EELS

[Nebe]

no eels for me this season.

if your not part of the solution, your part of the problem

[tattoobob]

I am not a big eel user but I may use them maybe twice a year
This year I bought the Tsunami halo eels to rig and try out.

[JohnR]

I'm going to use eels this season but I will be very selective on how I maintain them and keep them. I had a habit of releasing them on occasion instead of storing them but I will now store them. I also intend to keep the skins.

[Saltheart]

Don't use many at the canal but if the occasion calls for them somewhere else , I'll use them.

BTW , rigging your dead eels will not only keep them from going to waste but the rigged ones last about 10 times longer provided no blues hit them. The extra hook and better casting I think more than make up for the slightly less effectiveness and net result , I think you catch more fish on rigged eels.

[cheferson]

Dont even have to rig the dead ones. Ive thawed and refrozen eels over 4-5 times and still caught fish on them. Just rinse off the slime layer after they thaw, and hook them the same as live. Caught my largest fish last season on a thawed eel.

[bcaron]

I'm going to give rigging them a go this year. I've heard so much about it and it definately cuts down on waste and $$.

[Rob Rockcrawler]

I only really use them at the canal. And this year i am going to make sure to keep em alive after the trips, i did well keeping them alive last fall, and the dead ones are gunna get rigged. I figure if we all either keep em alive after the trip, or rig them for later use we can do something about the problem, while still enjoying those slimy bastages.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by JohnR

I'm going to use eels this season but I will be very selective on how I maintain them and keep them. I had a habit of releasing them on occasion instead of storing them but I will now store them. I also intend to keep the skins.

John,
Why? Other than saving some money, releasing them is better for the fishery than keeping them and winding up with a dead one or two.

[slapshot]

I went to the CT ASMFC meeting on eels last month. A guy from a Deleware eel company that processes 100 tons of eels a year showed up and spoke a lot.

Of note he said that of the total eel harvest, the amount used by recreational fishermen was "miniscule". Thats the word he used. I asked him where the bulk of the eels are goining and his reply was overseas, mostly Europe.

If there are going to be restrictions, I hope our European friends take some of the blame and share in the restrictions. After all, they are "American eels".