Eel

If you want to discuss Catfish, Perch, Zander, Ferox Trout or Eels, this is the place for you
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ThePikingEcologist
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Re: Eel

Post by ThePikingEcologist »

Yes...that makes far more sense than 60 years of age. Do eels have to be a certain size before they leave freshwater? Is it not just that they must be sexually mature and ready to go to sea?
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Re: Eel

Post by davelumb »

Interesting stuff.
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Re: Eel

Post by mark salt »

ThePikingEcologist wrote: Fri Aug 11 2017 14:36 -
Yes...that makes far more sense than 60 years of age. Do eels have to be a certain size before they leave freshwater? Is it not just that they must be sexually mature and ready to go to sea?
There does not seem to be a definitive answer to this. Logically, you would expect them to go once sexually mature, and, of course, assuming they can get out. The variation in size of eels leaving our rivers to spawn is great-some big fish that have either not been able to escape, or not had the urge. When they implanted transponders in some a few years ago they had eels in excess of 6lbs in the sample. I favour the theory that if they can get back to sea they will do it as soon as they are able.
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Re: Eel

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My uninformed guess would be the same. I don't know anything about eels. I have seen couple of silver ones come out recently, I assume they are ready for sea. There have been lots coming out of a river near me, they arn't particularly big..but seem to be on their way to leave.
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Re: Eel

Post by mark salt »

Yes, they silver up in stillwaters even if there is no way out. I have had quite a few big eels that were very silver with larger eyes than usual; signs of preparing to leave, but they can't get out it would seem. ZSL and CEFAS chaps seemed to think they would "unsilver" once the urge had passed
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Re: Eel

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Interesting mate. When they silver up, can they not cross land to enter other water courses?
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Re: Eel

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There are loads of anecdotes regarding eels crossing land, but no scientific evidence. I can see that they will follow a flow of water, for example, in flood conditions when the surrounding land has an inch or so of water, or in marsh environments, but I am sceptical that they will cross dry land. Tesch carried out an experiment in which they removed eels from a stillwater and located them some 5 metres from the waters edge. The intention was to determine whether eels could find their way back to the water. In all cases the eels went off all over the place, and did not navigate back to the water, so it is unlikely that they would be able to locate watercourses across dry land. Cue someone to say they have seen this...........
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Re: Eel

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mark salt wrote: Sun Aug 13 2017 17:09 -
There are loads of anecdotes regarding eels crossing land, but no scientific evidence. I can see that they will follow a flow of water, for example, in flood conditions when the surrounding land has an inch or so of water, or in marsh environments, but I am sceptical that they will cross dry land. Tesch carried out an experiment in which they removed eels from a stillwater and located them some 5 metres from the waters edge. The intention was to determine whether eels could find their way back to the water. In all cases the eels went off all over the place, and did not navigate back to the water, so it is unlikely that they would be able to locate watercourses across dry land. Cue someone to say they have seen this...........
I have a friend who built a pit on his land. There is no water running into it. But not far away, is a pit full of eels, and about the same distance way, there is a brook. There are now eels in my friends pit. The pit isn't open to the public, so I doubt they've been introduced by accident. I have always assumed that they must have crawled/walked/slithered into my friends the pit, perhaps from the brook. Maybe I am wrong.
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Re: Eel

Post by Kev Berry »

davelumb wrote: Fri Aug 11 2017 08:28 -
If eels grow so slowly how do eel farmers go about things?
theres an estate lake just down the road from me, in my late teens--early 20's it was an easy eel water, just chuck 2 lobs out as far as you can and attach the fairy liquid top on the line. No night fishing (and at that time very unhealthy to get caught doing so) but that didn't stop the eels coming and half a dozen over 4lbs a session even in bright sunshine wasn't uncommon.
Then we couldn't catch any, or very few in that weight class. Gradually they built up in size and several years later we were catching 4-5lbers again---then they disappeared again.
Eel trappers.
They were seeding the lakes with elvers then returning every 4-5 years. Last I got told it hadn't been seeded or netted for quite a while----might be worth getting a ticket :wink:

remember reading somewhere that eels bugger off to sea (sea anglers catch loads of them in the estuaries) and when most of them do they not always that big either

So have the really big eels lost the "programming" to return to the sea and remain in old lakes etc to grow old and fat steadily?
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Re: Eel

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mark salt wrote: Sun Aug 13 2017 17:09 -
There are loads of anecdotes regarding eels crossing land, but no scientific evidence. I can see that they will follow a flow of water, for example, in flood conditions when the surrounding land has an inch or so of water, or in marsh environments, but I am sceptical that they will cross dry land. Tesch carried out an experiment in which they removed eels from a stillwater and located them some 5 metres from the waters edge. The intention was to determine whether eels could find their way back to the water. In all cases the eels went off all over the place, and did not navigate back to the water, so it is unlikely that they would be able to locate watercourses across dry land. Cue someone to say they have seen this...........
I am sure you have seen it already, but Isaw this one on Facebook earlier this week.

