Live eels...

[nightfighter]

Originally Posted by Pete Boilard

I want to try fishing with live eels this year, without the slimy mess...

Fishing eels means accepting that you are going to deal with slime.

[smac]

Soft side cooler like mentioned above. I think it works great.

I will sometimes carry a dozen in the "2 bucket method. I use a 3 gallon bucket inside another 3 gallon bucket. Top bucket gets holes drill in the bottom, and has a lid with a trap door (be sure to drill from the inside , out the bottom or you wil get sharp plastic edges inside from the bit) The holes are to let the slime and Ice water drain off. The buckets fit right inside the milk crate behind the seat. This is good for all nighters.

Just heading out for a couple hours and only have a half dozen eels? Than the soft cooler is the ticket Laddy.

[Pete Boilard]

Thanks guys... Going to give it a shot next week.. Any ideas on where to go?? This will be my third time salt water fishing and I'll be alone, so I don't want to get in trouble.. Thinking about the Narrows in Bristol, RI or maybe Pt. Judith.

[saltyric]

Originally Posted by smac

Soft side cooler like mentioned above. I think it works great.

I will sometimes carry a dozen in the "2 bucket method. I use a 3 gallon bucket inside another 3 gallon bucket. Top bucket gets holes drill in the bottom, and has a lid with a trap door (be sure to drill from the inside , out the bottom or you wil get sharp plastic edges inside from the bit) The holes are to let the slime and Ice water drain off. The buckets fit right inside the milk crate behind the seat. This is good for all nighters.

Just heading out for a couple hours and only have a half dozen eels? Than the soft cooler is the ticket Laddy.

yeah, what he said.....the two bucket system works well.

In a kayak, you might want to try the generic eel/bait bucket with a hinged door....No water, just ice. Then keep a face cloth or rag to pick up the eels (gives you grip). Good luck

[Crafty Angler]

My first time in the yak forum - sent a friend of the yakking persuasion here yesterday, he's probably lurking around somewhere...

On eel transport - the ziploc idea sounds dandy but if they get warm they're gonna die and they also will have the potential to drown in their own slime, which will happen when they're stressed. Don't get 'em upset - a happy eel is a live eel and they will produce less slime if you don't do things to stress them out. They produce slime to help themselves escape predators. So don't play with them, jostle the bag too much or lift the lid to admire them. They like being left alone. A lot.

Use the soft-sided bag, 3" of bubble-weed (rockweed) inside, and a small lunch-sized freezer pack. The bubbleweed also calms them down because they'll burrow down into it and feel safe - just like their natural tendency to head for the bottom under weed and rocks. Just figured that out this season after trying it. Also keeps 'em in the bottom of the cooler where they belong instead of trying to escape out the lid.

Use a green 3M scrubby pad to grab them and grab them right on the gills when you're ready to hook them. Use a short-shank live bait hook and put the hook down their throat so that when you push it thru the thick skin between the lips and the gills the hook eye will be the only thing you see in front of the lips. If they try to ball up around your leader once they're hooked, put them in the water right away - they'll straighten right out as they try to swim away. If they ball up around your leader, cut off your leader, retie and go back to step 1.

The End

[Rockport24]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

Fishing eels means accepting that you are going to deal with slime.

so true! I thought I could avoid it by using the brillo pads and all that, not a chance. Eels=slime anyway you cut it, but man, do they catch!
just accept it and be one with the slime