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Unless you are fishing deep water... you will have far better sucess with a short (18") leader of #30.. floro is OK, I prefer Ander clear..it's tough, and abrasion resistant and also is a little stiffer, harder for the eel to knot up.. unlike most, I do not bring the hook up through the eye socket.. the reason, that is a loose hole, stright through both lips just short of the skull bone will produce a straighter , more natural swimming bait... it also gives the barb another palce to grab.. i save each eye for the second or third "rehook"... I'm not an advocate of circle hooks for eel fishing... a high percentage of fish get lost because the hook ends up in the eel.. it can happen with "J" hooks , but not nearly as often ..My prefered hook is a 4/0 Gami "J" hook...most people use hooks that are way too large, it leaves a bigger hole in the eel and also is harder to sink in the jaw of a large bass.. I've landed enough fish over 50lbs to have faith that that hook will hold the biggest bass in the sea.....I allow my eels to dry out slightly in the bucket.. because... I grab most of my eels bare handed ( those that have fished with me have seen it)...I imediately jamb my thumb into the throat area at the base of the skull.. this will temporarily paralize the eel... allowing me to hook it swiftly... when you release it ..it's normal functions( including balling) will continue.. so get it in the water quickly...most of my fishing is in shallow water 5' or lless... trolling with an electric trolling motor just fast enoght to keep them near the surface and casting and retrieving are my standard method of presenting them.. in the river .. along the beach... and cast into the craggy rock piles in both the river and along the shore line...
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