In all my years, I've never seen eels in the bass' stomach . . .

[BassyiusMaximus]

. . . but this Saturday night changed all that.

I have seen lobsters, scup, herring, mackerel, scup and sea robins, but never the eels like we use/sling for bait in the bellies. This past Saturday night changed all that as I had found one eel in one belly and 2 in another. Surprised me. Has anyone else?

They must eat the eels since they always love mine.

[WoodsHole]

I never found an eel either. Years ago mostly lobsters. The last few years nothing.

[Moron_Saxatilis]

Never an eel. My favorite is the mantis shrimp. when I first found one I figured the bass was scavenging the wreckage of a UFO crash.

[Joe]

Never caught a bass with an eel it's stomach. Lobsters all the time - sometimes some silversides, small mehhaden, bay anchoy. I found needlefish in one (the fish, not the lure).

[HAYSTAK]

Yeha last season I had a bass with 2 ells in the belly, caught it on a mackerel head on humarock beach. Almost every fish I have caught in that area is LOADED with crabs in it's belly, harly ever anything else. a few weeks ago I got one with 9 2inch crabs. Makes me think when you chunk the crabs chewing on the bait may actually help with attrecting the fish

[likwid]

Entrance to the Jones River years ago.
Bass with an eel in its stomach.

[BassyiusMaximus]

After I had found the eels, I looked to see if they might have been the ones we lost from casting or from catching however, there were none of the telltale hook-holes or ripped-lips on any of the 3 eels as one bass had 2 and another had 1 in the belly and all the eels were definitely that whitish color from the acids digesting the skins, hmmmmmm

[Rockport24]

prob why eels are so damn effective, they are like a rare striper treat, so the fish jump at them when they see them!

[BassyiusMaximus]

I always say the eels are like Twizzlers are to kids. Like throwing them out to an Elementary School Assembly. No bones, nothing hard, just a nice-soft candy-treat!

[Rappin Mikey]

I'm guessing they digest more rapidly. Striper popsicles.

[Steve K]

I have caught one bass with an eel in its stomach but I don't keep that many fish.

[MrHunters]

Originally Posted by Rappin Mikey

I'm guessing they digest more rapidly. Striper popsicles.

that was my thought... makes me arse pucker thinking about passing a crab or lobster.... but an eel... smooth sailing

[CanalGuy]

Originally Posted by HAYSTAK

Makes me think when you chunk the crabs chewing on the bait may actually help with attrecting the fish

Bingo!

[WESTPORTMAFIA]

I've seen a couple. I think an eel is a harder meal for a bass to catch if you think about it. They are very quick and stay very close to the bottom structure and can easily hide. I think that has something to do with it anyway. Even a lobster can be easily caught by hand while walking along the rocks but an eel is like a NINJA

[2na]

Back when flipping eels on the back was the way to go I used to get quite a few bass with eels in their bellies (and bluefish coughing them up too). Whether they were forage, cast offs, escapees or releases, who knows? But I have not seen one in a few years now.

[5/0]

Nuttin new