eel skin substitute - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

CANAL RAT · 01-30-2005, 11:21 AM

I was thinking about eels that maybe going on the endangered species list and the lack of eel skins as I wont be using eels any more as of when I heard this bad news. How about using rubber as a substitute for eel’s skins I was thinking of maybe magnum condoms there more durable and you could get them in different colors. Anybody else think this may work?

Bob Thomas · 01-30-2005, 11:34 AM

CR,

I think that was mentioned in an article a few years back. Something about a black condom. Just cut the tip to let the water flow out. Sounds like it would work

hunan · 01-30-2005, 11:36 AM

sure c.r. i'll let you have some of mine. yeah right, who am i kiddin'? anyway i've heard of guys replacing pork rind with balloons. they also come in many colors, they're more durable and a whole lot cheaper. maybe you could put some pogie oil in one, tie it on and put a pin prick in the end. now you've got yourself a little scent trail. for pork rind substitute the balloon is just cut into desired widths and lengths. how are those squid jigs coming out by the way?

cheferson · 01-30-2005, 11:48 AM

Safe fishing

Mike P · 01-30-2005, 11:52 AM

9" Sluggo on a heavy jighead.

Alewife color to imitate a blue-side-out skin

Black or red shad to imitate a natural-side-out skin.

The condom idea sounds nice, but the bottom will chew the hell out of the soft latex material---it'll be a one-cast lure.

hunan · 01-30-2005, 11:59 AM

how could i explain to the g.f. if she found condoms in my surf bag that i really was only going fishing? i'd never get to go again.

ProfessorM · 01-30-2005, 07:23 PM

I second the sluggo on the jig. I know someone who's been using them in the canal for years with very good results. He super glues them on the leadhead. When wife gets back from Mexico with the camera I will post a photo. P. M.

Raven · 01-30-2005, 08:40 PM

when it comes to eels skinned lures.......i always wonder about "why" they work.....thinking that perhaps the return signature the fish recieves from its sensory array of sonar ?....its vibrational signature must be "just enough different" than a plain hardbody lure to elicite a strike....

what about sausage tubing instead of prophylactics. its skin.

t.orlando · 01-30-2005, 08:46 PM

3-5oz sluggos definitely DO NOT work in the canal. Especially the alewife ones.

ProfessorM · 01-31-2005, 10:59 AM

Here are a few. I dug them out of the cellar dust and all. I do not use them that often any more, I prefer the eelskin rig, but a buddy of mine who showed me this set up has caught many 40 lbers in the canal with them. Fished the same as bucktail, on the bottom. The sluggo is simply superglued on to the jig. You cut the front of the sluggo flat and hollow out the middle with an exacto knife and shove the sluggo on with the glue. It holds just fine, the ones in the photo are probably 8 to 10 years old and are still attached. Of course bluefish make mincemeat out of them but they hold up well. Hope this helps. P.M.

hunan · 01-31-2005, 11:24 AM

never used an eel skin jig but from what i've read, you can freeze them again and again. guys have had them for years, they use them then freeze them in/on kosher salt then use them again, over and over. so, c.r. get what you can make up this year and you'll probably have enough for some time to come. providing they don't get left on the bottom, that is.

RIJIMMY · 01-31-2005, 11:27 AM

Any thoughts on using a sluggo with a tin squid? If the jighead works, I would assume a tin squid would work as well. It would give the lure some nice action. I amy try that thsi year, I have a bunch of tin squids laying around

Nebe · 01-31-2005, 12:35 PM

RIJIMMY_ yes a tinsquid will wok with a sluggo, but a Berkley powe eel will work better....

Ty a side by side comparison some dayand you'll see what I'm talking about.

t.orlando · 01-31-2005, 12:37 PM

RI Jimmy, tried the tin squid and sluggo. Not as good as as a jig head. More missed fish than fish. Think they hit it more from the back.

ProfessorM · 01-31-2005, 12:42 PM

Like these except with a sluggo. I don't see why not. P.M.

RIJIMMY · 01-31-2005, 12:43 PM

ok, thanks. I'll try the jig head

Flaptail · 01-31-2005, 12:44 PM

There used to be a guy in NY taht made imitation eel skins out of Dogfish/shark skins. Even made them in colors. Don't know if he is still around. Might want to ask the guys at NJ Tackle 'bout that one.

Mike P · 01-31-2005, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flaptail
There used to be a guy in NY taht made imitation eel skins out of Dogfish/shark skins. Even made them in colors. Don't know if he is still around. Might want to ask the guys at NJ Tackle 'bout that one.

Haven't seen him at any of the local shows here for at least 6-7 years. I may be mistaken on this, but I seem to have the idea in the back of my head that it was the same guy who made the Dri-Core tops

Name of Michael Angelo or something like that

Flaptail · 01-31-2005, 02:44 PM

Mike you are right about the time line. As for his name I don't remember it but I bought a couple Danny plugs the he was selling and some tin swim plates for rigging eels. I saw him at the Worcester show.

Pete_G · 01-31-2005, 09:03 PM

I might try out some of these baits this year:

Uncle Josh

Attached to jigs and/or tin squids, they should work.

Pork is pretty tough stuff, I wonder how well it holds up to bluefish...

Notaro · 01-31-2005, 09:11 PM

Pete, those pork rind strips look pissah.

I have alou eel jigheads that I got from Crafty's and SWE. I just cut off the head of a sluggo like PM did and it looked fine. I haven't tried it. And also I cut a half of sluggo and attach it on a alou jighead. I was thinking that either of them could imiate a sand eel or a eel. What do you think, guys?

scoobe · 02-01-2005, 12:45 AM

Yea man they imitate sand eels well, especially the smaller sizes.

These are kickass. Haven't tried these before but they should work as well.