Oddly enough I caught my first eel for decades yesterday, on floatfished sweetcorn.
Fishing for Eels
- MWithell
- Chub
- Posts: 1086
- Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2022 3:03 pm
- 1
- Location: West Sussex
Re: Fishing for Eels
Malcolm
Catching lob-worms is one of the greater Outdoor Sports. It is the most hilarious game in the world (John C Moore)
Catching lob-worms is one of the greater Outdoor Sports. It is the most hilarious game in the world (John C Moore)
- Banksy
- Brown Trout
- Posts: 1438
- Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 3:53 pm
- 8
- Location: East Yorkshire
Re: Fishing for Eels
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.
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.
- Sussex Micky
- Arctic Char
- Posts: 1964
- Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:10 am
- 10
- Location: sussex
Re: Fishing for Eels
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
- Mr B
- Arctic Char
- Posts: 1962
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2017 3:54 pm
- 7
- Location: London south east.
Re: Fishing for Eels
Im the same Micky, hate to think a fish or an Eel is swimming around with one of my hooks in it.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
Thankfully with barbless hooks hopefully they come out easier. They must do.
Mark
The close season is an important and interesting time for the Angler who set out to catch big fish. It is a timely opportunity for him to make new tackle or renovate old. There are no end of jobs to do, apart from those horrible things called Gardens!
- Lovatt
- Perch
- Posts: 403
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:01 pm
- 10
Re: Fishing for Eels
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
Trevor
Trevor
- EricW
- Perch
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2021 7:29 pm
- 3
- Location: Leics/Warks border
- Contact:
Re: Fishing for Eels
There are rigs now that make liphooking eels a certainty if you ever feel the urge again. Search twig rig for example.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
These are the Golden Years. Don't waste them.
Here are some of our fishing films that you may enjoy
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrUkLb ... -bz8H_vr7A
Here are some of our fishing films that you may enjoy
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrUkLb ... -bz8H_vr7A
- StefanDuma
- Grayling
- Posts: 515
- Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:11 pm
- 7
Re: Fishing for Eels
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.
- Sussex Micky
- Arctic Char
- Posts: 1964
- Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:10 am
- 10
- Location: sussex
Re: Fishing for Eels
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 nightEricW wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 9:57 pmThere are rigs now that make liphooking eels a certainty if you ever feel the urge again. Search twig rig for example.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
- Santiago
- Wild Carp
- Posts: 11042
- Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 2:30 pm
- 12
- Location: On my way to Mars
- Contact:
Re: Fishing for Eels
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!
Have to catch the bait first!
"....he felt the gentle touch on the line and he was happy"
Hemingway
Hemingway