Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

     

Left Nav S-B Home FAQ Members List S-B on Facebook Arcade WEAX Tides Buoys Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Right Nav

Left Container Right Container
 

Go Back   Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating » Main Forum » Favorite Threads

Favorite Threads Some of S-B's Favorite Threadsa over the years

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-12-2014, 04:54 PM   #1
Guppy
User
iTrader: (0)
 
Guppy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Cape Cod
Posts: 5,464
Eel size

The other day I hands my lunch box eel transporter to the kid at the shop, he goes out back and loads up some eels,,, I get to fishing and almost jumped out of the boat,,,, monsters
So how big is too big do ya's think?
Guppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2014, 06:41 AM   #2
Rockfish9
Registered User
iTrader: (0)
 
Rockfish9's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Reading Mass/Newburyport/merrimack river
Posts: 3,748
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guppy View Post
The other day I hands my lunch box eel transporter to the kid at the shop, he goes out back and loads up some eels,,, I get to fishing and almost jumped out of the boat,,,, monsters
So how big is too big do ya's think?
it's a loaded question.... a lot of factors need to be determined....

a shoe string eel in a mixed school of large, mediums and small will most likely catch the little guy's.. big bait is the order here... as big as your tackle can handle.. I draw the line at 2' ...... take that same shoe string on a night when the water is full of fire and it will out perform the big "snake" 10:1...

heavy water and fast currents require a bigger stronger bait... again tailor it to your tackle...

Trolling with an electric motor requires smaller eels...no larger than 12"...lest they cause and unnatural appearance while in tow ....

casting into the wind... the little guy's just don't go far( not that you always need the distance)... larger specimens are needed. If your tackle can handle it... go with a anaconda sized serpent...

Each extreme in the spectrum has their own problems...

Large eels require large hooks.. heavy leaders a rod with a lot of back bone...( not to mention a strong grip)

little eels are not with out their own set of issues... first and foremost.. they LOVE to tie knots... they are good at it.. quick too.. so keep an eye on your leader.... they also are more fragile... it's hard to catch more than one fish with a little guy.. big ones can catch several.. then be skinned to make skin rigs, or plugs..

I trap and keep my own eels and have done so for over 40 years.. I keep a variety because no one size is perfect for every condition...

My largest( officially weighed) bass to date (61lbs) took a tiny shoe string eel on a night as dark as an editors heart.. with enough fire in the water to light my way home... last Labor day I took another outsized specimen on a eel as thick around as my arm... the tide was running hard and the bait needed to hit the back side of the bar quickly as a 5 knot current pushed the boat past.. a shoe string wouldn't have done the job.. point is.. you need variety... so I like anything between 10" and 24"...and on a given night I may need a combination of all of them...selecting one size only puts you at a severe disadvantage...

A good run is better than a bad stand!
Rockfish9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2014, 07:44 AM   #3
nightfighter
Seldom Seen
iTrader: (0)
 
nightfighter's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,521
I don't fish eels a lot. Never have. But with one post, Joe has taught me more about the how, when, what sizes, and why, than I knew before. His comments, though fewer in number these days, are always well thought out observations from years of first hand experience, backed up with situations the reader can learn from and understand. Never skewed with a personal preconceived opinion. Probably one of the top educational posts I have read on the board. Thanks, Joe.
nightfighter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2014, 08:39 AM   #4
Guppy
User
iTrader: (0)
 
Guppy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Cape Cod
Posts: 5,464
Quote:
Originally Posted by nightfighter View Post
I don't fish eels a lot. Never have. But with one post, Joe has taught me more about the how, when, what sizes, and why, than I knew before. His comments, though fewer in number these days, are always well thought out observations from years of first hand experience, backed up with situations the reader can learn from and understand. Never skewed with a personal preconceived opinion. Probably one of the top educational posts I have read on the board. Thanks, Joe.
you can say that again! :-)

Thank you Joe for taking the time to share some of your knowledge,,, I'll see what happens this evening if the weather cooperates ...
Guppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2014, 03:35 PM   #5
Rockport24
President - S-B Chapter - Kelly Clarkson Fan Club
iTrader: (0)
 
Rockport24's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Rowley
Posts: 3,781
sorry, I have comment on Joe's post as well - that should be stickied or something as all the advice you will ever need on eel size!
Rockport24 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2014, 06:48 AM   #6
Slipknot
Super Moderator
iTrader: (0)
 
Slipknot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Middleboro MA
Posts: 17,124
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rockport24 View Post
sorry, I have comment on Joe's post as well - that should be stickied or something as all the advice you will ever need on eel size!

Yup, done
great informative post

The United States Constitution does not exist to grant you rights; those rights are inherent within you. Rather it exists to frame a limited government so that those natural rights can be exercised freely.

1984 was a warning, not a guidebook!

It's time more people spoke up with the truth. Every time we let a leftist lie go uncorrected, the commies get stronger.
Slipknot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2022, 09:59 PM   #7
wdmso
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Somerset MA
Posts: 9,199
Bigger eels from the beach cast farther . boat eels with an egg or rubber core sinker size of the eel won’t matter. They eat them head first anyway
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device
wdmso is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:42 AM.


Powered by vBulletin. Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Please use all necessary and proper safety precautions. STAY SAFE Striper Talk Forums
Copyright 1998-20012 Striped-Bass.com