The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Oddly enough I caught my first eel for decades yesterday, on floatfished sweetcorn.

I started my fishing career as b the little tidal drain which ran though our village, and which contained only eels and the occasional flounder.At certain times of year there were so many eels, I could not lift my keepnet out of the water after a session. And then n a couple of days in Spring, the water was black with elvers swimming upstream. Sadly, all gone, a clapper was fitted on the sea end to prevent sea water flooding on high tides. And the drain is dead - a sewer.
So I became pretty adept at unhooking them, even in the 60’s I was using size 8 longshank hook pjs with the barbs crushed for easy unhooking.
I can only add the the advice given by recommending a Slammo type disgorger. When you hook a big eel, it’s easier by far to draw the eel in so about 6” of its head and body are out of the water, slide the Slammo down the line, and hey presto, no slimy landing net, no knotted line.

My friend and I night fished for Eels many years ago on local gravel pits, we often used bleak of gudgeon deadbaits. we had Eels to nearly 5lbs, but I stopped fishing for Eels years ago. If I catch one now and a hook is not retrievable it upsets me, I just hate the thought of any fish having a hook stuck down inside them

Sussex Micky wrote: ↑Sat Jul 08, 2023 12:27 pm My friend and I night fished for Eels many years ago on local gravel pits, we often used bleak of gudgeon deadbaits. we had Eels to nearly 5lbs, but I stopped fishing for Eels years ago. If I catch one now and a hook is not retrievable it upsets me, I just hate the thought of any fish having a hook stuck down inside them

Im the same Micky, hate to think a fish or an Eel is swimming around with one of my hooks in it.
Thankfully with barbless hooks hopefully they come out easier. They must do.

Mark

Hi Mr B, I see you sitting there with your nice looking meal, it looks to be the same shop I ate jellied Eel also Pie and mash in when I was 4 or perhaps 5 years old. Originally I am a SW Londoner, the wall tiles look familiar the benches may of been different in those days.

Trevor


Trevor

Sussex Micky wrote: ↑Sat Jul 08, 2023 12:27 pm My friend and I night fished for Eels many years ago on local gravel pits, we often used bleak of gudgeon deadbaits. we had Eels to nearly 5lbs, but I stopped fishing for Eels years ago. If I catch one now and a hook is not retrievable it upsets me, I just hate the thought of any fish having a hook stuck down inside them

There are rigs now that make liphooking eels a certainty if you ever feel the urge again. Search twig rig for example.

Years ago, I caught my one and only eel on the fly at Toft Newton Reservoir. I was using fry imitation on the bottom slowly figure of eight retrieving. A fair crowd gathered, thinking it was a huge brown trout. It was 3 1/2 lbs, fought like hell and slime everywhere.

EricW wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 9:57 pm

Sussex Micky wrote: ↑Sat Jul 08, 2023 12:27 pm My friend and I night fished for Eels many years ago on local gravel pits, we often used bleak of gudgeon deadbaits. we had Eels to nearly 5lbs, but I stopped fishing for Eels years ago. If I catch one now and a hook is not retrievable it upsets me, I just hate the thought of any fish having a hook stuck down inside them

There are rigs now that make liphooking eels a certainty if you ever feel the urge again. Search twig rig for example.

Yes I have heard of these rigs but I only night fished for eels, so at my age with aches and pains those days are long gone when I would fish all night

Just set up two rods for eel fishing over the next few days on the Thames . I haven't fished for them for at least a year so it should be interesting if I hook into a biggun! I use Diawa 10' Whisker spinning rods to tame the bigguns. Lighter rods and you're asking for trouble.

Have to catch the bait first!