From a purely personal point of view Eel fishing is about as much fun as poking myself in the eye with red hot needles.
I think in the last 5 years I have only caught 2 small eels from the middle and lower Hampshire Avon, and am very happy not to have caught more. Those that I have caught in the past have always meant a full re-rig or at least a new hook length as they have tangled me terribly from strike to net.
I am far more concerned however with the underlaying causes of the demise of the eel in our rivers especially noting that there appears to be no one solid reason.
That I have not noticed any significant rise, or decline, since say 1998 in the Roach, Chub or Dace populations in the Avon might or might not be a connecting factor, but does not point to any significant improvement in the general fishing related to the demise of the eel.
Strangely enough, my office here in Holland is on the banks of the Merwede River, which is in fact the Rhine if you go upstream a way. Since early May of this year I have noticed a large number of dead eels in the river around the shipyard. Now, this site has very strict emmission controls and the dead eels appear to be (otherwise) perfectly healthy with no visible signs of either disease or injury. When I say a large number it is about 3 or 4 per day, but every day. Typically these fish are in the 2 to 3 pound range, although yesterday one turned up which had to be nearer to 5 pounds.
I spoke to some local match anglers a couple of weeks ago and they said that to catch an eel in a match on the adjacent canal is quite a rarity these days.
It is indeed something of a mystery as Mark chronicles so well, but from a very personal point of view, I would be happy never to catch another eel as long as I have the breath and will to fish.
Just my own point of view, others of course may disagree.