eels

[Brooksie]

Never used them till last night, I heard if you put them on ice they are easier to handle and will come back to life when they thaw, mine did not come back to life. Am I better off just leaving them in water?

[IRL]

If you dont keep the container so that the water will drain as the ice melts they will drown in their own slime
hope this helps !!

[Saltheart]

You have to put them in a bucket with holes in the bottom to let the water and slime drain. They will drown if you put them in a bucket of water. they will drown in the melted ice if there are no holes in the bucket. In fact , they will drown in their own slime if there are no holes in the bucket.

[Brooksie]

Thanks, that's what I did wrong, no holes.

[BigBo]

Best way I've found to keep them as the others mentioned is a large minnow type bucket with holes in the bottom of the inner bucket. I place the eels with seaweed in the section of bucket with holes, load up a five gallon pail with ice on the bottom, then drop the eel bucket on top of the ice. This way the ice slows down their metabolism and make them easy to grab with a rag. The seaweed keeps the moist and fresh. And the ice never comes in contact with the eels. Works good for me. Give it a try.

[Bill L]

I've put the ice in a ziploc freezer bag, and used a little six pack cooler. The eels don't get too slimy on short trips, the ice slows them down to grab, and the cooler is a handy size.

[Van]

I used some last night as well.
They are definatley THE MOST DISGUISTING CREATURES ON EARTH.

I should have used ice to calm them, cause one was fiesty and instantly wrapped itself in my line to a huge tangled ball of mono,slim and eel. YUK !!!

If I held them with a rag and got them in the water quickly, no problem.

To keep them alive for a long time in the boat, I just keep changing the water in a 5 gal. bucket with my washdown.
I'll ice em' next time though.

BTW, I didn't catch s**t...
Even live pollack NADA.
But I did manage to pick up a lobster line on the prop on the way back. Pitch dark near hull gut with my 13 yr. old. A bit tense for a while. But dad saved the day !!!!!
Made the evening so much more enjoyable !!!

[kayaman]

I'm with Bigbo as to keeping the eels (especialy the seaweed). I use an old sock to grab them with, acts like a glove.

[STEVE IN MASS]

Originally posted by Van
I used some last night as well.
They are definatley THE MOST DISGUISTING CREATURES ON EARTH.

Beg to differ....they are extremely tasty filleted and fried up..... YUM, now I want some.....

[Van]

Yuk......

I think I'll pass Steve.

Thanks,,

[schoolie monster]

No way Van, seaworms are the most disgusting... those things are just creepy.

I agree with the bucket w/holes and ice. I like seaweed too. The ice does two things. Keeps 'em fresh and slows them down. When they are slow, they don't wrap around your line much.

Use a rag or sock or one of those dish sponges with the rough side(scotch-brite pad??), those work as well. If they are too frisky, grab them around the head and give their tail a whack on the bucket or a rock... this stuns them a moment and again, they are less likely to wrap around your line. I know that sounds mean, but you're already using them for bait.

After a few casts, they settle down a bit.

As for drifting, I haven't done much of that with eels, but when casting them, I know they will swim off the hook if you don't keep some tension on them. I imagine the same thing will happen when drifting.

In response to the other thread, I do use circles with eels and have had mixed results. My hook up ratio has been good, but I have still gut hooked a few like Specialist said. We've touched on this before and I believe that the consensus was that a offset circle hook will still gut hook a few. Most are hooked right in the lip and when I've had a good run, I've missed very few.

I haven't eel fished as much this year, so hopefully we'll have a sweet fall run and I'll be able to get a bit more "data" for my testing.

[STEVE IN MASS]

Aw, VAn, if I filleted it up, fried it up, and put it on your plate without you knowing what it was, I gaurantee you that you'd want more.....

[kayaman]

You know, I have never had an eel swim off my hook while drifting. When not drifting I let them do thier own thing with great results. Very few if any gut hooks, using a baitrunner and paying close attention to the line.

[Van]

Originally posted by STEVE IN MASS
Aw, VAn, if I filleted it up, fried it up, and put it on your plate without you knowing what it was, I gaurantee you that you'd want more.....

Steve:
Ummmmm. Eating bait is...
EEL-errific !!

I would probably try some even if I knew what it was, cause I can't be called a wimp.... , seconds??? (I don't know)

Kayaman:
Don't you have to keep them off the bottom a bit or they snag in the rocks?

[Saltheart]

I like to give eels a good smack on a rock before putting them on a hook. Slows them down so you can retrieve dead slow without them balling up. I mean a good SMACK. Maybe 2 good SMACKS!

[Van]

Give em' some extra smacks cause' theyr'e soooooo ugly !!!!

[STEVE IN MASS]

Van - give ya credit.....I say the same to Mr.Kav about bluefish as well as eel, and he wants no part of it....

"I won't eat anything that I put on a hook".....

His loss....

PS...But I've proved him wrong on that point more than once........hey Dave, how was that calamari, shrimp and fried clams ya had last night?....

[Van]

Originally posted by STEVE IN MASS

"how was that calamari, shrimp and fried clams ya had last night?....

NOW THOSE I LOVE...YUMMY...

[kayaman]

Van I don't know, I've only had a problem in the rocks a few times. I do use heavy line when eelin'..........