jonnybgood Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Have done alot of course fishing, netted eels but never caught one on rod and line, jus wondered about the best way to go about it really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegasus bridge Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 I find fishing for a perch using a lobworm on the bottom always works a treat 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Depends on each water , some seem to feed on worms etc and others small fish . I would use two rods one with a lobworm and the other with a small deadbait . Remember all Eels have to be returned now iirc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 use to do a lot as a lad back in the late 70s early 80s we use to ledger lobworms for the main bulk but a ledgered half bleak sorted out the bigger ones, the great ouse through Bedford had a big head of eels for a while in the 90s and can remember weighing lots in in the match's what we use to catch on just about anything you put on the hook colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holly Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 lobworm , nightfishing as always brought me Eels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 lobworm , nightfishing as always brought me Eels Agreed night fishing is much better for big eels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) The Broads used to be stuffed with "bootlaces" especially the river Yare. They disappeared virtually but have made a comeback the last few years.Pain in the *** when out fishing for slabs (bream). In the 70's or thereabouts we used to catch some good 'uns "bappin" . The technique was a ball of wool bound and the loose ends would be threaded with worm sometimes lug, brandling, red, lob, whatever we could get on to a knitting needle then on to the wool. The lot would be lobbed in to one of the many drainage dykes up on the marshes of North Norfolk. Sometimes there would be 50-100 wams to a bap.The eels would swallow the lot and you'd haul 20-30 good 'un's often. The wool would get stuck on their teeth/throat. No hooks! In the ponds up that way we used to fish for the better ones. We'd put a "rubby dubby" bag in. This was a ladies tight, chop and tie the legs off and fill the gusset with fishy stuff ( ) and cram it with leftovers from the crabbers. We's fish a 2/0 hook loaded with worm or small dead roach and cast close to the gusset. We caught a lot in the 3-5lb bracket that usually went for smoking. I'd sometimes BBQ them. Delicious eating. Edited February 12, 2014 by Whitebridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 I find that anything that stinks like **** works well especially in rivers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Each to their own but the are a real pain whether coarse fishing or I have had a lot off Lincolnshire beaches at low tide when fishing for bass or flatties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazyapp Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Had plenty out of the avon near me.... Usually dusk/dark on a dead bait..... But also had one on a 16mm halibut pellet..... Highly annoying when hoping for a barbel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timd999 Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Winter is never a good time to catch eels as they tend to become inactive/dormant once the water temperature falls below 50F. Like anything in life, of course, there are exceptions to the rules and a few are caught in the cooler months. However, if you are relatively new to eel fishing I would leave it until late spring, with summer and autumn being the most productive months. The eel is a remarkable creature; it can cross overland and live out of water for long periods. It can live in both sea and freshwater and travels many thousands of miles to spawn in the Sargasso Sea. Eels have a fantastic sense of smell – second only, it is claimed, to the shark. Smelly baits such as peeler crab, cockles and prawns are often effective, as are the usual worms and maggots. I wish you the very best of luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Had plenty out of the avon near me.... Usually dusk/dark on a dead bait..... But also had one on a 16mm halibut pellet..... Highly annoying when hoping for a barbel! I've had the same out of the Warwickshire Avon fishing dawn and dusk for zander with dead baits . Used to used dead bleak for them in the seventies best eel five pound six ounces. I've always used fresh dead baits for them with minced fish as ground bait . Good luck . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnybgood Posted February 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 thanks for the reply's lads, looking like ledger rig best bet then, rather than on a bobber/pecil float rig? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Far be it for me to even attempt to out do PC in anything, but I may be able to trump him and most of you other anglers out there with my eel story. The two largest freshwater eels I have ever caught both weighed over 10lbs and were caught handlining in a deep pool on a small mountain stream using a piece of sheep meat as bait. No more clues, but guess the location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Its been along time since I caught an eel, back in the 70's bootlaces were a night mare in many fisheries. Had some success on dead bait but the biggest one I ever caught was on a chunk of stinking cheese, that used to be a popular bait for big eels back in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Far be it for me to even attempt to out do PC in anything, but I may be able to trump him and most of you other anglers out there with my eel story. The two largest freshwater eels I have ever caught both weighed over 10lbs and were caught handlining in a deep pool on a small mountain stream using a piece of sheep meat as bait. No more clues, but guess the location. Now New Zealand must be a wonderful place with huge fish to catch?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Far be it for me to even attempt to out do PC in anything, but I may be able to trump him and most of you other anglers out there with my eel story. The two largest freshwater eels I have ever caught both weighed over 10lbs and were caught handlining in a deep pool on a small mountain stream using a piece of sheep meat as bait. No more clues, but guess the location. but have you ever had over 100 eels on rod and line in one sitting lol colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 (edited) When I was a kid I use to go eel bobbing on the end of a sewer pipe. I used a homemade float made from a table tennis ball with a split cane passing through it and sealed with glue. Bacon rind was the best bait. Use to catch them by the bucket full. Didn't realise you had to put them back now. They were at plague proportions in those days. Edited February 14, 2014 by Fisheruk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Far be it for me to even attempt to out do PC in anything, but I may be able to trump him and most of you other anglers out there with my eel story. The two largest freshwater eels I have ever caught both weighed over 10lbs and were caught handlining in a deep pool on a small mountain stream using a piece of sheep meat as bait. No more clues, but guess the location. How about France/Spain next to an abattoir although why an abattoir should be up a mountain I'm not sure, very nice fish though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 but have you ever had over 100 eels on rod and line in one sitting lol colin If I was catching that many I would have packed up well before 100 lol! Gimme a Gudgeon any day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 If I was catching that many I would have packed up well before 100 lol! Gimme a Gudgeon any day! lol i haven't either just thought i would ask hehe though i did fish in a national's match back in the 90s on the withem (think that's how you spell it) in lincolnshire and the team talk before the match was to fish for the eel's on the pole due to the huge stock of them though not many did colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 (edited) Far be it for me to even attempt to out do PC in anything, but I may be able to trump him and most of you other anglers out there with my eel story. The two largest freshwater eels I have ever caught both weighed over 10lbs and were caught handlining in a deep pool on a small mountain stream using a piece of sheep meat as bait. No more clues, but guess the location. I was only able to catch Anguilla Anguilla not Anguilla Dieffenbachii. Edited February 14, 2014 by pigeon controller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Far be it for me to even attempt to out do PC in anything, but I may be able to trump him and most of you other anglers out there with my eel story. The two largest freshwater eels I have ever caught both weighed over 10lbs and were caught handlining in a deep pool on a small mountain stream using a piece of sheep meat as bait. No more clues, but guess the location. I would agree with PC that New Zealand would be the most likely place for Eels of that size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 lol i haven't either just thought i would ask hehe though i did fish in a national's match back in the 90s on the withem (think that's how you spell it) in lincolnshire and the team talk before the match was to fish for the eel's on the pole due to the huge stock of them though not many did colin Think again , its the Witham I will let you off since your not a yellow belly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 New Zealand it was. Very exciting too, at times I thought that it was either me or them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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