Dare to Compare: Eels v. Plugs

[Finaddict]

IN almost all of these questions/scenarios - there is never one right answer, although percentages are higher on each one ...

1) effectiveness - bait is always more effective than plastic and or wood -- but Pete has a very strong point in that there are times when a plug will outdoo bait depending upon the conditions.

2) Skill - bait fishing sounds easy, but if you really want to score consistently on bigger fish, even bait fishing takes skill - don't overestimate the skill needed to score big and frequently ... that aside, yes there is more skill involved with using an artificial product and enticing a fish to eat ... especially a big fish - fish up to 20 pounds are much easier to catch than larger fish on plugs, and anyone who scores consistently with that method has a lot of skill, I tip my hat to them ...

3) Fun - They both have thier advantages, but what's more memorable than a big fish exploding on a plug in the pre-dawn hours ... and fishing plugs period is fun in and of itself ...so I'd have to give thumbs up to the plugs.

4) Don't remember what this is about, but let's say plugs ... just for the fun of it ...

5) Cost - again, no straight answer - say you buy a dozen snakes for $2 each, you tote them around, fish one or two in the evening but never get a hit -- that's $24 wasted ... but a lot of these custom plugs are $20+ each, so if you have a bag of 20 on you, that's $400 bucks ... can you fish them for years, yes ... but there have been days over the years when I've lost two or three $20 plugs during a fishing trip for one reason or another ... fish takes me down around a rock and cuts the line on barnacles, god forbid a knot gives out (yes it happens), or you snag on a rock in the dark and cannot work it out ... So that's a lot of dough as well.

Ultimately, I will try to use the best bait/lure at any given time for the particular situation that I am fishing ... happy to use both, just have much more in the way of plugs right now ... but grew up fishing live bunker/pogies and mackerel as the primary means for scoring a lot of fish and some good sized ones at that.

[numbskull]

Sort of a worm vs dryfly argument, or shiner vs spinnerbait debate, everything is relative. Catching equivalent numbers and size of fish with artificals is more difficult than using bait. So what? Catching big fish with bait isn't easy either, and obviously the guys who do it regularly have developed a specialized body of knowledge that is every bit as admirable as that of a guy who is successful with plugs.

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Sort of a worm vs dryfly argument, or shiner vs spinnerbait debate, everything is relative. Catching equivalent numbers and size of fish with artificals is more difficult than using bait. So what? Catching big fish with bait isn't easy either, and obviously the guys who do it regularly have developed a specialized body of knowledge that is every bit as admirable as that of a guy who is successful with plugs.

You should be a politician instead of a physician hahahahahaha . Talk about can't we all just get along .....ick....., Eels are hard plugs are hard, but plugs that look like and swim like eels, now that's something!

[shadow]

I love both yet I'd take a plug off to put an eel on yet almost never take an eel off for a plug.a few times they ignored eels and took plugs. 90% of the time it is an eel that I'am throwing.cost- eels cost me more cuase I buy more.c&r about the some damage sometimes if the hook is deep on a large bass I can cut the leader and pull the hook out the same way it went in not damaging the fish.eels are fun but I love raising a good fish with surface plugs.I guess they booth win.

[Raven]

well you don't spend the winter growing Eels in the basement

so the fun of making ,creating ,sanding,painting ect is something to consider
not to mention the trading aspect with plugs.

it's not like you'd say...here try one of my Eels ...they work
much better than the kind your using.

unless it was say an artificial Eel.....from Surf Asylum or Surfhog.

[t.orlando]

Plugs........for when you cant reach the fish with an eel

[Rockport24]

Originally Posted by Raven

well you don't spend the winter growing Eels in the basement

so the fun of making ,creating ,sanding,painting ect is something to consider
not to mention the trading aspect with plugs.

it's not like you'd say...here try one of my Eels ...they work
much better than the kind your using.

unless it was say an artificial Eel.....from Surf Asylum or Surfhog.

ya know Raven, I was just having a conversation about breeding eels with a friend this weekend, is it possible?? I know there are sea worm farms, what about eel farms? I know I know. off topic sorry...

[cheferson]

Originally Posted by Rockport24

ya know Raven, I was just having a conversation about breeding eels with a friend this weekend, is it possible?? I know there are sea worm farms, what about eel farms? I know I know. off topic sorry...

Don't think eels have been successfully bred in captivity. The Japanese raise them , but they start with elvers that are collected in the wild.