter Pond Lake-Puff, Sturgeon, possible swimming moose
Turtle Lake-Sturgeon; Giant turtle?
Yukon
Teslin Lake-?Giant beaver
Belize, Honduras &Eastern Coasts Continuing Southward to Venezuela
Caribbean Water Horse=Elephant Seal=Old 3-Toes
CubaSan Miguel del Padon (Gulf Near)
Moro Castle (Gulf near)-Old Three-Toes
[Also continuing reports of Caribbean Monk seals by fishermen in the area]
GreenlandLake Natsilik-"Sea Scorpion", poss whale or ?Seacow
Lake Umanak-"Sea Scorpion", poss whale or ?Seacow
GuatemalaLago de Atitlan
MexicoLago Catemaco, Veracruz-possible Horned Alligator, Includes Hoax
Lago La Alberca and six adjoining lakes-Chan "Dinosaur" ?Giant Iguana
NicaraguaLago de Nicaragua/Lake Nicaragua-Alligator gar; Rumored Giant snake (Anaconda?)
　United States of America
AlaskaBig Lake, Near Anchorage-Northern Alligator, possible inland seals
Buckland River-Tirichuk,Northern Alligator=?Giant Salamander/?Giant Otter
Lake Clark-Illie, giant sturgeon
Crosswind Lake
Iliamna Lake-Illie-Giant sturgeon; Seals 1&2 also present, Giant Pike suspected by some
Kaluluktok Lake, @ head of Kobruk River (giant fishes?)
Kenai River-Giant Salmonids, ?Taimen (Hucho)
Lake Minchumina
Noatak River-Tirichuk, ?Giant Pike/?Giant Otter
Nonvianuk Lake-Illie, giant sturgeons
Walker Lake
Yukon River-Giant fish; Alleged Mammoths (Before WWI)
ArizonaSaguaro Lake-Giant Catfish
Colorado River-Spinybacked "Alligator", possibly Big Iguana
ArkansasArkansas River-White River Monster=Whitey, ?Elephant seal acc. to Mackal,
Possible sightings of Paddlefish more recently
Bedias Creek
Lake Conway-Giant Catfish
Greers Ferry Lake-Water Panther, probably=White River Monster
Illinois River/Creek[Arkansas River Tributary]=White River Monster=Whitey
Mississippi River-Gollywog [reported as 50 foot salamander]=White River Monster =Whitey
Mud Lake-Hoax
White River-White River Monster, Whitey=Old 3-Toes, Ele[phant seal acc. to Mackal,
Possible Paddlefishes more recently.
CaliforniaBlue Lakes
Clear Lake-Clear Lake Catfish [?Introduced Walking Catfish]
Elizabeth Lake-Probable Hoax of 1800s, poss. big waterbird involved.
Lake Elsinore-Hamlet or Elsie-possible Big Iguana: Spiny back-crest on record
Fish Lake-Giant Salamander
Folsom Lake-Giant Salamander
Homer Lake-Manitou-Mythological
Klamath River-Water Dog=Giant Otter
Lafayette Lake-Giant Salamander
Lost Lake, Fresno County-Giant Catfish
Sacramento River-Giant Salamander and Giant Snake or Eel
Stafford Lake-Sturgeon
Lake Tahoe-Tessie-Sturgeon
Trinity River-Giant Salamander and Water Panther=Giant Otter
ColoradoArkansas River-"River Liz"-Large iguana capable of running upright
Colorado River-"River Liz"-Large iguana capable of running upright
Lake Como-Giant Fish (Catfish?)
Lake Katherine, nr Mt. Zerkel- possible swimming moose
Sloan lake nr Denver-Giant Fish (Catfish?)
Twin Lakes- possible swimming moose
　
ConnecticuttLake Basile- possible swimming moose
Connecticutt River-possible Giant Eel, ?Possible Longneck
Lake Pocotopaug
Florida
Lake Clinch
Lake George-Seal 3
Lake Monroe-?Seal
Lake Okeechobee & Everglades-Giant Horned Alligator
Madeira Beach Canals-Normandy Nessie-Seal 3=Old 3-Toes (near Lake Tarpon)
Palm beach area canal system, 2007-Seal2
Peace River-Seal3=Old 3-Toes
St. Johns River-Seal 3 and Rumored Longnecks
St. Lucie River- Seal 3
Suwanee (Susuwanee) River-Old 3-Toes=Seal 3
Lake Tarpon-Tarpie-Old 3-Toes, Continuing
Georgia
Altamaha River-Altamaha-Ha, alligator gar
Chattahoochie River-Altamaha-Ha, alligator gar
No Man's Friend Pond-Altamaha-Ha, alligator gar
Savannah River, possible alligator gar
Smith Lake
IdahoLake Coeur d'Aline-Sturgeon
Payette Lake-Slimy Slim, Sharlie-Sturgeon
Lake Pend d'Orielle-Paddler-Sturgeon and Hoax
Snake River-Sturgeon ("20 feet long with wings", ie, side fins)
Tautphaus Park Lake, Idaho Falls-Sturgeon
IllinoisLake Decatur-Giant Catfish
Lake duQuoin& Stump Pond-Giant Catfish
Four Lakes Village Quarry, Lisle-Giant Catfish and possible Giant Salamander
