EEL'S

Fish Tales · 09-21-2007, 07:36 PM

ok, i am just going to post how i plan on this, this is the first time i have used eels for live lining so tell me if i am wrong on anything please...(and i don't mean the spelling

) ok, i am going to build my own eel trap out of rat wire about 3'long and 1' square the opening is going to be a funnel about 2 and 1/2' long, round, big end 1' and little end 1" I am going to use frozen menhaden for bait. I am putting it at my slip (not alot of boat traffic) it is in a creek with a muddy bottom. ?should I leave it in, between weekend trips or put it in on a Fri. night and gather on Sat. morn.? to keep i am going to use a rat wire cage about 2'square w/a lock. will only keep in there a few days. to transport, i am going to put in a 5gal bucket with just news paper. what do you think so far?
then to the CBBT and live line em around the pilings
what am i doing wrong or should i say going to do wrong

themadgaffler · 09-21-2007, 08:53 PM

ive found a minnow trap will work well with some chicken. the key is finding a place that holds decent amounts.

shore-power · 09-21-2007, 09:17 PM

Buy the long version of a minow pot. find a creek with a crab float operation on it and ask them if you can place your eel pot under there operation. Fill it with chicken backs, or dead crabs from the crabers floats and you will have a pot full of eels. The eels eat the dead crabs and scraps that are always present under these crab floats. Best place to catch eels I know of.

PEACE!

Ravens16 · 09-22-2007, 12:08 PM

I use a long minnow trap with dry cat food
Works great
I keep them on ice on my way to the fishing grounds, makes them real easy to work with when you are ready to hook em'.. As soon as they hit the water they are revived.
Good luck

captcl · 09-22-2007, 09:38 PM

Ravens 16 has a good answer but you can buy a commercial eel pot from one of the many makers of crab pots. A whole lot easier than the rat wire rig up.
Dog food contained in cheese cloth or old pant hose works good for bait.
Horseshoe crabs live/fresh crushed used to be the best.

Fish Tales · 09-23-2007, 04:42 PM

i have a minnow trap w/ the extender so i can use that cool save some $

as far has bait, dog food in some panty hose and would it help or hurt to also throw in some chicken?
to transport, do you just trow em in a cooler w/ice?
thanks

captcl · 09-23-2007, 05:12 PM

Stick with the dog food. Inserted in a section of the hose holds it together longer. The eel sucks the side of it trying to get to the food and you can get a few in one trap that way. Good luck.

johnseafood · 09-23-2007, 06:54 PM

Female horseshoe crabs and an eel pot works the best

. We did it for years and the best bait is horseshoe crab and than the next was bunker with crab backs in there. Seems to me that female crabs work better than males. The eggs are what gets the eels going in there.

You can buy com. eel pots but they run about 30-40$ a piece and are not worth it if your just trying to catch bait. Like said above a minno trap will do just fine.

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09-21-2007, 08:53 PM	#2
themadgaffler I practice safe fishing Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 72 Credits: 1,588.2	ive found a minnow trap will work well with some chicken. the key is finding a place that holds decent amounts.

09-21-2007, 09:17 PM	#3
shore-power Hide- My Wifes Logged On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia's Eastern Shore Posts: 139 Credits: 1,617.0 Occupation: I havent decided yet.	Buy the long version of a minow pot. find a creek with a crab float operation on it and ask them if you can place your eel pot under there operation. Fill it with chicken backs, or dead crabs from the crabers floats and you will have a pot full of eels. The eels eat the dead crabs and scraps that are always present under these crab floats. Best place to catch eels I know of. PEACE!

09-22-2007, 12:08 PM	#4
Ravens16 Crab mustard is good Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Perryman, Md Posts: 878 Credits: 2,257.9 Boat: 28' Wellcraft "RUMBUM" Home Port: Our beach Best Catch: Dawn fish!	I use a long minnow trap with dry cat food Works great I keep them on ice on my way to the fishing grounds, makes them real easy to work with when you are ready to hook em'.. As soon as they hit the water they are revived. Good luck

09-22-2007, 09:38 PM	#5
captcl Crab mustard is good Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ocean City md. area Posts: 985 Credits: 1,727.8 Boat: Mako 22' Home Port: West OCMD Best Catch: My wife, HONEST! Occupation: Building facilities manager and (part time)charter capt	Ravens 16 has a good answer but you can buy a commercial eel pot from one of the many makers of crab pots. A whole lot easier than the rat wire rig up. Dog food contained in cheese cloth or old pant hose works good for bait. Horseshoe crabs live/fresh crushed used to be the best.

09-23-2007, 04:42 PM	#6
Fish Tales Anthony's Ark is a blowboater Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 300 Credits: 1,717.5	i have a minnow trap w/ the extender so i can use that cool save some $ as far has bait, dog food in some panty hose and would it help or hurt to also throw in some chicken? to transport, do you just trow em in a cooler w/ice? thanks

09-23-2007, 05:12 PM	#7
captcl Crab mustard is good Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ocean City md. area Posts: 985 Credits: 1,727.8 Boat: Mako 22' Home Port: West OCMD Best Catch: My wife, HONEST! Occupation: Building facilities manager and (part time)charter capt	Stick with the dog food. Inserted in a section of the hose holds it together longer. The eel sucks the side of it trying to get to the food and you can get a few in one trap that way. Good luck.

09-23-2007, 06:54 PM	#8
johnseafood Master Trapper Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: gibbstown NJ Posts: 2,099 Credits: 5,421.6 Occupation: family run business John's Seafood	Female horseshoe crabs and an eel pot works the best . We did it for years and the best bait is horseshoe crab and than the next was bunker with crab backs in there. Seems to me that female crabs work better than males. The eggs are what gets the eels going in there. You can buy com. eel pots but they run about 30-40$ a piece and are not worth it if your just trying to catch bait. Like said above a minno trap will do just fine.