Would the loss of eels truly hurt you?

[tlapinski]

I will get this disclaimer out of the way now, as it was not my intention in the first place. This post was meant to spark some discussion as it is something I have been thinking about lately and something I have discussed with a few of my fishing partners. It was not meant in any way to belittle eel guys, or to make out pluggers to be better than eels guys. If I wanted to do that, I would have just said "eel fish don't count anyway". I eel and I plug. I apologoze if my post or comments were taken in any other way. As I did say earlier,

there are things that make some guys better eel fishermen than others

This is the same of plug fihermen.

That said, I like some of the responses so far. The point about the commercial fisherman was something I was thinking about, as was the question of what will the skishers do? I guess you could plug while skishing, or drift a pogie chunk, but I think the last thing you would want is a bag of pogies hanging off your belt out in open water...

[shadow]

Plus NOW maybe I can outfish shadow.[/QUOTE]
joe I'll put the eels down this spring and we'll go at it.

[Goose]

Originally Posted by tlapinski

I guess you could plug while skishing, or drift a pogie chunk, but I think the last thing you would want is a bag of pogies hanging off your belt out in open water...

Funny you should mention that, certain times that is just how I fish. I remove pvc inserts in my surfbag, that allows me to keep chunks of still frozen pogies in a freezer zip-lock. Keeping water off your chunks makes all the difference, it keeps them firm and keeping them from going mush allowing good casts. Its a very productive way to fish.

[striprman]

It's a good question. As both a boat and shore fisherman, I'd say yes, sometimes better catches can be made with eels. At night, when the fish are "active", eels work, but so do big rebels and other "bomber" type lures. But, if the fish "want" eels, they work like big worms on the kibbie pond. Try Scornton ledge in late July or August.

Will a moratorium actually effect me ? I doubt it. I love to fish jigs and plugs, so much fun, good excersize too, whip a plug or jig "out there" and hope the big mama will be there...

So, I'll stick with chumming mackerel and pogies in my favorite "bass hole".

if I was a younger, healthier man, you'ld find me fishing eels in the middle of the night (late spring, summer, fall)... some where on the canal

Try the herring run on the canal the first couple weeks of June.

They do catch. Slimy buggers though.

[piemma]

It would hurt my production in July and August. Eels are the killer in the warm Summer months. Not too concerned about Spring and Fall as there are always some big baits around so plugs work for me. It will definetely put a crimp in my fishing for Summer...unless I go the Sluggo route which I think we will all be forced into eventually

[JFigliuolo]

Originally Posted by shadow

Plus NOW maybe I can outfish shadow.

joe I'll put the eels down this spring and we'll go at it.[/QUOTE]


uh-oh...