Long Overdue Eel

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Hoppy-Doffton
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Re: Long Overdue Eel

Post by Hoppy-Doffton »

Loop Erimder wrote:Never caught an eel and not really bothered about them but i do want to catch a Redmire eel, hopefully next year on my next visit
Blimey where do you fish? On the MOON?
To enjoy our sport as it should be enjoyed, our surroundings must be beautiful, for your true angler enjoys nature as much as he enjoys fishing. "BB"

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Loop Erimder
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Re: Long Overdue Eel

Post by Loop Erimder »

Hoppy-Doffton wrote:
Loop Erimder wrote:Never caught an eel and not really bothered about them but i do want to catch a Redmire eel, hopefully next year on my next visit
Blimey where do you fish? On the MOON?
I fish where there arent many eels
Chance is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish

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Hoppy-Doffton
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Re: Long Overdue Eel

Post by Hoppy-Doffton »

Loop Erimder wrote:
Hoppy-Doffton wrote:
Loop Erimder wrote:Never caught an eel and not really bothered about them but i do want to catch a Redmire eel, hopefully next year on my next visit
Blimey where do you fish? On the MOON?
I fish where there arent many eels
Yep those places are all too easy to find now!
To enjoy our sport as it should be enjoyed, our surroundings must be beautiful, for your true angler enjoys nature as much as he enjoys fishing. "BB"

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GarryProcter
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Re: Long Overdue Eel

Post by GarryProcter »

BigFish, ages ago I fished the Thames for eels, twice, if I recall correctly. It would have been in the mid 70's when I was at Oxford, and I fished a free stretch within the city boundary. I think there had been some big ones reported from the area in the Angling Times, so I had a go. I managed to blank both times, using freshly-caught bleak as bait. I still haven't caught a big eel, which is on my 'to do' list.

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Santiago
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Re: Long Overdue Eel

Post by Santiago »

I've had them to 5lb but on average they go to about 3lb. An eel above 4lb will test any angler an fight all the way to the net.. I read somewhere advising folk never to go eel fishing alone because the big ones are that hard to land!
"....he felt the gentle touch on the line and he was happy"

Hemingway

Red Creel

Re: Long Overdue Eel

Post by Red Creel »

Only had the bootlace versions myself, but twice i have witnessed other anglers weighing in big wrigglers. The first would be over ten years ago now, a group of London anglers were packing up after a nights fishing on the Thames at Pangbourne. Bringing in their keepnets the usual bream and roach were released along with a big eel, the weight was four pounds something as i recall.

The second event was more recently, fishing a local club lake a carp angler in the next peg asked me to witness a monster eel he had caught in the small hours. The weight had to be estimated as the eel refused to keep still in the weigh sling, best estimate was six pounds!

Blueavocet

Re: Long Overdue Eel

Post by Blueavocet »

Its so lovely to hear of the interest and respect for the eel. In recent years I haven't caught many, but then I have put in so few night sessions. Way back in the 1970s, when I was in my early teens I caught a 6lb 8oz eel from Sibdon Pool in Shropshire. It wasn't by strategy and design, I simply long distance ledgered a bunch of lobworms. But I can attest that this one fought like fury. It seemed to have a powerful reverse gear and I had to maintain constant pressure to stop it sliding back into the lilly pads. Back then I wasn't aware just how close it was to the national record (8lb 8oz), but it confirmed me as a specimen hunter for a good ten years.

My other eel magic moment was beneath the road bridge at Stokesay Bridge (River Onny). There is a weir there and there were three of us tucked in there with blankets. The rain was bucketing down and the river rapidly rising. It was dirty brown and we simply dropped worm or minnow baits in and their were swept down to the weir sill. We must have caught 30 odd eels up to 3lb (most around the 1lb mark), intercepting the eel migration on an atrocious night. Even then in our ignorance we noted the different eel look. These were pointy nosed silver and dark grey eels whilst the monster of Sibdon Pool had been brown and yellow, with a broader snout. All were returned to their journey unharmed after they had been admired.

Nice to be back from hols now and will post again soon folks!

Bob

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MaggotDrowner
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Re: Long Overdue Eel

Post by MaggotDrowner »

BigFish wrote:An eel above 4lb will test any angler an fight all the way to the net!
They don't stop fighting once they get on the land either! :Chuckle:
"I'd rather be fishing!"

MD

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The Sweetcorn Kid
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Re: Long Overdue Eel

Post by The Sweetcorn Kid »

Just bought some books from a car boot sale, Successful Angling series. I bought Bream, Tench, Pike and Eels. Lovely books they are too, and at £1.50 for the set of four, I think I got a bargain. Particularly like the Eel one.
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Re: Long Overdue Eel

Post by Alan H »

I used to detest catching Eels until I learnt how to calm them by stroking the side, they absolutely lie still giving you time to get your disgorger and carefully remove the hook, I say carefully, because it's so easy to damage an Eel if it's taken it well down.

If it's too far down it's best to cut the line as close to the hook as you can get.

But try this method, when you get the Eel on the bank in the net, put one hand over it's eyes, with the other hand lift it out the net and put it on the grass, with one had still covering the eyes stroke down it's side with the other hand three or four times, with it now laying still you should be able to stand up and carry out removing the hook.

When you put it back in the water as soon as it touches the water it springs back to life.

They hold no fear for me now, in fact I look forward to catching one so I can amaze myself again.

Here is a Vid of such a thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abA7uzcQC4A

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