cast live eel from surf?
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I've heard of people doing it ofcourse, but I've never done it myself. I couldnt imagine being out on the rocks, at night, foolin around with live eels lol. But I've heard and read some pretty good stories.
I do quite a bit. Eeling from the beach or rocks can account for some major cows. Thing with eels is, depending on the size, will cut out the schoolies. Smallest bass I ever caught on an eel was 25".
Cast, and retrieve so slow you think it's ain't even moving. Sometimes, the fish will take the eel and run. Most times, when you feel the bump you want to point the rod at the sea and either open the bail or release your bait runner. Let her take some line then WHAM.
A book called "Reading the Water" has a great chapter on a guy who eels on Martha's Vinyard (i think) that really describes it.
Once you get those suckers in the water, it's a lot of fun. You get the attraction of live bait. You get to do something (rather than sink a chunk and wait), but it's not so active like artificals where you could spend all night casting eels and not lose your arm.
Cast, and retrieve so slow you think it's ain't even moving. Sometimes, the fish will take the eel and run. Most times, when you feel the bump you want to point the rod at the sea and either open the bail or release your bait runner. Let her take some line then WHAM.
A book called "Reading the Water" has a great chapter on a guy who eels on Martha's Vinyard (i think) that really describes it.
Once you get those suckers in the water, it's a lot of fun. You get the attraction of live bait. You get to do something (rather than sink a chunk and wait), but it's not so active like artificals where you could spend all night casting eels and not lose your arm.
Where will you be fishing? Rocks or sand? I found a few ways to deal with the slippery devils.
For a nice snady stretch, prep a cooler with a ziplock of ice on the bottom. Next, a wet rag on the ice. Then put in your eels. Next, another wet rag. Let chill for 3+ hours. They will not die. The wet rags let them breathe, and the ice makes them relax. When you are ready to fish, use the top rag to grab the eel and put the hook thru the lower jaw and out one eye. The eel should be easy to handle until you pop the hook in. Then put him in water quick or you will get an eel knot.
If a cooler is not an option (for eample, you will be wading out to some rocks), I take the eels from the cooler and put each one in a little ziplock. I put each zip lock in my surf bag. I hook them thru the bag and then pull them thru the rip in the bag. It's not super easy to do, (pulling thru the bag that is) but the eels will survive for a few hours in the bag.
Others use a scrubber pad to hold them, old socks, and sometimes I'll just toss them in the sand and then grab them so the sand helps me grab them.
Good luck
For a nice snady stretch, prep a cooler with a ziplock of ice on the bottom. Next, a wet rag on the ice. Then put in your eels. Next, another wet rag. Let chill for 3+ hours. They will not die. The wet rags let them breathe, and the ice makes them relax. When you are ready to fish, use the top rag to grab the eel and put the hook thru the lower jaw and out one eye. The eel should be easy to handle until you pop the hook in. Then put him in water quick or you will get an eel knot.
If a cooler is not an option (for eample, you will be wading out to some rocks), I take the eels from the cooler and put each one in a little ziplock. I put each zip lock in my surf bag. I hook them thru the bag and then pull them thru the rip in the bag. It's not super easy to do, (pulling thru the bag that is) but the eels will survive for a few hours in the bag.
Others use a scrubber pad to hold them, old socks, and sometimes I'll just toss them in the sand and then grab them so the sand helps me grab them.
Good luck
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5,925 Posts
hook em through the lip and out behind the eye and sail him out there! he's gonna wake up and twist around your line anyway even if he's been chilled out. the minute he gets in the water. if there is a monstah within striking distance, he'll (she;ll) find it and try to mutilate the damn thing!
