Eel fishing

[Gary Knowles]

I'm about to embark on a bit of eel fishing and am a bit confused about hooklength material.

I have a mate who says he has never had a bite off on mono, and one who claims that mono is crap and he has also been bitten off on quicksilver. All he now uses is wire.

I would be very interested in the choice of hooklength and the experiences of any eel fisherman out there....

Thanks in advance.

 

[Gary Knowles]

And before anyone asks.......no, I don't want the eels for bait !

 

[Paul Williams]

There was a time when i was like your mate....i even argued with John Sidley that because i had never been bitten off i didn't think eel fishing warrantted wire.........i now use wire!!
I haven't done any eel fishing for a while (keep meaning to!) but i think i would go for one of the modern soft ones...Philip in paris sent myself and Chris Bishop a couple of samples the one in particular looked great for eeling but i don't know what it was called....Philip, Chris, what was it?

 

[Paul Williams]

Oh and are you sure, not even a little bitty one?!?! ;o)

 

[john conway]

I’ve occasionally caught large eels on the canal and I’ve been bitten off many times on mono. I’m also always thinking of having a go for the big eels in our local canal. However, when I do it will be on wire. Deviating slightly, if I use a small smelly dead bait at night, am I likely to pick up pike?

 

[Andy Doughty]

When I go after the zander I use small roach heads/bodies. Open the bodies up with a knife and they leak out all the guts. Catches lots of zander and also picks up a lot of eels. I wouldnt think of fishing deads without a wire trace, you will always pick up pike, perch or zander. Try the Fox Easy Twist 20lb for eels, but replace the wire after every fish. It kinks like a kinky thing. You can tie the hooks knotless-knot style with this wire, saves on crimps.

 

[Rob Brownfield]

The Fox Soft Steel or the Calibet 57 strand stuff is magic for eels.

 

[Gary Knowles]

Nah, my freezer is already full of them Paul - I don't need any more !

Ten minutes fishing with maggot on the Ribble can sort enough eels to produce pike baits for a season.......

 

[Paul Williams]

I know what you mean Gary.....i went barbel fishing with maggots on the Severn a few days ago!!.....the eel lads are saying eel are scarce this year, not when i'm barbel or breaming they aint!!
I think one of the wires Philip sent was Caliber...but is that still available?

 

[Carp Angler]

I always use wire.
I sometimes put soft silicone tubing over the wire near the hook, if I feel the eels are dropping the bait, as it gives the wire a soft feel.

 

[Paul Williams]

Nice touch....simple and it sounds effective, i'll be using that one!!

 

[David Will]

Eels have bitten me off using Quicksilver and Caliber in 15lb.They do not seem to have a problem with 25lb Soft Steel when Zed fishing on the Fens.Bloody Eels only have a problem with wire when I am fishing for them which is about once a year.

 

[Rob Brownfield]

Caliber is available through Harris. Also worth looking at is the Toothy Critter wire sold to Pike fly fishers. Soft, knottable and tough

 

[Gary Knowles]

Thanks lads, looks like wire is then for the eel fishing.......I'm actually looking forward to my wedding anniversary now !

 

[Philip Inzani]

Just come back from two weeks in Italy (fishing what else!)so catching up on the threads...
Not sure if you can get hold of it over there but there are some Kevlar based lines that may be good for this application. I think they where avaialble in the past in the UK but I cannot remeber the name. They can be quite difficult to knot but are very supple.

Also sort of along the same lines as Rik mentioned about the tubing on the wire...I seem to remeber that there where some guys fishing for Chub with dead baits that used to cover the traces with foam rubber for the same reason. Fiddly but it also had the advantage that you could soak the foam in fish oil as well if you wished for extra attraction.

 

[Chris Bishop]

15lbs Caliber I've gone off a bit becaiuse it isn't that strong once you've attached hooks/swivel etc.

Mate of mine who's an eel nut (I don't fish for 'em...) swears by Tec Core - the braided Middy wirem, but I've only ever seen it in 10lb so it's a non-no as far as I'm concerned.

I've been using Soft Steel for zandering this season and it seems fine, if a little thick.

On the other hand, I've had eels pick up whole mackerel and one that took a trotted live the other night, so I don't think they're quite as smart as they're made out to be.

 

[Gary Knowles]

I've bought some Fox soft steel in 15lb and intend to use a size 1 hook with a dead gudgeon on one rod and a size 4 hook with lobworm on the other. Both with the last couple of inches covered in soft 1mm rig tube.

Lobworms baits will be hooked through the middle, the gudgeon will be lip hooked (or should I use a baiting needle ?)

Running ledgers fished with a bobbin on a long drop (or should I be using drop back indicators ?).

10lb main line, 1.5lb tc rods.

OK you snig bashers out there - how does that sound. Any advice greatly received.....

Cheers

Gary

 

[Carp Angler]

15lb line and 2.75 tc.

I don't know about the snigs near you, but the 5's and 6's down here fight like f.., bu...., very hard indeed....

 

[Chris Bishop]

My mates fish tiny marsh creeks for them using 15 or 20lb line - Rik's right, you wouldn't believe how they can pull and if there's any junk down there they get their tails round it and you're cream crackered.

They also have an incredible knack of being able to shed the hook given the slightest slack, spin round on their own axis (!) and swim backwards.

Sooner you than me Gary.

I've had several good ones come off which have taken deadbaits when I've been pike and zander fishing.

The hooks need to be super-strong and sharp as well - they'll straighten out anything else. I've never had my usual trebles straightened by pike but an eel managed it last season.

 

[Gary Knowles]

God - I'm beginning to change my mind. These things sound horrible !

I may just stick to gudgeon bashing......