Lake Michigan-possible Giant Sturgeon, possible large seals (Seal-2) and definite Hoaxes
Indiana
Bass Lake-Giant Catfish
Big Chapman Lake, nr Warsaw-Giant Beaver
Big Swan Pond, nr Vincinnes-Giant Beaver?
Eagle Creek-Local joke about three large fishes swimming in a line
Fulks Lake-Beast of Busco, Oscar the Turtle - Hoax with introduced large snapping turtles
Hollow Block Lake, nr Portland-Giant Beaver?
Horshoe Pond, nr Vincinnes-Giant Beaver?Giant otter? (dogheaded animal + 60 foot wake)
Lake Manitou-Hoax
Lake Maxinkuckee
Wabash River-Giant Beaver, slaps tail on water
White River-Giant Catfish
Iowa
Okoboji Lake-2001-"Oval-headed" animal bumped against dock, Probable Giant Catfish.
Spirit Lake-Vague reference and suspect
Kansas
Kingman County Lake-(unknown carnivore ate an entire calf, not necessarily an aquatic animal)
Kentucky
Herrington Lake S of Louisville -Giant Beaver
Ohio River-Giant Black Snake
Reynolds Lake-Giant Black Snake
Louisiana
Calcasieu River-?
Maine
Boyden Lake-swimming moose
Chain of Lakes-swimming moose
Machias Lake
Moosehead Lake-swimming moose
Rangeley Lake-Giant Fish, possible sturgeon
Sysladobsis Lake-possible Giant Eel reported as "dogheaded snake"
MarylandPatuxent River-Hoax
Zekiah Swamp-Eelpoot-Hoax
MassachussettsSilver Lake-Giant Frog
Twin Lakes, Berkshire Hills-Giant snake or possible giant eel
Michigan
Au Train Lake-large fish circles boat 1870s
Basswood Lake-
Carter Lake-Giant Blacksnake
Lake Charlevoix-?Sturgeon?Bessie
Leelanau Lake-1910, suspected Tall Tale
Lake Erie-Bessie (?Small whale), includes a probable Hoax
Lake Huron-Larger and smaller types of seals
Lake Michigan-Possible Sturgeon, probable Seals and probable Hoaxes
Lake St Clair-Bessie, reported as scaled
Lake Superior-Bessie (called a giant sturgeon, also possibly cetaceans); probable Seals
Narrow Lake-1886
Paint River-swimming moose
St Mary's River-Hoax
Straits of Mackinac-Bessie
Swan Lake-"No Such Animal", swimming cow.
Thunder Bay-Bessie (Small whale? Large Sturgeon?)
Trout Bay, Lake Superior-Bessie? (Small Whale)
Williams Lake-possible big fish?
Minnesota
Basswood Lake-Waterspout
Big Pine Lake-Oscar-Giant Sturgeon
Big Sandy Lake-swimming moose
Leech Lake-Possible Giant Sturgeon (2) detected on sonar 1976
Minnesota River-Hoax
Lake Minnetonka- unidentified wave action with unknown cause
Lake Pepin-Pepie-Giant Catfish
Serpent Lake-Mythical, said to be no monster involved
Mississippi
Pascagoula River-unidentifiable, possible alligators
Missouri
Lake Creve Coeur- Probable Pike, not especially large
Lake of the Ozarks-Giant Catfish and alleged Longneck, possible hoax
Kansas River-Giant Fish
Montana
Flathead Lake-Montana Nessie-Sturgeon and swimming moose. Beyond any shade of doubt.
Missouri River-8-foot-long black fish, suspected sturgeon, ran into fiberglass boat and dented it
Waterton Lakes-Oogle-Boogle, "Ogopups," incl. poss. giant beavers and otters
Nebraska
Alkali Lake [Walgren lake]-Seal 3 according to Roy Mackal
Missouri River-Mythical, probably based on swimming bison
Nevada
Lake Mead-Giant Catfish and Giant Beaver. Lake is artificial
Pegrand Lake-Possible introduced alligator gar for sports fishing
Pyramid Lake-Mythical
nr Reno-Freshwater Octopus, possible hoax
Walker Lake-Cecil-possible introduced alligator gar for sports fishing
New Hampshire
Moore Lake-underwater, glowing alligator. Highly suspect single sighting.
New Jersey
Columbia, SITU HQs-Unknown Giant Pink Salamander
North Shrewsbury River
Old Mill Pond
New York
Baldwinsville Mill Pond-Hoax
Black River-Giant Beaver
Canadaigua Lake-Mythical
East Caroga Lake-Giant Pike/Muskellunge
Lake George-Hippogriff-?
Hudson River-Suspected sturgeon and "Super-Eel" as well as undefined mass, possible whale
Lake of the Woods-Possible sturgeons
McGuire's Pond-Hoax
Lake Onondaga-Mosqueto-?Mythical
Lake Ontario-possible Giant Eel; Possible Longneck and a known Hoax
Lake Placid-Mythical
Silver Lake-Hoax, possible otters
Spirit Lake-Mythical
Wading River

