# How to catch Freshwater Eels?



## dannyoneal68 (Apr 20, 2011)

How do you fish for them? I want to cross them off the list of fish i've never caught. Plus i've heard they make great catfish bait.


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## fishinfart (Apr 20, 2011)

I've never caught any on purpose, just when I am trying to catch something else! Have caught them on live bream and cutbait while trying to snag a catfish on the Flint. Don't care to tussle with the nasty boogers myself!


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## fishfryer (Apr 20, 2011)

Fish on the bottom, in any river that flows to the Atlantic Ocean,that doesn't have a dam across it.Even the ones with a dam,fish below the dam on the downstream side.Use worms,cutbait,most anything you would fish for catfish with.Creeks that are main tributaries to those rivers are also good.Eels are hatched in the Sargasso Sea and migrate up freshwater rivers to grow up.The Ocmulgee River and it's tributaries are full of eels,not so with the Flint River north of the dams.Eels taste very good,similar to catfish.


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## Twenty five ought six (Apr 20, 2011)

We used to  catch them as accidents fishing with red worms in the Altamaha.  They do make great catfish bait.

Get any of the slime on your boat and when the sun hits it, will smell worse than the worse hog wallow.


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## sinclair1 (Apr 20, 2011)

I caught on on a red wiggler when I was six yrs old, I threw my rod down and ran home.


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## david w. (Apr 20, 2011)

sinclair1 said:


> I caught on on a red wiggler when I was six yrs old, I threw my rod down and ran home.



I did that before too.I threw mine in the river and ran to my mommy.


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## crackerdave (Apr 20, 2011)

sinclair1 said:


> I caught on on a red wiggler when I was six yrs old, I threw my rod down and ran home.





david w. said:


> I did that before too.I threw mine in the river and ran to my mommy.



 They sure look like a snake,when you first pull 'em up! I've caught a few on a hook,and a few in my cast net,but never used 'em for bait.I've always heard they're real good live bait.
Down in the saltwater,there's folks who trap eels for a living.They ship 'em off somewhere overseas where they like to eat 'em.


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## fredw (Apr 20, 2011)

Those things sure are slippery.....kinda tough to get them off of the hook.  Hint......rub your hand in sand and then grip them.  It'll help.

As far as bait goes....I've caught them on cut bait, worms, and catalpa worms while fishing for catfish.


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## Biggin13 (Apr 20, 2011)

We caught alot out of the Oconee River above Dublin on crawdads we racked out of the slough next to the river.  Seemed to hit them better than the cut bait.  Must have been use to eating them.


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## Twenty five ought six (Apr 20, 2011)

fredw said:


> Those things sure are slippery.....kinda tough to get them off of the hook.  Hint......rub your hand in sand and then grip them.  It'll help.
> .



Hint ..... cut the line, and let the nasty things go.  Tell anyone in the boat that if they bring one in the boat, their going to have to eat it.


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## newenglandboy1 (Apr 20, 2011)

I've caught them in in rivers of New England when i was a kid on regular night crawlers.  I hate the slimmy buggers with a passion if i catch one.  But they make for some great salt water striper candy if they are small enough


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## sinclair1 (Apr 20, 2011)

I have had both fresh and salt water eel at the sushi bar, and they are both my favorites Alittle revenge for chasing me home at 6 yrs old.


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## fish all the time (Apr 20, 2011)

FRY ;EM UP they rate up there with a red fin pike good eat'en


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## flatheadfisherman (Apr 21, 2011)

Worms and small pieces of cut bait are what I use. I also fish close to cover,banks, and bridge supports to catch the most.


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## mudracing101 (Apr 21, 2011)

fishfryer said:


> Fish on the bottom, in any river that flows to the Atlantic Ocean,that doesn't have a dam across it.Even the ones with a dam,fish below the dam on the downstream side.Use worms,cutbait,most anything you would fish for catfish with.Creeks that are main tributaries to those rivers are also good.Eels are hatched in the Sargasso Sea and migrate up freshwater rivers to grow up.The Ocmulgee River and it's tributaries are full of eels,not so with the Flint River north of the dams.Eels taste very good,similar to catfish.



What he said about the Ocmulgee, full of them. Catch em everytime we go catfishing on the bottom with worms. I dont know about the eating part, They scare me


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## Poor Poor Fisherman (Apr 21, 2011)

*Fresh Water Eel*

I have no idea how to catch them but I will say that smoked freshwater eel is outstanding once they hit the dinner table!!  And they are especially great at a sushi bar.  Hard to believe that something so ugly can taste so good!!


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## Spurhunter1 (Apr 21, 2011)

Yuck, there are other baits out there that wont freak me out! LOL


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