Fishing for Eels

[ExeAngler]

Hello Chaps,

I have just found out some good Eels have been coming out from my local lake. I would like to have a go for these and I am wondering how to approach it. Unfortunately I will only be able to fish day session limited to 5 or 6 hours, so I was thinking of using worms or prawns on a running ledger. Anyone have any tips on swims to look for, loose feed and terminal tackle? There are no pike in the lake but I am not sure if you can use dead baits, hence my worm and prawn approach. Also, anyone had luck with them in the winter. A lot of questions....

Thanks in advance.

[Santiago]

I've read that eels hibernate in the bottom mud in winter so personally I wouldn't bother fishing then. The best bait I find is a head of a small fish, either roach, dace, or bleak; or a small sprat, so long as its fresh. Lobs are also good but you'll catch other fish. The best time of day is the first two hours just after sunset, so if you can only fish daytime hours then choose dark cloudy days. Saying that, years ago a friend of mine caught a massive 5lber eel on a dead bait meant for pike on a bright sunny day in the middle of the afternoon!

They patrol underwater paths near drop offs on a regular basis whilst feeding, you just need to locate these by plumetting. Just remember to use heffty tackle like you would for pike.

[Silfield]

A cube of luncheon meat on a running ledger has worked wonders in the past when I have been chub fishing! Plenty of decent eels fell to that bait (and a few good chub as well) but it was 25 years ago.

[BoltonBullfinch]

You could try whole whitebait on a single hook, there's always the chance of a decent perch if the eels are not playing.

Thanks
BB

[Barbelseeker]

Eels like to hole up somewhere - under stones, around old bridge supports, or rocky banks, rat holes. Like has been said - if dead bait allowed not allowed - sprat head or whitebait. Otherwise, stone loach. My best was around 5lb from Grassthorpe Beck, near Sutton on Trent, as it basically ran under a bridge and fell down a small waterfall into the Trent. Not fished for them in lakes.

[Bobthefloat]

Freshly killed small Roach head on a single hook on a very light running ledger on a very light bobbin in the margin
Chop up the remaining fish for chum

[Duebel]

I've caught eel from a river on lobworm in November and February. I've never fished for them in lakes though.

[Olly]

I once had over 30 runs in one day in Autumn, November I think, when piking with mackerel tail dead-bait - the mackerel skin looking like it was sucked or chewed! Eels it was but never caught or landed one. Same lake in a frosty January my colleague fishing with a live bait - had a run and landed a 3lb eel.
I have used a roach tail with the line thread thru from the cut bit to the tail fin where I have stopped the roach sliding up the line, single hook and running lead. Caught but no monsters.
Whole Gudgeon are better as they are thinner so more easily swallowed both by perch and eels.

[Bobby Marlene]

My friends and I caught plenty of good eels in daytime on the river Shannon on deadbait intended for pike. We used small freshly caught roach. That was in May. Years ago ...
Good luck, Chris

[Lovatt]

I have always caught my Eels using float fished worms on the bottom and during daylight hours even on a blisteringly hot day beside the embankment. On a Freezing day in October or perhaps November I forget now when it was, fishing a local canal for Perch in quite clear water I saw an Eel swiming into my swim that would probably of gone 6lb on a set of scales.

They make a pleasant surprise and often caught while fishing for other species, as far as I know Eels make a run for the sea, bound for the place where they breed every fifteen years or so and that I believe is why they are often caught at about a pound and a half.

My biggest Eel would be three pound four ounces, most likely because it got stuck in a lake with seven others that I caught a year os so ago near Swindon, minced beef and chopped worms are a pretty good ground bait and not forgetting a bag of blood,offal and fish heads thrown in several days before fishing. In my fishing life I have probably caught about twenty or so Eels and they are a rare treat, I always return.


Trevor