North Carolina
French Broad River-Dakwa=Alligator gar
Hiwassee River-Tlanusi (Giant leech)-Oversized Lamprey
Lake James-possible Alligator gar
Lake Norman (Reservoir)-Alligator gar and Giant Catfish-introduced
Little Tennessee River-Giant Blacksnake?
Valley River (Tennessee Vally River?)-possible Alligator gar

North Dakota
Devils Lake-Mythical
Lake Sakakawea-probable paddlefish

Ohio
Lake Erie-South Bay Bessie, includes one Hoax of a planted Python
Cuyahoga Valley-Peninsula Python-Giant Blacksnake, Hoax and legitimate reports also
Loveland-Loveland Frogs (UFO Humanoids??)
Ohio River-Giant Blacksnakes and Giant Salamanders
Olentangy River-Giant Beaver ("hippo-sized")
Slaven's Pond Bridge-Giant Salamander

Oklahoma
Lake Eufaula-"Nessie"-probable giant Catfish
Lake Oolagh-Oklahoma Octopus, probable Giant Catfish
Lake Tenkiller-Oklahoma Octopus-probable Giant Catfish
Lake Thunderbird-Oklahoma Octopus-probable Giant Catfish

Oregon
Crater Lake-Mythical, but possible otters or seals
Crescent Lake-Large seal, Seal 3?
Forked Mountain Lake-Waterdog=Amhuluk=Giant Otter
Upper Klamath Lake-Large seal, Seal 3?
Walowa Valley-Big Walley-Large seal, Seal 3?; Freshwater Octopus alleged

Pennsylvania
Wolf Pond-Probably Hoax with introduced Python. Numerous other Giant Blacksnake reports
"Dobhar-Chu" or Master Otter Attacks alleged

South Carolina
Goose Creek Lagoon-Giant Pink Hellbender
Lake Murray-Messie-Alligator gar

South Dakota
Lake Campbell-"Dinosaur"=Old 3-Toes=Seal 3?
Missouri River-Mi-ni-wa-tu, Unketehi, etc-Possible Giant Beavers, poss. otters

