The Enigmatic Eel

[DaceAce]

In 40+ years of angling, mostly Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire, I've never caught an eel.

You haven't lived until you've had an eel wrapped around your arm, or been bitten by one...

[JAA]

I cut my fishing teeth handlining for Roman eels (muraena helena) while living in Cyprus as a child. You haven't lived until you've had an angry airborne yard-long one of those after you for blood.

Anguilla anguilla? Pah. Wusses.

[RBTraditional]

We have noticed an increase in their numbers in recent years across the Romney Marsh whilst angling for tench….which is good news. I love eels but rarely target them despite having caught a few good ones up to 6lb 10oz

[Wanderer]

Biggest Eel I ever saw was at a drained lock on the Aire and Calder Navigation at Castleford.
A real "Whopper". It was held in a section with sufficient water and was seen by many people who came to look at the work taking place.

[MWithell]

The last time I saw one was a couple of years ago at Arundel. A cormorant had caught one about a foot long and was getting extremely slimy trying to swallow it. It finally succeeded but it was quite a tussle, and the eel wriggled free several times.

[Cat]

Definitely don't want to be bitten by an eel! Did see an absolutely huge one some years ago making its way up the stream near Goonhavern...a real spectacle as it came out the water in order to circumnavigate the dam. Labrador was not impressed and hid behind me.