Looking for the best method of keeping eels alive out of water.
Currently, I have them in a soft cooler with weed, which is in another cooler on 5#s of ice with the lid slightly open. How long can I get away with this method.

I usually put the eels in a plastic bag, like you'd get at the supermarket, then put ice in another plastic bag, but the eel bag into the ice bag, then put the whole thing in a soft cooler. a half dozen eels last about 6 hours or so this way. Pour out the water that melts every hour or so and they should be fine.

The important part is getting rid of the water. I kept eels for a weekned on ice in a bucket with holes so the water would drain.

They will live long out of the water if they are cool and moist, but they will drown in their own slime in no time...

Good article in the tips section:

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=9001

i keep mine in a cooler with a damp towel and blue freezer packs.2 days at cutty no problem.keep them cool and and out of there slime

put them in the tub with a airator (sp?)

be prepared to sleep on the couch if the wife finds them



seriously....a cooler with a fish tank airator will keep a couple of dozen for weeks......just change the water ever three days

if you don't have an airator...just keep them damp...they'll be fine

Get a bucket with holes drilled in it. Put the bucket under an outdoor faucet, and prop up the far end on a small stone. Turn the faucet until a dribble of water comes out--just past a steady drip. They'll keep that way for up to a week, especially in coller weather.

was on the vineyard last weekend, picked up two dozen eels on friday and still had eels alive on Monday when I left.

I had the eels in my eel bucket (copy of the custom eel bucket from s-b), we put the bucket in the bath tub let the water drip on the eels and the excess water and eel jiz drained out the drain hole and down the tub drain....WORKED GREAT and kept the eels alive for almost 4 days.

When I leave the eels outside I put a milk crate on top (top of bucket at bottom of milk crate)of the bucket with a heavy rock so the critters cannot get in and had a field day.

I've had em live for about a week in a small hard cooler with a blue freezer pack in it. Just keep em cold, drain the slime, and they should do fine.

80 gallon feed tank, filled three quarters of the way with two 30gal aerators, Can keep up to 20 pounds of eels until you run out. Change the water once a week during the fall and twice a week during the season.

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Best set up is 3 buckets.
top bucket , holes in bottom , ice block.
middle bucket holes in bottom , eels with sea weed
Bottom bucket , no hole , just catches the dripping water and slime.

All the buckets nest into each other.

the top bucket keeps the ice from touching the eels. , just the ice cold water drips through on them , middle bucket the eels are cool and wet and can rub off slime on the sea weed. Bottom bucket so it doesn't drip out in car.

two buckets also works 9no top bucket for ice , ice in with eels. This sometimes freezer burns the eels though .

This is THE Best method for keeping them alive. I've kept them alive 3 weeks before using this method. just keep it out of the sun and you should be fine.


Best set up is 3 buckets.
top bucket , holes in bottom , ice block.
middle bucket holes in bottom , eels with sea weed
Bottom bucket , no hole , just catches the dripping water and slime.

All the buckets nest into each other.

the top bucket keeps the ice from touching the eels. , just the ice cold water drips through on them , middle bucket the eels are cool and wet and can rub off slime on the sea weed. Bottom bucket so it doesn't drip out in car.

two buckets also works 9no top bucket for ice , ice in with eels. This sometimes freezer burns the eels though .

Best set up is 3 buckets.
top bucket , holes in bottom , ice block.
middle bucket holes in bottom , eels with sea weed
Bottom bucket , no hole , just catches the dripping water and slime.

All the buckets nest into each other.

the top bucket keeps the ice from touching the eels. , just the ice cold water drips through on them , middle bucket the eels are cool and wet and can rub off slime on the sea weed. Bottom bucket so it doesn't drip out in car.

two buckets also works 9no top bucket for ice , ice in with eels. This sometimes freezer burns the eels though .

add a spigot in the bottom bucket and you can remove the melted water and slime very easily . I have a hose off my spigot that goes out of the truck so I just open up the spigot to remove the excess .