Tennessee
Forked Deer River-Giant Beaver?
Kentucky Lake-Giant or alligator snapping turtles
Little Tennessee River-Dakwa-Alligator gar
Tennessee River-Alligator gar (incuding stranding of several dead ones when flood receeded)

Texas
Brazos River- Alligator gar reported as 18 feet long.
Lake O' the Pines- Giant Catfish
Red River-Giant Catfish
Rio Grande-Giant Catfish, Legendary Longnecks (Avan-Yu)
Utah
Bear Lake-Isabella-Hoax, possible Giant Beaver, observation of swimming elk by rangers
Great Salt Lake-Hoax, possible stray sturgeon, possible wading bison
Lake Powell-Giant Beaver
Logan Lake
Mud Lake
Panguitch Lake-Mythical
Sevier Lake
Utah Lake-Hoax, Possible Giant Beaver

Vermont
Lake Champlain-Champ-swimming moose, possible Seal2, possible Longneck
Connecticutt River-Sturgeon
Dead Creek-suspected Hoax
Lake Willoughby-unidentified wave action
Winooski River
Woodbury Lake-12-foot scaly beast with antenna=Catfish

Washington
Lake Chelan-Mythical, possibly based on Sturgeon
Columbia River-Sturgeon
Moses Lake-possible swimming moose
Omak Lake-Mythical
Quinalt Lake-Mythical
Rock Lake-Mythical with Sturgeon and mistaken views of logs and waves
Spirit lake-Possible Giant Beaver
Lake Steilacoom-Whe-atchee, Mythical
Lake Washington-11-foot-long white Sturgeon

West Virginia
Monongahela River-Ogua-Giant Beaver
Ohio River-Giant Beaver
Wisconsin
Browns Lake-probable sturgeon reported as 27 feet long and with barbels as "Huge teeth"
Chippewa Lake
Devlan Lake
Devils Lake-1892-possibly two Giant Pike seen in combat. Large fish reported otherwise.
Elkart Lake- probable Giant Pike
Fowler Lake-1892- Large "Otter or Beaver"
Lake Geneva-1892-100-foot animal reported to overturn boats-likely a wave action
Lake Kegonsa
Keshina-Mythical
Koshnkonong Lake-Giant Pike (NOT pickerel: pickerel are the smaller ones)
Lac La Belle-Immense Fish
Lake Mendota-Bozho, Probable Giant Sturgeon, Possible Giant Otter
Lake Michigan-Alleged Giant Sturgeon
Mississippi River-Mythical
Lake Monona-20 foot animal, possible Sturgeon
Oconomowoc Lake
Okauchee Lake- 6-foot-long Pike
Pewaukee Lake
Red Cedar Lake-probably exaggerated Sturgeons
Lake Ripley-unidentified wave action
Rock Lake-Rocky-Large Pike developed into a Longnecked monster in retelling
Sturgeon Bay, Lake Michigan-Giant ?Sturgeon and Water Panther=Giant Otter
Lake Waubesa-Giant ?Sturgeon (sounds like Bessie)
Lake Wingra-Snapping Turtle
Lake Winnebago-Giant ?Sturgeon
Yellow River

Wyoming
Alcova Reservoir
Bull Lake-"Copycat" report after fictional Lake La Metrie story
Lake DeSmet-swimming moose
Hutton Lake-Mythical
Lake Katherine-Mythical
Lake La Metrie-entirely Fictional
Pathfinder Lake-Large Fish
　
　
　　
The "Classic sea serpent " is a special case; such sightings occur worldwide and statistically are astonishingly uniform; most "Lake Monster " reports are in this category. The reports do not show any particular geographic assortment or differentiation by hump size, as Heuvelmans maintains in his categories of "Many-humped" and "Super-otter"; they also occur in the tropics, where they are universally also referred to as aquatic serpents of unusual size. Some authors, such as Mackal, see evidence of zueglodons in these reports. Zueglodon spines are not made to undulate that way; the tail vertebrae look like long sections of pipe and the whole tail section is meant to move all in one piece. This is a mechanical stage in evolving a whalelike pattern of swimming.