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19 Posts
eeeeeeels
Hey guys-It's been awhile since I made a post here but thought I would chime in. There are loads of ways to store your eels on the way to the beach; if you have a beach buggy I recommend mounting a live well on your cooler rack. Your eels will always be fresh and ready to go. A choice eel for me is about 16-20". The rig is simple. 90# barrel swivel tied to about 30" of 50lb mono leader, tied to an 8/0 Mustad tuna hook. Sharpen the hook so that it is razor sharp! I like the Mustad hooks because they are very strong, and they have a big barb that holds the eel nice while loading up the rod. In through the lower jaw and out the eye socket. I hear a lot of guys talk of beating the crap out of the eel before putting it on, or doing a bunch of other kooky stuff. Not necessary and in fact could decrease your chances of banging some fish. I like my eel's fresh and lively-not that you cannot catch fish on dead eels - I just prefer them feisty. Balling up you say? Very rare if ya do it right. While in the suds I store my eels in a mesh bag on my belt. The mesh bags doubles as a gripper to grab the eels. While the bag is attached to you belt, grab one eel through the mesh. Then work your way up to his head and squeeze both sides of his head tight, with the head sticking out of the mesh bag while the rest of his body is in the bag. Now you have control of the eel. Your hook should be resting on your 1st guide with plenty of slack so you can grab the hook and mount the eel with ease. After the eel is mounted slide the eel out of the bag while keeping a firm grip as the eel slides through your hand and out of the mesh bag. This is important because once the hook is mounted the eel will go crazy. Then cast you eel into the suds the immediately. Your retrieve should be a slow crawl or just fast enough to keep it out of the rocks and snagging up. There will be no doubt when you get a hit. BOW TO THE COW. Bend over and stick your rod out as far as you can-man that sounds sexual-LOL. When you feel the weight of the fish set the hook a hard as you can. If you can- set it second time. That's how I fish em. :wink: [/url]
Hey guys-It's been awhile since I made a post here but thought I would chime in. There are loads of ways to store your eels on the way to the beach; if you have a beach buggy I recommend mounting a live well on your cooler rack. Your eels will always be fresh and ready to go. A choice eel for me is about 16-20". The rig is simple. 90# barrel swivel tied to about 30" of 50lb mono leader, tied to an 8/0 Mustad tuna hook. Sharpen the hook so that it is razor sharp! I like the Mustad hooks because they are very strong, and they have a big barb that holds the eel nice while loading up the rod. In through the lower jaw and out the eye socket. I hear a lot of guys talk of beating the crap out of the eel before putting it on, or doing a bunch of other kooky stuff. Not necessary and in fact could decrease your chances of banging some fish. I like my eel's fresh and lively-not that you cannot catch fish on dead eels - I just prefer them feisty. Balling up you say? Very rare if ya do it right. While in the suds I store my eels in a mesh bag on my belt. The mesh bags doubles as a gripper to grab the eels. While the bag is attached to you belt, grab one eel through the mesh. Then work your way up to his head and squeeze both sides of his head tight, with the head sticking out of the mesh bag while the rest of his body is in the bag. Now you have control of the eel. Your hook should be resting on your 1st guide with plenty of slack so you can grab the hook and mount the eel with ease. After the eel is mounted slide the eel out of the bag while keeping a firm grip as the eel slides through your hand and out of the mesh bag. This is important because once the hook is mounted the eel will go crazy. Then cast you eel into the suds the immediately. Your retrieve should be a slow crawl or just fast enough to keep it out of the rocks and snagging up. There will be no doubt when you get a hit. BOW TO THE COW. Bend over and stick your rod out as far as you can-man that sounds sexual-LOL. When you feel the weight of the fish set the hook a hard as you can. If you can- set it second time. That's how I fish em. :wink: [/url]
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1 Posts
Billwetzel, any weights on that set-up or just the weight of the eel?
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314 Posts
A eel is a very hearty bait. They feed on the eel. They wrestle with it.
The eel somewhat slithers, dangles in and out of the stripers mouth.
Once the eel is completely engulfed in the stripers mouth.
You‘ll notice a steady stream of line coming off the spool.
If you swing on the bump. It’s hit or miss. The odds are not
in your favor. You have to remember now the regs have changed.
It’s a IN-LINE CIRCLE HOOK Reel tight on the inline circle hook
until you can’t wind or crank anymore. Now is the time to bury
the hook in the stripers face.
You might just want to drop the egg sinker on the eye of the hook.
You might want to adjust the distance from the eye with beads or
even a short 2-4” mono leader. You can put a squid skirt over the lead.
In between the beads without the skirt a clevis with a willow leaf spinner
leave the skirt on and instead place the clevis with a Colorado blade
over the skirt. Adjust the spinner with beads if needed.
Simplicity
I find that a inline circle hook with the lead dropped on the eye of the hook
works extremely well. Tied directly to the mainline. Nothing more, nothing less.
![]()
The eel somewhat slithers, dangles in and out of the stripers mouth.
Once the eel is completely engulfed in the stripers mouth.
You‘ll notice a steady stream of line coming off the spool.
If you swing on the bump. It’s hit or miss. The odds are not
in your favor. You have to remember now the regs have changed.
It’s a IN-LINE CIRCLE HOOK Reel tight on the inline circle hook
until you can’t wind or crank anymore. Now is the time to bury
the hook in the stripers face.
You might just want to drop the egg sinker on the eye of the hook.
You might want to adjust the distance from the eye with beads or
even a short 2-4” mono leader. You can put a squid skirt over the lead.
In between the beads without the skirt a clevis with a willow leaf spinner
leave the skirt on and instead place the clevis with a Colorado blade
over the skirt. Adjust the spinner with beads if needed.
Simplicity
I find that a inline circle hook with the lead dropped on the eye of the hook
works extremely well. Tied directly to the mainline. Nothing more, nothing less.
Joined
·
314 Posts
I put an eel on the bucktail.
![]()
A bloodworm casts better than a sand worm. A sand worm on the drift I find
to be more productive for bass and weakfish. One prefers earth tones and the
other fLavors shades of pinks but neither chartreuse. Then there’s . . . .
![]()
A bloodworm casts better than a sand worm. A sand worm on the drift I find
to be more productive for bass and weakfish. One prefers earth tones and the
other fLavors shades of pinks but neither chartreuse. Then there’s . . . .
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