Netting Eels

I'm looking for any suggestion on what to use and where to go to catch my own eels this year. I live in Quincy and the closer to the area the better. Also, I have heard that one of the best baits is horseshoe crabs, but I am not sure of the regs (if any) on catching them...

Thanks.

[JohnR]

Bill C, one popular spot for setting an eel trap close to you is in the Fore river but up into Braintree. Using baits from Horseshoe crabs to dead fish like herring. Some tackle shops carry those traps or can get them. Try The Sportsman's Den in Quincy or CapeCodTackle.com (Wareham)for the traps. I think you may do well in Blacks Creek at the end of Wollaston beach. Set the trap at night and pick it out the next day. Mass DMF just passed a new bag limit of 50 eels in posession with a minimum size of 6 inches. The states website makes no mention of horseshoe crabs other than with a commercial fishing permit. (Blacks Creek gets alot of horseshoe crabs in May and June). I also know that you can grab them off the falls at the Watertown Falls near Galen street. This starts to happen when the herring run slows down... Eels are pretty resilient so if you get some and keep them properly, they'll keep for a while. Or you could buy them <img src="/Images/biggrin.gif"><!--e7-->...

Here is the link for the MASS DMF website <a href="http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/dfwele/dmf/dmfabstr.htm" target="_blank"><!--auto-->http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/dfwele/dmf/dmfabstr.htm</a><!--auto-->

Just a suggestion, horeshoe crabs seem to be under increasing harvest pressure, and are an important link in the eco-system of estuarine waters. On any given day, you can usually walk a bay shoreline and find a few dead ones along the water's edge or floating in with the rising tide. It might be a better idea to try to find a dead one or two to bait your traps rather than killing a few live ones.

[JohnR]

Very good point, Ditch. There has been alot of talk about the pressure that the horseshoe crab is under. Many pharmacuetical companies drain some of the blood, for use in medicines and research, and try to release them alive. There is alot of controversy over wether those crabs survive that or not and other pressure on the crabs. Recently dead ones should work very well...

Thanks for the replies, I'll give it a shot with dead ones first. I figure I could also use the rack from the 40# Bass I catch... (I Hope)

Good Luck