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eeling technique
I see a lot of advice here...most of it's good EXCEPT for whacking them. Don't damage the eel, the live activity catches more fish. Here's the advice I would go with:
1. Keep them on ice, they are not nearly as active, but once they hit the water they come to life. They will not ball up you line when they are in the water.
2. Hook them through the lower jaw and out through one eye, being careful not to enter the braincase, this will keep them solidly on the hook and alive for a long time. I've caught as many as three bass on one eel.
3. Get them into the water immediately. When boat fishing this is easy, I simply make sure I have enough slack line to hook them and the immediately drop them into the water. Then I simply reel the line up to casting length and toss them out. From the beach, I grab the eel with a rag, hook the eel but I continue to hold the eel (in my left hand) with the rag until I get to where I'm going to cast. I drop the rag, rear-back, and cast the eel.
4. Never "whack" the eel.
5. I've had good luck with circle hooks, however they take some getting used to. Don't try to set the hook when you get a pick-up. Rather, when you feel the pick up (sometimes I even fish with an open bail or live liner set-up), you let the fish run. Then close the bail (or set the liveliner drag), and apply solid, steady pressure without snapping the rod tip. You'll get a hook in the corner of the mouth 90% of the time (use good sharp Gammies for this).
I don't get a "ball-up" using any of these approaches.
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