The reports in this category are obviously and beyond any shade of doubt standing wave patterns such as delayed wakes made by passing boats. One of Heuvelmans' "??" reports was by a Professor Heddle, who saw a "Many -humped" effect and correctly identified it as a wave, and he is the only expert witness to have contributed such an observation in previously-published sea-serpent literature. I have seen the effect myself on the shore of New Jersey when I was affiliated with the SITU and for a brief while had hoped that it was an actual sighting. Heuvelmans notes in reports of each category separately (SO,MH,ME and LN) that the appearence of the humps are due to "waves in the wake" and this is even an important feature of the "Super-otter" category. The difference in long-humps-with-long-intervals and short-humps-with-short intervals is a function only of wavelength; several locations, such as Loch Ness and Lake Okanagan, log reports of both types.
The importance of this cannot be underestimated. Of ALL Lake monster" reports, as many as over 90% are not describing real animals, they are describing waves in the water, even if an unknown animal is making the waves. It is also significant that in Heuvelmans' study In the Wake of Sea Serpents, 75% of the reports are nondeterminative even without deleting categories; deleting the wave-effect reports drives the total bite out of reports much higher.

Unidentified Huso Sturgeon This type is general across the Holarctic, especially in Siberia and Canada, but also apparantly extends down into the Northern USA., including "White Sharks" reported in the Great Lakes area during the "Jaws" craze (personal info; Eberhart includes a separate mention at Lake Simon, Quebec). This type has the type of body scutes associated with Huso, being spaced apart instead of continuous along the sides. The Lake Ilamna creatures are rather typical. These sturgon incidentally are both saltwater and freshwater inhabitants.
Giant Sturgeon or Great White Sturgeon. Like a white sturgeon or a Russian giant sturgeon (Huso) commonly reported as being 20 to 40 feet long, most often 30 feet long or less, but also at double those lengths and as much as a hundred feet long with exaggeration. Basically fish-shaped with sharklike fins, large widely-spaced scutes along the back and sides that are directly identified as being like a very large sturgeon. Sometimes turn up on sonar fish-finders moving around at depths, at which time they can again be reported as up to 60 feet long, but doubtless much smaller ordinarily. Head is flattened with a bluntly pointed snout, compared to the shape of a shark's head, but the barbels under the snout are also distinctly noted, sometimes reported as overhanging fangs in front of the mouth. Color is ordinarily greyish on the back with a white belly, but the color may also be tinted with brown or green depending on the individual and on lighting conditions. The skin other than the big armor scutes is reported as smooth, and the head is also singled out as being armored. They are fish-feeders and are sometimes known to jump out of the water, on occasion giving the appearance of a long neck 10 to 20 feet long (3 to 7 meters long approx.) In Asia, sometimes reported as "Giant Salmon" or "Giant Paddlefish"

Giant Salmon are reported in the Kenai river in Alaska, being the size of dolphins; this information comes from Pastor Ron Stevens of the Southeasten Holiness Church in Indianapolis (personal info, a FOAF report) Similar creatures living in Eastern Asia are the Taimen or Giant Trout: these are large salmonids that spend their entire lives in fresh water. It has been suggested that the Kenai river dolphin-sized salmon are really Alaskan Taimen (Hucho not Huso)
　
Giant Catfish. It is suspected in certain instances, reports of Freshwater octopuses actually refer to Giant catfishes where the whiskers are being described as tentacles. In the case of the "Oklahoma octopus" this is fairly certain because not only are the reports to areas where Giant Catfishes are otherwise reported, they are reported in similar terms, each time using the description "As big as a horse". Furthermore some descriptions of the supposed octopus specify that it has the body of a fish or shark.
Giant Catfishes are also universally indicated, in both Canada and the USA; Coleman also has information on these, published in FATE magazine. reports of Giant catfishes in general may be nearly world-wide. In the USA several of the indicated lakes have been stocked with introduced catfishes and the assumption is usually made that the catfishes are not an unknown species, but individuals of known species which grow to enormous size. The most common form in the USA seems to be a gigantic blue catfish which can grow to 12-16 feet long and weight 300 to 500 pounds. This variety of giant catfish is frequently said to be "the size of a horse" and estimates of the length can run up to 20 feet long, although ordinarily 10-15 feet (3 to 5 meters long approx.)

