Anyone had some good eels this summer?

[Dave H]

The weather has not been great for them so far although the last few weeks with the night temperatures being better I am wondering if any of you guys have caught some specimens

[John S]

To be honest, I've not caught an eel since the early 80's despite fishing plenty of waters where they used to be caught regularly.

[Dave H]

I think you have to go targeting them now john to have a chance of a good sized eel

[Mat Hillman]

I've had a few, to 2lb 7oz mainly on maggot/worm feeders intended for tench . . . . .

 

had several in bright daytime conditions recently after spodding dead maggots in!

 

Mat

[John S]

I think you have to go targeting them now john to have a chance of a good sized eel

 

I have, but not very often. Way back in the day, I targeted them in a local dock that was blocked off from the Humber, caught quite a few there until one day (when I wasn't there) a lad fell in and, although he got out without any problems (walked up a slope), he died a couple of weeks later from Weil's disease

 

Now the council have built a shopping centre on part of the dock, fishing is no longer allowed

[RUDD]

The local stillwaters near me have produced a few up to 3lb but no where near as many that normally get caught.

[AddictedToScopex]

I haven't had any good ones out of the river but plenty of bootlaces if I choose to use meat on the hook.

[Martin56]

The River Wharfe, Tadcaster used to be stuffted with 'em - in the 80's.

 

There was a paper mill, which used to pump bi products (jelly) into the river, & Eels were almost all one one could catch at the time!!

 

Matches were very often won with Eels, mostly bootlaces at that!!

 

Thankfully the paper mill has since shut down & mostly scale fish prevail these days!!

[BoldBear]

The last eel that I caught was from the river Lodden about 15 years ago when I was barbel fishing using double caster over a bed of Hemp & caster; it was only around 1 to 2lb.

 

Back in the 70s I used to catch quite a few eels from different moats around Fareham (near Portsmouth) and the mother-in-law used to make jellied eels from them (she was a Londoner Lol.).

 

Keith.

Edited August 20, 2016 by BoldBear

[Tigger]

I've been unfortunate enough to catch a few eels this season (by accident of course), i've had some whilst trotting on the rivers and some whilst fishing on still waters.I think they've all been over 3lb with a couple of the larger ones appearing to be 4lb plus. I say appearing to be as I didn't weigh them so my estimates may be wrong but not too far out I don't think. I reckon if I used maggots and worms and legered on the river i'd be booted out with them!