Rigged eels
 

Got a bunch of jumbos in the freezer, gonna rig them up next week. I was going to use the AL B. method from surfcasting at night. Is this the best way? How do you guys like to rig them, any different hardware?

Thanks

I find rigging them similar to a McKenna slug-go is easier. Surf Fishing at Night method employs a soldering iron which I don't own, so the no soldering method works better for me.

What T said...
130lb dacron...

Anything in there extra for weight? What do you guys like for hooks, that keep welll in brine?

No swim plate necessary, like T lap said rig em like a sluggo, ill use bigger hooks on the monster eels tho. Just make sure u tie the hooks off in place real well, thru the eye of the hook to each side of the body, then again at the bend.

You need to rig them so they can be cast hard. That means reinforcing the head hook. You can also stitch in the hooks for a better keel affect. Do a search , we have a couple of good threads on rigging eels .

rigged eels
 

I've used plumbers epoxy, instead of solder, on the head hook and it worked just fine.
Big eels need big hooks 9/0 siwash.

at times I tuck a small egg sinker in their mouth before I do up the final tying on the head. What also works are pencil weights, lil cylinders with a brass eye, I tuck the weight in the when I run the head hook, I run the hook through the brass eye of the pencil weight.

I rig them like this and with no weight and also some on tin squids.

Thanks

Al Bentsen used 2x mustad 9/0 siwash hooks, which you can't get anymore. I think they were part of a special run that was made for Terminal Tackle. I use the 3x with no problems, but they are a heavy wire hook.

I use 130lb mono for the rear hook, and crimp a loop in the same spot as the eye of the first hook. When I tie the leader on, I just pass the line through both loops. I feel better about the strength of that, but I'm sure the other way is fine too. I've never used extra weight - they're pretty heavy already.

Do yourself a favor and wear latex gloves for the slime.

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& got a 43 lb striper that won the RISAA shore division in the yearlong tournament last year with a dead eel on a PJ 1 1/2 oz WobbleHead . Just hook it thru the head and it swims. It's just another option and simple to do.

Rigged eels are great and have a fond place in my heart. I used them all the time up until 4 yrs ago. The 9 inch black slug-go replaced this favoite however. It is better and takes alot less time to rig. A good rigged eel takes about a half an hour to rig. A slug-go -- 3 to 5 minutes.

When I did use them, I used Siwash tinned hooks, 8/0 and 7/0, two swivels 50 lb. doubled dacron to connect the hooks, plus dental floss to sew everything together. No weight necessary.

Also, don't forget to break the eel's back by either pulling at each end or by folding the eel body in thirds.