Giant Pike These fishes are like larger editions of the well-known great northern pike or Muskellunge, but whereas those fishes are usually thought to grow no larger than about six or seven feet long, the giant versions are reported as being twelve to fourteen. The shape of the heads can strike witnesses as being snakelike or horselike, but photographs and witness' sketches show the typical pike sort of head at larger size and with the usual markings. Color is usually a yellowish brown or olive with darker brown spots or streaks, and often stated to be coloration as typical of a pike by witnesses or collectors of the reports.
Giant pikes in Eurasia are supported by old records of 15-20 feet long, including in the Guiness Book of World Records; some "Lindorms" and other water monsters are also apparently large pikes.
Giant pikes are also indicated in water monster reports in the USA, especially in the Great Lakes region, but Giant garfishes are also possible; such reports from the Western US could be accidental introductions. Information on both sets of reports are in Eberhart.
　
Alligator Gar-The original Lake Monster report made by Champlain at Lake Champlain was a type of gar, but the dimensions which he gave were much too large for the ordinary longnosed gar and more in the size range of the alligator gar. Alligator gars are widely exported by sports fishermen because they are fierce fighters and very tenacious of life , and specimens have turned up in Hong Kong and in Central Asia. Most if not all of these introductions go unrecorded and would be strictly Illegal: but I had thought for some time that the Walker Lake "Serpent" at least was an artificially-introduced alligator gar and other reports of the type turn up on the East Coast of the USA, including especially in the Carolinas. Alligator gars have also been reported in Lake Nicaragua, where they are evidently responsible for some reported "Monster" activity.
　
Giant Eels: Heuvelmans' "Super-eel " was a dustbin category but did contain good reports of evidently local, well-defined forms of outsized eels. The specific categories included a giant conger about 20 feet long seen off of Singapore (Heuvelmans indicates Charles Gould as a source and multiple local sightings) and a much larger form with fins at the side of the head like a titanic conger with a characteristic dark top and light bottom (unlike the smaller forms). In the 1970's, I statistically separated the category and called the larger well-defined form Titanoconger and the smaller conger-like form Megaconger; the two apparantly are also different in habitat and coloration.

When he was advancing the theory that the Loch Ness monster was a giant eel, Maurice Burton noted several reports of river monsters that were like giant eels in Britain and on the continent, seemingly France and Germany.. Sometimes, these were reported with doglike heads and serpentine bodies. no individual reports and no further details were given. These might be the same as similar reports from Scotland, Ireland and possibly Scandinavia, but these are mostly in the small "Monster" size range, 10 to 20 feet long. Similar "eel" reports in a similar size range are mentioned as coming from Eastern Canada., including a report by a diver in Lake Memphremagog, but also several reports from Newfoundland and New Brunswick, and possibly ascending up the St. Lawrence to Lake Ontario. James Sweeny was told by a member of Loch Ness investigation of a purported freshwater giant eel skeleton 40 feet long found in a lake in Uruguay. There is as so far no direct connection between saltwater and freshwater reported forms of giant eels. The freshwater reports are however consistent with the "Megaconger" category.
Giant FW Eel in NA is Said to be from 10 to 30 feet long, sometimes perhaps as much as 50 feet long but this is doubtless a mistake. Reported as distinctly eel-like and of the general conformation like a large conger eel with two pectoral fins noted behind the head. Face is very much like a conger eel when seen distinctly. Long continuous fin runs along the back and on both sides of the tail, above and below joined at the tip, suggestion that the back fin is sometimes called a "Mane". Color is brown, darker on the back than on the belly, but not a great contrast in the colors above and below. Color may be darker and reported as black: sometimes the belly is described as a dirty yellowish. Not seen very far inland and when inland is only on major rivers like the St. Lawrence: also not seen in the Southern US or the Gulf of Mexico, but other types of Giant Eels are reported there. These are not seen in freshwater locations. It is possible that such eels are reported in Alaska but more definitely that they are reported in far NE Siberia.

