Big Eels

[CarponlineEditor]

I might have a go at fishing for some big eels later on in the year and I thought i would ask the experts what, how, etc they caught them. Any ideas please chaps???

Andy

[Smarts]

Andy,

I've accidently caught some nice eels from Goldsworth Park lake in Woking and have often thought of fishing properly for them there....maybe it's worth a shot?
Bob Hornegold will be the man to pass on info. on BIG eels.
Have you had any when fishing the Thames for the carp?


Smarts

[CarponlineEditor]

I havent caught an eel for years but I have heard rumours of some very big ones in a lake i know so i thought i may have a go for them. I am not sure what baits are best and i presume my carp tackle would do at a pinch but who knows. The biggest I have ever had was a five odd pounder from the Thames at Teddington when i was pike fishing with small roach dead baits but i really havent a clue. Maybe there will be something in my old Specialist Angler magazines?? I must dig them out and have a look.

Andy

[Neil]

I do a bit of eeling in the summer but I'm nowhere near an expert. I prefer small fresh deadbaits over lobs because you don't get as many bootlaces. I use size 4 super specialists and Quicksilver is a good hooklength in case you get a pike. Your set-up and bite indication needs to have very little resistance otherwise you get lots of dropped takes.
It's best to strike as soon as you get a run, you might miss a few but it's better than the heartbreak of gut hooking a big one. Carp tackle should be okay for good sized eels but you might want to step up a bit if your water's snaggy so you can haul them up in the water as quickly as possible. As for weather, I reckon the warmer the night the better your chances but you can get a few takes on muggy overcast days too.
A good tip for unhooking: lay the eel on it's back and stroke it, this does work!

Cheapskate angler

[CarponlineEditor]

Cheers Neil, I can get hold of lots of lob worms so that shouldnt be a problem. I use size four superspecialists for my carping anyway so they are in my box as well. Just need the quicksilver now then lol

Andy

[Smarts]

Carp tackle's OK,but I'd use 15lb line though as big eels really pull back and if there's a snag they'll find it!!
Use limp wire traces when using fish baits in case of pike like the Drennen ones which are mixed with dynema etc....they can be knotted like line,and are supple and very fine diameter.
Gudgeon make great deadbaits...straight down the hatch!

Smarts

[Neil]

Lamprey section is one bait I will try this summer, lots of blood!
If I could invent a device for getting eel slime/images/forum/icons/tongue.gif off hands I'd be rich!


Cheapskate angler

[Smarts]

Neil.....I'm not 100%,but I believe that eels won't touch lamphrey or in fact eel sections...........can somone put me right?!
I don't recommend sea baits either,though my mate's caught some pythons out of the Thames on sprat when we have pike fished it at Molesey Weir.

Anyway...I'm no expert and have caught 90% of my eels by accident......not design!

Smarts

[Peter]

Any RMC venue known to have decent eels?

[scorpio]

The best bait for Eels is undoubtedly dead bait... pieces of fish section and sea baits such as Makerel strip or sprat sections work but they must be ultra fresh... don't get it from the supermarket but from a fish monger. Gudgeon section is also good. I never strike right away on an eel take as you will miss 9 out of 10 I let the run develop then strike, I have hardly ever gut hooked a large eel. Night fishing is almost a must as well especially on the Thames. The larger eels are found generally in lakes as the Thames fish are on their migration.

Tony

[Neil]

Chigborough is pretty good for snakes

Cheapskate angler

[rhornegold]

Andy,
Eels, please!! I'm no expert but Gary and I have put in some serious time for them over the last few years.
1Buy Successful Eel Fishing by John Sidley
2 Check how snaggy the water is before fishing
3 Use suitable tackle, this can vary from 11/2 lb Barble rods and 10lb line to 23/4lb carp rods and 15lb line, it really depends on the place you are fishing
4 Bait, Worms or dead and live fish No.1 has to be small Perch that why they have all those spiky fins.Pop the Worms up with air.
5 Some water hold live bait feeders( big mouths) other are worm/invertibrates feeders (small pointed mouths)
6 Rigs, keep them simple and free running,Dyson type set up's or simple paternoster Perch type rigs.
7 Open bale arm, rear light weight drop off indicators and front buzzers.( try and work out why they can eat all the bait of the hook and not move the line at all)
8 Always use a wire trace (12lb Calibar), the J.S trace uses two swivels, hook sizes vary with bait, but 4s to 8s have been ok for us.
9 Eel need a lot of care, as a rough guide 10 yrs of life= 1lb in weight.
All the main organs are around the head, so dont wait to strike
as soon as you have any indication pick up the rod in with the bale arm and strike. Try to avoid deep hooking at all cost because they will die, if deep hooked and not bleeding cut the wire and let them go quickly.
10 If you have really big Eels in your water a 50inch landing net is not to big, they are the most difficult fish to land.
11 As already mentioned, turn them on thier backs stroke thier belly and they will lay still , if they start to wriggle repeat
the procedure.
12 Join one of the Eel groups for good advice(we did )
13 Get me an invite
Best of luck





Bob Hornegold

[CarponlineEditor]

Thanks for the info chaps. I will look into this more before I have a go for them because i wouldnt want to risk damaging any fish. I will have to look for that book sometime. I have seen a couple listed in my old Specialist Angler magazines too.

Cheers,

Andy

[rhornegold]

Peter,
The 70 acre at Fishers Green did a 6lb Eel for Gary in 1999, (picture in Angling Dairy of Garys Eel).
We have found that you need a water with a low number of pike or cats, then the Eel becomes number one preditor.
Commercial carp lakes hold some monsters.

Bob Hornegold

[starman]

Andy if you speak to river carper he will tell you of a nice little
lake with a nice little power station next to it that has the best head of 4lb plus eels in the country i plan to fish it with the one and only Dave Ball , i think the boss is even talking about coming . You will love this place trust me

Cheers Starie

[Rivercarper]

Theres no chance of you two fishing the hell hole it's to windswept for you.

[CarponlineEditor]

Cheers Starry. lol Now now Neil.

Andy