Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating - View Single Post

parker23 · 08-01-2013, 01:48 PM

I have been fishing dead/rigged eels since I was a kid, about 40 years now. My father and grandfather always fished with eels, my Dad caught his 60 on a live eel. I was not worthy to use live eels as a kid, so dead or rigged was the bait I used. I do fish live eels and they end up rigged after they expire. My 1st wife hated the mason jars in the fridge or bags of half frozen sludge brine in the freezer, however, she did like eating bass so she put up with it.
My grandfather made his own lead-head rigs and I used those until I lost the last one some 15 years ago. I now use the Point Jude Eel bobs and love them in deep water, heavy surf or in a fast rip.

My favorite technique is using a floating or slow sinking needle rigged with a skin. For floaters, I use a Gibbs needle w/ a notch cut into the head to tie the skin to w/Dacron. Sinking, I use a Super Strike needle and zip tie the skin to the square head. The Super Strike eel rigs cast a country mile and they are super sexy in the water. When I am done for the night, the plug and skin go back into the brine.
I also brine whole eels. They cast a hell of a lot better than live and the brine really toughens them up. I hook them under the jaw and up through the scull and then tie them w/Dacron. I use 9/0 live bait hooks, they are very thick and the weight of the hooks works like a keel.

So 90% of the time, my surf bag has a zip lock w/rigged eels, dead eels or eel needle plugs.

Unfortunately, the last month of fishing has been less than stellar. I have been throwing plugs, live, rigged and dead eels to no avail. I have caught some bass, but size wise it has been frustrating. My usual July spots are dead on the nights I fish. I still enjoy being on the water with the wash at my feet, but it is times like this that I wish I commissioned the boat this year.

So that is my take on the dead eel gig.

08-01-2013, 01:48 PM	#3
parker23 No Trolling allowed iTrader: (0) Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: North Kingstown, RI Posts: 414	Rigged eels - ROCK I have been fishing dead/rigged eels since I was a kid, about 40 years now. My father and grandfather always fished with eels, my Dad caught his 60 on a live eel. I was not worthy to use live eels as a kid, so dead or rigged was the bait I used. I do fish live eels and they end up rigged after they expire. My 1st wife hated the mason jars in the fridge or bags of half frozen sludge brine in the freezer, however, she did like eating bass so she put up with it. My grandfather made his own lead-head rigs and I used those until I lost the last one some 15 years ago. I now use the Point Jude Eel bobs and love them in deep water, heavy surf or in a fast rip. My favorite technique is using a floating or slow sinking needle rigged with a skin. For floaters, I use a Gibbs needle w/ a notch cut into the head to tie the skin to w/Dacron. Sinking, I use a Super Strike needle and zip tie the skin to the square head. The Super Strike eel rigs cast a country mile and they are super sexy in the water. When I am done for the night, the plug and skin go back into the brine. I also brine whole eels. They cast a hell of a lot better than live and the brine really toughens them up. I hook them under the jaw and up through the scull and then tie them w/Dacron. I use 9/0 live bait hooks, they are very thick and the weight of the hooks works like a keel. So 90% of the time, my surf bag has a zip lock w/rigged eels, dead eels or eel needle plugs. Unfortunately, the last month of fishing has been less than stellar. I have been throwing plugs, live, rigged and dead eels to no avail. I have caught some bass, but size wise it has been frustrating. My usual July spots are dead on the nights I fish. I still enjoy being on the water with the wash at my feet, but it is times like this that I wish I commissioned the boat this year. So that is my take on the dead eel gig.
	1 @ 32 Pledge. Our beloved Striped Bass are in trouble AGAIN. I fished through the lean years and don't want to live through another collapse of the stock. 2 fish @ 28" is ridiculous.