Eels for bait in the Cape Fear

[bufryda1]

Whats goin on fellas. I know by now that everyone has heard about the record flathead caught on a live eel, and I would be willing to bet that most of you have tried using live eels since then, I know I have. My question is that everytime that I try to use a live eel for bait it always ends up tangled around in my line. Is there a certain size eel I should use and where should I hook him so I wont have this problem?

[Paraguayguy]

Hook those rascals though the end of the tail and they swim away from the line and not up the line. I used to have the same problem until someone set me straight. Good luck! :)

[Southernraised84]

I would try cutting his tail off and then hooking them right behind there anal.I have had alot of success useing eel out there on the river.

[joe0580]

you need to hook them close to tail or cut them into chunks. i have caught many on live eel and been useing it for over 10 years now for bait. is really tough and a great bait. can catch many cats on same piece. i have pics of eel traps but to large to put on here. can someone email me and tell me how to post them for you all? thnakx

[bufryda1]

I appreciate the info guys. I am a firm believer in these eels now that I have tried them for myself. I bought 3 large eels about 1 1/2 - 2ft long a piece yesterday and cut them in half and fished them that way. I caught 3 cats on 1 eel half last night. They are very durable as far as staying on the hook and they stay alive for some time after you have cut them. Would the large eels 2ft long, be too big to fish live or should I buy the regular size ones about 1ft long? The weather is cooling down and those big flatheads should be turning on real soon.

[JAYNC]

I normally use eels anywhere from 12-16" long and cut them in half behind the anal. If I am fishing for a big flattie I will just cut some of the tip of the tail off, probably 3", when you do that they are less likely to get tangled up in your line. Plus there will be a small blood trail from them. They can stay alive for many hours after you cut them and catch numerous fish. This bait works good for all catfish, when you use the head it still stays alive for many hours and attracts flatties because its still moving around. It also attracts blues and channels because of the blood in the water. IMHO this is by far the best all around bait to use. You get one bait that works great on all the species of cats. Good luck. :)

[bufryda1]

Well fella's, I used the info that you posted on hooking the live eels through their back past their anal and had a very good trip last night. I always start my trips by drift fishing down river about 200yds to my hole and right to start out with about 50yds down I caught a 14lb flat. I dropped anchor and threw out 2 rods and not long after I caught 2 more small flats 5lb and 3lb. When I finally got down to the hole I figured out that the flats were really coming on so I put out 3 poles anchored up and kicked back. Just when I started to doze off, ZZZZzzzzz,was all I heard and it was on for about 15min. Wasnt the biggest I've ever caught but he pulled like a train. 30lb 2oz. I have a 16 1/2 ft square back canoe that he pulled around for a minute. It was my first trip using live eels for bait, and wont be the last. I took some pics and will have them posted soon. Fall Feeding Frenzy is here.

[JAYNC]

Awesome trip, sounds like the fish are biting good. I am going tonight, I hope I do good. Please post pics soon, I would like to see them. :)

[misterwhiskers]

Do you guys fish these eels on the bottom and if so do you find they like to hide under rocks?
The area i frequently fish has many rocks but also many fish there.I tried eels a few times but they seem to always seek out a rock get under it and i've lost quite afew rigs.
Just curious if this happens to others fishing them off the bottom?


I usually trap eels useing aminow trap with chicken livers wrapped in panty hose.It catches the right sized eels 12-16 inches and works like a charm!

[blackwaterkatz]

My biggest question is how do you hold onto those eels long enough to put them on a hook? They're so slippery, I can't seem to hold onto them. Do you use some special method? I've never used them for bait, but I would like to try them.

[misterwhiskers]

LMAO
tell me about it

I use an old rag or sponge pad the wifes about to toss out,whatever you use be sure you don't want it anymore!

the rags/sponge help to get agrip on em

another thing too if you keep emin water make sure it is aerated well

if you keep em in a cooler(make sure its an old cooler and not gonna be used for food no more) keep em on ice with afew layers of newspaper between the ice and eels.DO NOT keep them directly on the ice.I find that this helps calm them down abit and also makes them easier to handle.

Sometimes i'll toss em in acooler of ice for acouple seconds just to give em a chill,then they're not so so --- squiggly?

[blackwaterkatz]

Thanks, I've got the idea, I think. I don't know of anywhere to buy them around here, but sometimes I catch them when fishing for other species, so I will definitely give them a try next chance I get.

