[Notaro]

Originally Posted by eeltime

Ditto john, that why I did not answer, those were tounge and cheek for sure.

Anyway, I have always broke the eels back about a third of the way up from the tail, they will never curl into a ball if you do this and they will still swim fine and be plebty frisky, after a few casts and the initial shock of being slammed into a rock they wake up and work fine, I have caught hundreds of bass on eels and then some, breaking there back in that spot has always worked for me, if no rock is near by then I use the side of my eel bucket.I keep my eels in a small shiner pail with holes drilled in the bottom and every so often dunk it in the surf to liven the snakes up, I have tried eel bags and hate them, they always seem to slime up so bad that I cant even grab one. Anyway I attach this small pail to my wader belt after having cut slits in it to accept the belt, works great. I also always carry a couple of rags with me to grad the eels.

As for hooking, I go in the mouth and out the bottom and the hook seems to act like a "keel". I would never hook them in the chin and out the eye sockett, I know many do this but not me, I want the eel to see whats coming! I can always tell when I am about to get a strike, that eel lets you know. I dont "lob" eels but I do cast a little more gingerly than if I had a plug on, distance at night does not mater, most hits are at your feet right in the wash. Anyway good luck with your eeling, there is some skill to it, most dont think so but I do.

Wouldn't the hook be down?