winter eeling.

[jack]

Good luck. Are you concentrating on the same venue?

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

out again tomorrow. slight change in the weather. -8. to 7 deg. . so we will see

Would be nice to know if the water at the bottom warms at all, just a tad to 5 or 6 C, possibly worth fishing in shallower water?

Cheers, Alan

[nicksuper7]

a mate was catching last night in 4ft of water that's been frozen over since last Monday. chuck the rule book away.

[nicksuper7]

Good luck. Are you concentrating on the same venue?

lots of eels in the warmer months. so yes.

[jack]

Good luck mate, keep the reports coming

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

a mate was catching last night in 4ft of water that's been frozen over since last Monday. chuck the rule book away.

As I said its possibly worth fishing shallower water as the deeps will remain cold!

Cheers, Alan

[nicksuper7]

blank last night. 1 missed run. water 6.2. up from 4 the week before.. on to the next one.

[Mike J]

morning. I hate circle hook. they work they way we are trying to stop with eel fishing. I.e. eel swolling the bait .

Of all the species we fish for, eels are the ones that in theory suit circles the best.
When using any hook, we want the bait and hook fully inside the mouth and hook the fish before the swallowing process, so there is no difference there, only that circles should only be able to hook up as they "exit" the fish's mouth.
If you are hooking eels just nicely then no worries but circles could be worth trying in summer when takes are more common, they may possibly suit winter fishing more as the fish's activity decreases or visa versa? Maybe people have tried seriously for eels with them and gave up as they may not suit eels and the way they take/eject the bait but as said, the theory is a good one.

Cheers, Alan

This could be a reason why circles are not effective for freshwater eels.
In the mid '90's I tried circle hooks when conger fishing on channel wreck, on a day when we were all hauling them in.
Whatever method I tried I never managed to hook a single fish out of apx ten good bites, The skipper had told me when I started that they wouldn't work and he was right, the eels were taking the bait alright but when they did they were backing away with it and when I tightened all I was doing was pulling the hook straight back and clean out of the fishes mouth.

My hooks were Milward 8/0 longline commercial pattern, the rest of the crew were using the standard 10/0 J pattern.

.

[nicksuper7]

last trip of the year tomorrow, good job I got December eel in early doors. pic from few weeks back when in went -8

20221215_071516.jpg

[davelumb]

Madness!!

[nicksuper7]

what I thought was my last trip of 2022 turned out to be a 24 hr blank. but will give it one last 2022 trip tomorrow night. conditions are as good as they get for eel fishing this time of year at the moment. strongly my baits came back from 35ft of water not feeling cold at all.

[jack]

[stubbojo]

bloody hell its bad enough in summer getting a good eel , your making it hard for your self pal ,i fish a deep quarry and the latest i have had them was i think november
but baits intended for pike , they go deep in winter filmed them in the deepest parts ........September has been a good month for eel fishing ...for me anyway ..

regards steve

[nicksuper7]

bloody hell its bad enough in summer getting a good eel , your making it hard for your self pal ,i fish a deep quarry and the latest i have had them was i think november
but baits intended for pike , they go deep in winter filmed them in the deepest parts ........September has been a good month for eel fishing ...for me anyway ..

regards steve

always said there's a season for every fish. and have followed that in the past. but I am loving this little project at the moment. 14hrs fishing instead of the 6 if your lucky in the summer.

[Fentiger01]

I'm enjoying reading your posts mate and admire your resolve!

[nicksuper7]

I'm enjoying reading your posts mate and admire your resolve!

thank you. hopefully get another December eel tonight. then it's a confedence booster for January

[nicksuper7]

20221230_162314.jpg

well that's started well

[davelumb]

20221230_162314.jpgwell that's started well

What baits are you catching on?

[nicksuper7]

sardines

[davelumb]

sardines

Cheers. So much for eels preferring freshwater deads!

[nicksuper7]

sardines

Cheers. So much for eels preferring freshwater deads!

not this time of the year. not for me anyway.

[jack]

Winter eeling with sea baits! Extreme angling, well in mate!

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Mate had one on a sardine tail today intended for pike.

Cheers, Alan

[davelumb]

sardines

Cheers. So much for eels preferring freshwater deads!

not this time of the year. not for me anyway.

Eels used to like ripping mackerel and herrings to shreds up the Lake District in June. One or two even managed to get hooked.

[nicksuper7]

afternoon. just the one to end the year with. very happy with it what ever the size .

[jack]

You're a trooper mate! Tried the same 20 odd years ago. The only thing that kept me going was the official NAC hot water bottle presented to me as a p### take when I said I was going winter eeling! Keep it up mate and good luck for the new year.

[nicksuper7]

1st January trip tomorrow.

[gary j stockton]

I have had eels attack half sea baits on my local river throuhout the winter. Luckily the ones landed have been caught on the wire not the trebles. Good luck on your quest.

[nicksuper7]

sardines Seam to be the standout winter bait . mackerel 2nd.

[ouchthathurt]

I’ve caught a few eels on sardine in the past, I think eels would accept a sea bait if they find one, after all, they originate from the sea (although they enter the estuaries as elvers) plenty of bootlaces are caught at sea, when they enter fresh water, they must still recognise sea baits as food.