Rookie Question

can somebody please tell me the proper way to hook eels

I come up throught the bottom of the the eels mouth and out through one of the eyes. This helps ensure that the eel stays on

[chris L]

I rig them through the bottom jaw out an eye or the top lip . Ive also rigged them through the tail with a fish finder rig and weight and let him do the work swimming around . I usually use the tail method when I set up with 2 rods one to cast with and the other in a spike with my baitrunner reel on . When you rig through the mouth you should reel them in very very slowly and hang on .

[JohnR]

I've seen people run through the eye and have tried it myself before as well and I don't like it. Eels are probably the most resilient live bait you can ues but going through the eye can't be good for it, not to mention if you miss and go through it's brain <img src="/Images/Tounge_Wink_Face.gif"><!--e5-->... I was taught to go fairly deep into the eel's mouth and come out the bottom, an eel tracheotomy of sorts. You also don't need to use big hooks. Small hooks like a SHARPENED Mustad 5/0 6/0 are sufficient as long as they are SHARPENED... Mustad come in two flavors of dull and none of sharp. Going through the throat has got to be less stressfull on the eel... After that its cast and very, very slow retrieve...


Later,

John