https://www.facebook.com/NTDLifeOfficia ... bUN3qla9UI
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Re: Eel

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Worth a listen just for a laugh at the tales of the old eel fisher!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b091tv93
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Re: Eel

Post by Mike J »

Like many I have heard all the 'tales' about eels crossing from one water to another but never believed it.
Then I found an eel (10") in a small puddle over 100yds from a river, no bird footprints, no beak marks on the eel, just an eel in a puddle.
Moving from one water to another, but the river was only one water around for 1/2mile or more :shrug:

If eels can cross land to reach other waters the balancing ponds alongside all our moterways may have some potential.

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Re: Eel

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Genuine question. Whats a balancing pond?
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Re: Eel

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dannytaylor wrote: Tue Aug 29 2017 15:58 -
Genuine question. Whats a balancing pond?
It's a southern thing. :laughs:
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Re: Eel

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davelumb wrote: Tue Aug 29 2017 16:06 -
dannytaylor wrote: Tue Aug 29 2017 15:58 -
Genuine question. Whats a balancing pond?
It's a southern thing. :laughs:


:laughs: a gravel pit?
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Re: Eel

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Something to do with being scared of a few drops of rain. :wink:
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Re: Eel

Post by Mike J »

dannytaylor wrote: Tue Aug 29 2017 15:58 -
Genuine question. Whats a balancing pond?


It is to trap the run-off from the road surface to stop it going straight into the waterways, why, because it is contaminated with copper from brake drums.
They are constructed when the motorway is built, often surrounded with high fencing for safety and planted with rushes and reeds for wildlife enhancement.

DL et al, not a 'southern' thing, they are along all routes - where there are rivers worth protecting. :wink:
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Re: Eel

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Mike J wrote: Wed Aug 30 2017 06:34 -
dannytaylor wrote: Tue Aug 29 2017 15:58 -
Genuine question. Whats a balancing pond?


It is to trap the run-off from the road surface to stop it going straight into the waterways, why, because it is contaminated with copper from brake drums.
They are constructed when the motorway is built, often surrounded with high fencing for safety and planted with rushes and reeds for wildlife enhancement.

DL et al, not a 'southern' thing, they are along all routes - where there are rivers worth protecting. :wink:
Cant see them being too good for eels if they are contaminated with copper :shrug: i suppise though you can never assume anything where eels are concerned...........
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Re: Eel

Post by billybaltic »

Mark a lot more eel fishermen are starting to use circle hook's and with some success, i do a bit of eel fishing in the summer month's, only the last 3 year's, as i got invited to give it a try and i took to it straight away, not many angler's out eeling all night, mainly carper's.Barry Mac is a bit of a hero, he has seen and actually caught some eel's that i might be a bit wary of unhooking, the australian trip's he has done must of been great, they must of thought he was mad, i think you have to be a bit mad to keep on eeling year after year, that eel in your avatar look's a belter mate, anyway hope you catch many more and good luck.
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Re: Eel

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The other day I was on a local drain. About 30 minutes later, I walked back up the bank and found an eel that wasn't their earlier. It was on it's way to meet its Eel God, because the sun had scorched it. It does seem odd that an eel would exit the water during the day, but sometimes animals break the rules. I didn't see any birds about that may have dropped it, but I did see the local oddball / racist, and I wouldn't put it past him to have put it there.

My curiosity is really peaked now..I want to know if eels actually do go on land, or if it's a myth. Perhaps they evolved the ability to breath air because many live in poorly oxygenated waters, that may occasionally dry out. Perhaps they don't tend to cross land at all.

If somebody knows more about this, please let me know.

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Re: Eel

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ThePikingEcologist wrote: Fri Sep 01 2017 13:52 -
The other day I was on a local drain. About 30 minutes later, I walked back up the bank and found an eel that wasn't their earlier. It was on it's way to meet its Eel God, because the sun had scorched it. It does seem odd that an eel would exit the water during the day, but sometimes animals break the rules. I didn't see any birds about that may have dropped it, but I did see the local oddball / racist, and I wouldn't put it past him to have put it there.

My curiosity is really peaked now..I want to know if eels actually do go on land, or if it's a myth. Perhaps they evolved the ability to breath air because many live in poorly oxygenated waters, that may occasionally dry out. Perhaps they don't tend to cross land at all.

If somebody knows more about this, please let me know.

Love Steve XX
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Re: Eel

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I noticed it as well 🙊
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Re: Eel

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Mike J wrote: Wed Aug 30 2017 06:34 -
dannytaylor wrote: Tue Aug 29 2017 15:58 -
Genuine question. Whats a balancing pond?


It is to trap the run-off from the road surface to stop it going straight into the waterways, why, because it is contaminated with copper from brake drums.
They are constructed when the motorway is built, often surrounded with high fencing for safety and planted with rushes and reeds for wildlife enhancement.

