OK, you guys are going to think i'm crazy, but I want to know if there is a way to target eel in a fast moving river. I caught one by accident yesterday and used him for cut bait. I remember reading that catfish love them some eel, and they were right. I fished all day with worms, and just when we were about to leave that eel bit the line. We caught 2 nice blue cats with in about 30 minutes. They weighed about 15 pounds a peice. That's a good sized blue. When the water is up in the river, it's very difficult to catch a panfish for bait, so you have to resort to worms. However, if there were a way to catch eel, that would kick butt. Eels shouldn't be affected by the change in water level, I just don't know how or were to catch them. Help me out!!!
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In most cases, the eel will like squigly baits. A nice whole squid or octopus would do nice even in fresh water. Scented plastics in light colors should also do the trick.[cool]
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What about eel pots?
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Eel pots would also be a great idea. Those could work just like Comercial Lobster traps or crab pots. You would just need enough bait to attract more than one at a time and check it frequently.[cool]
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Yeppers, i'm going to look into the eel pots.
Oh, and I forgot about that blue line I was gonna get. [laugh] I deployed shortly after and didn't think about it until just now when I checked my messages. I've been back stateside for about 4 months. I guess my memory has gotten worse in the past few years.
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Here's another question though, were would be the best location to put an eel pot?
Also, what should I bait it with?
And would a standered minnow trap work or would I actually need to buy an extended one intended just for eels?
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Considering it will be in a river, I would look for an Eddie or meander that has a slower flow of current.
Is this a freshwater only, anadromous or tetradromous species of eel that you are talking about? That would help to determine the type of bait that would work best.[cool]
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They are niether, the eel i'm talking about are Amphidromas. These eel are in a river that, in my knowledge, doesn't attach to the ocean in any way. So, with that said, they are spawning AND spending thier adult life with in the freshwater systems. And since Amphidromas fish can spawn in either fresh or saltwater, it would fit them perfectly since the same type of eel can be caught in the freshwater rivers that do lead to the ocean. These eels are more driven by it's feeding habbits rather than it's spawning habbits.
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In that case, a standard minnow trap would work. There are bigger traps that are more like crab pots that may work better.
Try baiting them with baby octopus or even whole frozen squid. That is one of their favorite meals. Otherwise, small cut bait should work well also. Some traps have a bait pocket or smaller basket that goes inside to hold the bait.[cool]
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Cool beans, i'm going to pick up a couple minnow traps come my next pay check and try them out in the low current area's. Mmmm, I wonder if they would work better in the shallows or in the deeper section of the eddies and breaks?
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I would try the deeper part of the eddies during the day and shallows during the afternoon hours. Back to the depths in the evening hours.[cool]
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well here's how i used to catch them years ago .
i'de get under a bridge that had plenty of big rocks under it , dice up a small bluegill and put a chunk on a hook . no fishing rod , just a hook on some line . drop the baited hook down into the holes between the rocks and wait for a minute or two .
as soon as one bit we'de hold on and pull steady . those ells will bind up in the rocks , but their strength will wear out eventually and they will slip on up .
getting them off the hook was another thing .................
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