[Kittyhunter]

Joe is the only guy I know of who can reach in a 30 gallon barrel with 45 bream swimming around and pull out a dang eel barehanded. That was freaking unreal. I have tried to hold onto them but have a hard time. Joe, you will be proud to know, I did touch one. LOL!!!

[jim]

Tommy I have heard from guys that use them all the time that a small bucket of sand works to get a grip.Striper fishermen use them all the time and that is who told me about the sand.

[JAYNC]

I normally just reach in the bait tank and pull them out, once they are out I cut about 1-2 inches off of the tail. When you do that its hard for them to twist your line up, and it also puts blood in the water. I used one last night that I cut the tail off and it lived through 2 monster fish fights, and finally died just before I left for home.

[blackwaterkatz]

Jim, I thought about the sand, don't know how messy it would be in the boat, though. I've rolled them in the sand before when fishing from shore, in order to hold onto them. I've often caught eels :cursing: when fishing for channels and such with earthworms. I'd like to try them, but if I go out trying to catch some I probably couldn't buy a bite.
Do you know if someone on Santee Cooper lakes sells them for bait? I know some people down on the Cooper River used to trap and ship them to Asian countries, but I don't know whether they still do or not. I'll ask some of the people I know that live in that area.
People also use them for Cobia down around Beaufort, SC. I know a couple of guys that go down there in the spring. Doug's orthodontist is one of them, and we'll see him next week.
By the way, Doug wanted me to let you know his report card was really good, and the PACT scores were excellent, too.

[JAYNC]

There is an eel farm here in nc and they supply eels to all over the east coast, this is where they ship them to in S.C.

Irby Street Sporting Goods
1311 South Irby Street
Florence, SC
843-665-6462

Low Country Outfitters
1533 Fording Island Rd #316
Hilton Head, SC
843-837-6100

Hope they are close enough to you.

[blackwaterkatz]

Hey, thanks a lot Jaync. I'll check out Irby St Sports when I go to Florence, probably next week. Hilton Head is too far out of my way, but one of my sons-in-law goes through Florence several times a week and he could pick up some for me if they have them.

[JAYNC]

not a problem, hopefully you get some soon. You can keep them in a tank, they will live for a long time, if you keep it airated.

[jim]

Tommy tell Doug I'm proud of him.One of my female friends,mother owns that eel farm I think.At least she sells eels and lives somewhere around New Bern.I would love to try and drift fish with them.I'm not sure if they would tangle up a drift rig.I know saltwater striper fishermen use them drifting but they may use an eel harness.I'll try and do a little research.

[blackwaterkatz]

Well, Jim, I'm afraid you have the advantage on me again: What the heck is an eel harness? :confused:
That's a new one on me, but I assume it's a rig designed for fishing with eels and not get them tangled up in you line. I'd love to know...think I'll try a google search....Later

[delawareriver]

ok i dont fish this river but i do striper fish and have a few tips for you, for one it does seem to work if you tail hook them but another good way is grab there tails and brake it then they cant tie themselves in knots and you still can hook them through the lips pr eyes.

in storing them take 2 5-gallon sized buckets, in one of the buckets drill about 20 holes in the bottom, now put the bucket with the holes inside the other bucket, put down 2 or 3 inchs of ice then wet newspaper then eels on top of that and some more wet newspaper on top of that. this works for many reasons, 1st eels drown very easily if left in unoxygenated water but if let out of water they can stay alive much longer, so as the ice melts it drips into the second bucket, ice keeps the eels cold and numb so when you pick them up there not squirming all around but soon wake up after hitting warmer water. the newspaper has two effects. it keeps the eels from getting down into the ice and water and drowning and also takes some slime off them, this way you can take many eels out on the water with you and have all of them stay alive and reay to use and is very cheap.

[JAYNC]

just cut about 1-2 inches of their tail off and they cant wrap up in the line.

[JAYNC]

I just keep the eels in my baitwell and they live for weeks as long as I put fresh water in there a couple times a day.

[jim]

Delaware,thank you that was a very informative post.I knew you striper guys used eels a lot and had some good tips.TOMMY it is a multiple hook rig if I remember right.I'll have to dig up my old surf fishing books.Saltwater Sportsman the magazine probably has something on harnesses in their library.Sounds like though if we break their tails or just cut some off would be the best way.I believe if we drifted them they would trail naturally in swimming mode.

[bufryda1]

I have been hooking all of my eels about an inch behind their anal and it has been working great for me here in the Cape Fear. I went out yesterday afternoon and caught a 38# blue on live eel, will have the pics up soon. I am going out again tonight and try my luck. Fall Feeding Frenzy is here