Eels

Does anyone know how to avoid eels eg baits they won`t take, etc. Also is there a knack to keeping hold of our slimy friends to unhook them. I once read that newspaper was useful for keeping them still. Any tips would be much appreciated.

i have caught them on bread and sweetcorn so cant tell you what bait to aviod. As for holding them i have never mastered that either, have great admiration for those that can.

Theres not many things they won't eat....it depends on what level of "active" they are at......but generally i'd say steer away from maggots and worms and go for seeds and pellets...........as for holding them and unhooking them, the bigger they get the easier they are to hold, turning them on their back for a short while numbs them a little but if the hook is out of site cut the line don't poke about.........i love fishing for big eel, you don't know what delights you are missing!

Paul`s right with the seeds and pellets, I also like to use boilies. As for unhooking the small bootlace eels I hold them with the mesh of my landing net. Its still fiddle though, and if I can`t see the hook I just snip the line as close to the hook as possible.

hope that helps.

And as my old mate Steve Crawshaw used to say: "There's only one thing worse than catching a little snig - and that is catching a big snig" ;o{

Wonderful creatures!......potential unknown,full of mystery......and they don't have names..... i love em!

I do too, especially smoked with a tossed salad, brown bread, Bearnaisse sauce and a '92 Robertson Chardonnay. )

You are just a peasant!......my old man used to eat them for breakfast with bacon and eggs washed down with mugs of tea! only small ones though......there were plenty to go at then and they were safe to eat.

i caught my first eel about a week ago and could not see the hook ! i did not know what to do so i ****** about trying to find it (i didnt know it woukd be better to leave the hook in) and in the end i cut the line as short as possible. i felt so sorry for the poor thing that i packed up and came home, and i aint had my tackle out since.

[DAVE COOPER]

I wouldn't worry about it Chris. You'll know what to do in future.

If you can't see the hook, just cut them off. They get rid of it very quickly. Trouble with eels is that their vital organs are very close to the throat so it's better not to poke around too deep, just cut them loose.