Eel fishing tactics

[Greenfingers]

I have another thread but hey ho !! If you had been told that a small pit you fish had some eels in and you had never caught one, how would you approach it ?

a few acres, very clear water, depths upto 8 ft in the margins and a fair bit of weed which anglers rake out before fishing.

Cheers all

[jack]

Ok, so consider the fact that size doesn't matter at first and try float fishing during the day with worms, maggot, prawns etc. Get used to catching them and unhooking while you can see what you're doing before trying in darkness. When you land one keep it in the net and hold the fish and the mesh, it makes it a lot easier. I love my nocturnal eeling, having said that my biggest fish in 30 years of eeling was caught in the middle of the day. Good luck.

[Fitas]

3 rods one on worms deadbait and prawn. If a lot of weed dyson on all 3 rods see what t kind of eels are in water then fish all 3 on deads or worms . Not the best time of year if honest to try for eels , Barbless hooks no bigger then size 8 will do . Treat eels with respect

[alan behenna]

Never caught one? At least you have kept your end gear slime free then......and your net also.

Worms on a running ledger, or float ledger and don't try to go to catch them. Your almost guaranteed to catch what most of us don't want to!

Start small

[Kev Berry]

Best way to catch eels is to fish for something else.
If you TRY to catch them you will soon be on Prozac.
You'll learn

[davelumb]

Best way to catch eels is to fish for something else.
If you TRY to catch them you will soon be on Prozac.
You'll learn

True that!

[Mattjb]

Best way to catch eels is to fish for something else.
If you TRY to catch them you will soon be on Prozac.
You'll learn

This last summer I had my first proper go for eels.I did around 13 late evenings/full nights for 7 eels. 5 of them came in one night! All the eels came in the first 3 nights on the water then blank after blank. Good average size though at 4x4lb,2x3lb,1x 2lb. I enjoyed it when the going was good but can't cope with the multiple blanking ! I think you'd have to have the real passion for it to stick with it for the long term.

[Greenfingers]

Best way to catch eels is to fish for something else.
If you TRY to catch them you will soon be on Prozac.
You'll learn

This last summer I had my first proper go for eels.I did around 13 late evenings/full nights for 7 eels. 5 of them came in one night! All the eels came in the first 3 nights on the water then blank after blank. Good average size though at 4x4lb,2x3lb,1x 2lb. I enjoyed it when the going was good but can't cope with the multiple blanking ! I think you'd have to have the real passion for it to stick with it for the long term.

what rigs and bait was you using ?

[Mattjb]

Best way to catch eels is to fish for something else.
If you TRY to catch them you will soon be on Prozac.
You'll learn

This last summer I had my first proper go for eels.I did around 13 late evenings/full nights for 7 eels. 5 of them came in one night! All the eels came in the first 3 nights on the water then blank after blank. Good average size though at 4x4lb,2x3lb,1x 2lb. I enjoyed it when the going was good but can't cope with the multiple blanking ! I think you'd have to have the real passion for it to stick with it for the long term.

what rigs and bait was you using ?

Simple running lead,8inch 20lb wire trace,size 4 single hook or size 2 circle.mostly used small freshly killed half rudd but had a couple on a strip of trout flesh.Had about half on popped up baits.This was on a gravel pit,all runs came at night at least an hour after dark , mostly between 11pm and midnight.

[Mattjb]

Best way to catch eels is to fish for something else.
If you TRY to catch them you will soon be on Prozac.
You'll learn

Funny you should say that, just had one of about 2.5lb on lamprey! I've had them before when it been mild when the river is fining down on lamprey , they must like them

[Jeffire]

Had one on a mackeral last week , never caught one this late in the year.