im wondering what u all use to carry your eels out with u on the beach? do u use a mesh type bag? or carry a bucket?

loose pants with big pockets.... adds more excitement to a night of fishing:smash: :smash: :smash:





i use a bucket with holes;)

This is something near and dear to my heart.;) If it is just me and I have a long walk ahead... In a pinch, I toss a few in a plastic trash bag and tie it to my wader belt. (Ugly but it works) I have never used a mesh bag. But if I am going to a spot to work for the night and I don't have a long hike involved, I bought a very hady continer at "Benny's", it is a plastic tupper-ware like continer with a hinged lid and a handle. It makes it very easy to carry several dozen. The downside is ...you have to carry it.

I was telling my wife several things need to be developed for the surfcaster.

1) A better way to put eels on your belt and out of the way. (you also need a cloth rag on the belt.

2) water proof fishing gloves. My hands get cut-up like no tomorrow when I am into fish. I know they make neoprene gloves but they are too thick. (good when it is cold) but you cant tie a knot with one. I tried golf golves but they crap out after a while in the water. We need a ultra thin neo glove...

3) a better overall plug bag/wader belt carrying system for /gaff/bogo/eel/bag etc. This winter I am going to try and piece together such equipment that works better the the stuff I have now.
I hate stuff in my hands other then rod and fish.

I use a plastic mayonaise jar with a snap lid (commercial size,its from a restaurant), or one of those Met-Rix jars work well too.
I poke some holes in the top with a knife and two holes near the top of the jar to put some line through. This gets thown over my shoulder, weighs next to nothing and 10 eels have lived thru a weekend like this.

Hunter fishing products sells mesh bags.I just got one at Freddies,in Montauk.

The problems I find with meshbags is the slime on waders.

bucket with holes

When I throw eels, I throw only eels. I do not even carry plugs so I came up with a nice system. I found a soft sided six pack cooler with a zipper top. The eels go inside with a little ice and some seaweed. The seaweed seems to keep the eels from drowning in slime and stagnant water as the ice melts. The cooler/eel bag has a shoulder strap and an elastic net pocket on the side. In the pocket goes a pkg of swivels, hooks and a small spool of leader. the rag goes in the body of the pouch. I wear my clippers and pliers on my waders and that is all I need, except fish.

Hey Patrick,
Great minds think alike! I use the soft sided cooler thing too. It's great for eels. What I use instead of ice is one of the blue freezie things so that there is no water buidling up from the ice melting.

I use a baby wipes container. Cut 2 slits in back to thread your belt thru and drill some holes in the bottom for slime release. Holds 6 nicely and there right at your side.

Scotch Bonnet, I like the baby wipes container idea. I have an unlimited supply of those. Do ya think the pampers variety will work? ;) I usually use the two bucket system with ice, but that is not always convenient. Thanks for a great idea.

Carl, the Pampers container is the best because it has dual tops. I cut an opening big enough for my hand in the flip top so the eels can't escape. An ice pak will slow em down and a hand covered in sand will help you grip.

WOW, u guys came up with some good stuff.i thought about the soft sided six pack but didn,t know how to go about it. the pampers, never would of guess.when i fished nauset i usually used the bucket , but the foxes were always near by. i like the soft sided idea and will go with that for now. and try the pampers at another time.thanks evrybody . i love this site.:D

I've had good luck with a small burlap bag hung off my wader belt. The burlap give you a good grip on the eel while hooking it. A small zip-lock bag with ice cubes in the burlap sack keeps the eels nice and mellow and easier to handle. Hope this helps.

for the truck I have a 3 bucket system with a drain valve for the melted ice . this will keep eels for more than a week as long as they have ice melting and I dont forget to drain them .
For strolling I use a mesh bag ( wifes delicate bag for washer ) carried inside and East German ammo bag thats 4X4 with pockets for snaps and swivels and circle hooks . weighs nothing and pull out bag dunk it every so often . eels live for the entire night and then some . the mesh bag will also help with holding the eel for hooking .