Eels

[Ian Crook]

New PB for me last night whilst fishing for Barbel with home made bait:

4lb 6oz, absoluty blinding fight, had my torrix bent double for the most part........

 

[Anthony Pearson]

Well done Ian...a belting Eel!

 

[Terry Theobald]

Broadwater is certainly doing the business this summer and why is probably a mystery?
congratulations must go out to steve ricketts on an absolutely awe inspiring catch.
Gary it must have been wonderful to witness such a fish.
my eel water is rammed with weed this year making eel fishing that more difficult so I probably wont get on it until late august when it starts to drop.

 

[Dean Aston]

Nice eel Ian . Im struggling a bit but out tomorrow after work

 

[Peter Littleworth]

A point of interest for you eel fans, I know they are apparently endangered, but I,ve seen dozens on the Test recently. Sunday ,whist trying to tempt a clearly visible large salmon, 3 jumped on my prawns, not impressed as the 3rd spooked the salmon, but 2 3lbers and the one that spooked the salmon 5lb, specimen fish, and they were by no means alone(the big one coughed up a bootlace whilst I was playing it). Take note Gary, something else to aim for down there!
peter

 

[Dave Hill]

I dont profess to know much about eel fishing though did find a large dead eel left on bank of weirpool I was fishing on Thames a couple of weeks back.

Last night whilst fishing same weirpool (hoping for Barbel) I had a stonking 'take' but the fight lasted about 2 seconds, reeling in I had a shredded 12lb silkworm hookling left - at 1st I assumed Pike (though not sure if they often take pellets!!!) but never even considered eel............so syupid question of the day......do eels have teeth that would do that? (Sorry for being dumb but as I say never given eels a 2nd thought)

 

[Stuart Wright]

Unintentionally caught a few eels yesterday on the river Wey in Weymouth (think the venue might be called Radipole lake), all between 2 and 3lb. All came to bread!!! Anyone have any idea about what sort of size they go down there?

 

[Mic Foot]

Talking with some of our EE "friends" last season on the banks of the Thames, I was shown pictures of 3 eels caught by them (on their mobile) that all had to be 5lb+ and the largest considerably clear of that mark. Now the bad news apparently they made fantastic stew! From what they were saying they catch them in fits and starts on the Thames, but fairly consistently right through the season, mainly on worms after dark, no surprise there.

The unfortunate thing is that, as with almost everything else they catch, it leaves the river in a plastic bag. I know the stretch of river that Pete Littleworth was referring to in an earlier Thames thread and what once was a reasonably reliable chub and barbel spot seems now to be devoid of anything other than bits. So maybe river eeling is not a great prospect after all especially not in my area.

As for eels and teeth Dave, yes eels would have teeth that can do that, I`ve had them do 35lb quicksilver in the past.

Mic

 

[David Gauntlett]

I was barbel fishing the Royalty last weekend and had a small eel, and my mate fishing up the bank with lighter gear had ten (including one about 4lb ish)

I know they are an endangered species, but there does seem to be a lot turning up at the moment

Cheers, Dave

 

[Ian Crook]

My mates Russian father in law (dodgy geezer too!!) was fishing the Royalty with a few of us from work about 4 or 5 years ago. He decided to give the maggots and maggot feeder a go, he caught an eel of immense proportions, certainly the biggest i've ever seen but as none of us were interested in eels or really knew what a specimen was we returned it without weighing............

I have often wondered what weight it would have been, it absolutely dwarfed the 4 1/2 pounder I had a few weeks ago, it was easily 4 inches diameter and 5 feet long at least!!! God, I wish we'd weighed it!!