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I've had my good days with eels but admittedly Im not the best when it comes to the snakes. I need help working through what I did wrong the other night.

 

I know there are bass from upper teens-mid 20s or bigger in this location out back. But I knew I was fishing the more finess part of the tide hence why I brought out the secret sauce.

 

Gear: 9ft moderate-fast rod, vs150, 30lb braid, 50lb leader, tied w/ a snell to a 7/0 Gami Octopus.

 

eel hooked through the chin and out the eye to prevent from snagging on shallow bottom.

 

So I had 4 good takes where I felt the eels freak out and get picked up. It wasnt the usual sharp taps that I have experienced before. The first time I dropped the tip and hammered a hook set to no prevail. The next two pickups were the same, but I dropped the tip and stepped forward a few feet until I felt the line pulling tight again then I set the hook to no prevail. the fourth take was similar but this time I dropped the time and dropped line off the roller but the fish never committed enough to swim off (I may have interfered when I tried to get the line off the roller).

 

So at the end of the tide, my buddy that was plugging was just watching a laughing since he couldnt buy a hit. I had 4 good takes and no hook ups. Someone please help me because I want to commit the rest of my spring to eeling when conditions are right.

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Im looking at an ancient mariner surf reel or ill buy a used abu ambassador in the off season. Until then I have a few options for rods but the size eels I had were best suited for the 9ft.

 

Could have been smaller bass. I know when Ive caught fish during that stage of the tide on plugs they were smaller. The flip usually brings in the big fish.

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I agree with the above.  Small fish.  My experience is that when a good fish hammers an eel, that's exactly what they're doing, hammering it - no mistaking that thump.  Every year, the first time I fish eels that season, I start wondering whether I'm getting hit (it's almost always the eel's swimming action or getting stuck in the rocks), until I do and then I'm like, "oh right, that's what it feels like!"  When I get that THUMP, I drop the tip to the water wait for the slack to be taken up by the fish (we're talking like a couple of seconds max) and cross its eyes with a hard hook set.  I haven't missed many that way and I also fish a tighter drag when eeling.  

 

The only time I let it run is when I'm fishing circle hooks. 

Just b/c you CAN, doesn't mean you SHOULD....
(what you do DOES make a difference - be accountable)
BigWave Dave
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6 mins ago, daves745t said:

I agree with the above.  Small fish.  My experience is that when a good fish hammers an eel, that's exactly what they're doing, hammering it - no mistaking that thump.  Every year, the first time I fish eels that season, I start wondering whether I'm getting hit (it's almost always the eel's swimming action or getting stuck in the rocks), until I do and then I'm like, "oh right, that's what it feels like!"  When I get that THUMP, I drop the tip to the water wait for the slack to be taken up by the fish (we're talking like a couple of seconds max) and cross its eyes with a hard hook set.  I haven't missed many that way and I also fish a tighter drag when eeling.  

 

The only time I let it run is when I'm fishing circle hooks. 

Good advice... I thought maybe the weather system could have made them hesitant to engulf a whole eel. Ive certainly felt the sharp taps before so Ill continue to look for them.

 

The drags locked when eeling.

 

Any advice on hook type? I feel like I should switch to an inline hook rather than the offset octopus that ive been using.

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Back in 2011 i learned to eel with that technique at the canal. Stewie taught me a lot that night.  Derrick had given me tips well before that but the inline sinker and the thicker hooks were Stewie.

 

 

I was lucky back then because i fished the canal 2010, 2011, 2012 a lot. When i used to roll with the ditch trolls those guys taught me a lot about fishing and most of the techniques i was able to use in NJ. 

Screen Shot 2019-05-14 at 1.31.25 PM.png

Edited by crazybellringer
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8 mins ago, Goudacuda said:

what conditions do you guys look for to throw eels. I have one spot in mind that I think I can do well in with eels but I've never thrown them before so I have co clue what to look for conditions wise 

 

I don't usually use live eels in nj because the  Blue fish are in most of my spots. 

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