DL et al, not a 'southern' thing, they are along all routes - where there are rivers worth protecting. :wink:
:thumbs: Very interesting
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Re: Eel

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Back in the day,when i went to Billingsgate,I found a eel in the car park,he looked like he was trying to get to the drain but he was struck to the tarmac,lucky for him delboy came along and i threw him over a fence into the thames.happy days
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Re: Eel

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Happy Hayes wrote: Fri Sep 01 2017 16:19 -
ThePikingEcologist wrote: Fri Sep 01 2017 13:52 -
The other day I was on a local drain. About 30 minutes later, I walked back up the bank and found an eel that wasn't their earlier. It was on it's way to meet its Eel God, because the sun had scorched it. It does seem odd that an eel would exit the water during the day, but sometimes animals break the rules. I didn't see any birds about that may have dropped it, but I did see the local oddball / racist, and I wouldn't put it past him to have put it there.

My curiosity is really peaked now..I want to know if eels actually do go on land, or if it's a myth. Perhaps they evolved the ability to breath air because many live in poorly oxygenated waters, that may occasionally dry out. Perhaps they don't tend to cross land at all.

If somebody knows more about this, please let me know.

Love Steve XX
Did you forget you was on the pit when you signed off with kiss kiss ( just wondering) :afraid:
No mate, I'm just in a romantic mood. Hairy middled aged men in waders...nice.
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Re: Eel

Post by Happy Hayes »

ThePikingEcologist wrote: Fri Sep 01 2017 18:43 -
Happy Hayes wrote: Fri Sep 01 2017 16:19 -
ThePikingEcologist wrote: Fri Sep 01 2017 13:52 -
The other day I was on a local drain. About 30 minutes later, I walked back up the bank and found an eel that wasn't their earlier. It was on it's way to meet its Eel God, because the sun had scorched it. It does seem odd that an eel would exit the water during the day, but sometimes animals break the rules. I didn't see any birds about that may have dropped it, but I did see the local oddball / racist, and I wouldn't put it past him to have put it there.

My curiosity is really peaked now..I want to know if eels actually do go on land, or if it's a myth. Perhaps they evolved the ability to breath air because many live in poorly oxygenated waters, that may occasionally dry out. Perhaps they don't tend to cross land at all.

If somebody knows more about this, please let me know.

Love Steve XX
Did you forget you was on the pit when you signed off with kiss kiss ( just wondering) :afraid:
No mate, I'm just in a romantic mood. Hairy middled aged men in waders...nice.
:boing: :laughs: :laughs: :cheers:
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Re: Eel

Post by zodiac »

I remember watching footage on 'wildlife on one'- it was narrated by the great man himself, Mr Attenborough, so it must be genuine!!- of eels crossing across fields from a landlocked pond to a nearby river, on a wet night. It was a good few years ago, 20 maybe, but it stuck in my head.
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Re: Eel

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mark salt wrote: Wed Aug 09 2017 12:13 -
Danny's right about growth rates; they vary dramatically depending on the environment. Generally speaking, however, the eel does have a slow metabolism and growth rate. Without wishing to start a row, I would ask that you consider using smaller hooks. It is easy to deep hook an eel, and even an eel that is hooked at the back of the mouth is in danger. The major organs and blood vessels are all situated just behind the head, and sticking a size two or 4 in there is a recipe for disaster. Prior to changing exclusively to small circle hooks for eels, for the last 7 seasons I used size 6 and 8 barbless hooks for all types, and sizes, of bait, attaching baits by a very short hair to leave the hook fully exposed, and using very short hook lengths for immediate bite indication. Reducing hook size did not seem to affect results (a couple of 8s, a couple of 7s and many 6s attest to that), and it certainly reduced the damage that can occur through deep hooking. Any eels that were hooked inside the mouth were left sacked until morning, the hook length having been unclipped. In almost all cases the hook link, and often bait, were in the bottom of the sack in the morning. The use of circle hooks has reduced deephooking dramatically, and I have found that it is not necessary to leave the take for any longer than when using a conventional hook. As soon as I reach the rod I engage the bail arm, gently tighten up, and allow the fish to hook itself against the rod. Don't wait for runs to "develop". They've either got it or they haven't!
Morning boy,can you tell me what make and size and where you get them from please,
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Re: Eel

Post by Nobby C »

+1 for circle hooks.
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Re: Eel

Post by Kev Berry »

zodiac wrote: Thu Oct 26 2017 21:44 -
I remember watching footage on 'wildlife on one'- it was narrated by the great man himself, Mr Attenborough, so it must be genuine!!- of eels crossing across fields from a landlocked pond to a nearby river, on a wet night. It was a good few years ago, 20 maybe, but it stuck in my head.
was that the one where a tawny owl was eyeing one up ?
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