Mystery Salamander (Andias, often called Megalobatrachus)
Giant salamanders of this type are separable from general water monster reports and are basically holarctic in distrabution. Reports extend from the British Isles, Northern Germany and Central Europe all across Eurasia in spotty distrabution to Siberia, where Richard Freeman tells me such creatures are called Paymurs: they are also found in Canada and parts of Alaska, and then on the the midlands of the USA and even to the Central Atlantic states. These are sometimes called "giant water lizards", sometimes "alligators", and sometimes are described as having horns or catfish barbels. The eastern USA seems to have a pink form, of which an example seems to have inhabited a pond on Ivan Sanderson's property at one point. They are sometimes reported with distinct "annulations" or costal grooves giving rise to such names as "wurms" or "wurrums", and they also can inhabit much smaller bodies of water and can be even more evanescent than other kinds of Lake Monsters. These salamanders and the Huso sturgeons have skeletons that are largely cartiliginous and thus bodies are said to "melt entirely away" without leaving traces. These are almost universally stated to be no larger than 6 to 9 feet long, but some reports make them out to be much larger.
Giant Salamanders are reported as "Northern Alligators" and recognized to be the same as Chinese and Japanese Giant Salamanders when they appear in California: some of them apparently have catfish whiskers (barbels) reported as "Horns" and some of them are a bright pink, on the East Coast especially. Ordinarily not so large, 3 to 6 or 7 feet long (1 to 2 meters), although some reports make them out to be larger, up to 15-16 feet (5 meters). Ordinarily fish-eaters that stay underwater although some are stated to come out amphibiously onto land. Capable of breathing air or water .Usually a dark brown or black with a paler underbelly, but the sides may also show a speckled appearance, sometimes pink-and-black like a gila monster. It is asumed that this is a warning coloration and that the salamanders prodouce a toxin in the skin.
　
Remnant Steller's Seacows:
Recent reports of "Manatees" have come from the Long Beach area of Washington state, and Heuvelmans mentions one such report from British Columbia but assumes that it must have been an elephant seal. Such reports are also current in Southern Alaskan bays and inlets, and letters to Argosy (and to Ivan Sanderson personally) following the article on the Mylark echogram spoke of several sea monster sightings, some of which could have been of seacows.
There are also both traditional Inuit "Upturned-boat" monsters supposedly living in Hudson's bay, and very old reports of "Mermaids" in that area recorded by the explorers searching for the Northwest Passage. Manatees are the traditional explanation for Mermaid sightings, but there are otherwise not supposed to be any manatees in the Arctic. A famous example of one such sighting was made in the Foxe Basin.Marine biologists Bret Weinstein and James Patton of the University of California have noted that there are vague reports of Steller’s Sea Cows from along the northwest coast of North America and the northeast coast of Asia, in the Arctic Ocean and Greenland. If such reports are not discounted, then Hydramalis [Rhytina] gigas, or a subspecies, may still be alive today.Great Lakes Whale, esp. South Bay Bessie: Typically 25-35 feet long and often a foot or two out of the water. Color brown, gray or frequently an olive-brown. two small dark eyes seen on the sides, a blowhole on top of the "Bottlenose" head is also described as a "Third eye" at least once.Teeth reduced and only at the front of the beak, and a peculiar arrangement of one tooth sticking out on top and two sticking up in front on the bottom jaw is recorded twice in separate incidents 150 years apart. Two fairly small pectoral flippers with "Arm-like" bony structure. Small fin on back, toward the tail end and often noticed, but characteristic of the type when it is noticed. Whale-like tail. Sometimes small pods of two to five animals will be seen following closely behind one another. Overall form when just the forepart is seen, and when the beak is hidden below water or otherwise missed, strikes several witnesses as looking like a large fat snake.
Allowing for this much, other similar reports are also noted in the area with creatures trying to go upstream in smaller rivers, and this could include the Ottowa River in Canada and also around Toledo, Ohio, and into Wisconsin. The creature's name is an anglicization of the name for the Lake Superior Monster in Native lore, Misi-Bissie or Bichi-Bichi, and represented as a gigantic sturgeon (of probably whale size)