Firstly a word from Ben - As the Fish Challenge is not just myself competing, I've encouraged others involved to write their thoughts too. Robbie has a wealth of fishing knowledge, with a unique insight into Fishery management too. He's also an incredibly funny guy and one of my best friends. So it's with pleasure I present his first ever blog post, about the slimy business of Eel Fishing.
Why do we hate catching eels?
The freshwater eel, so slimy, so ugly, yet such a good sport. So why do the majority of British anglers baulk at the idea of catching eels? Well as a fishery manager for over 7 years very rarely do I get customers asking ‘which lake is the best for catching eels? ’ personally I enjoy catching them, sure when you get them on the bank trying to unhook them is like trying to get your ex to stay with you after she has just found out you have been fired from your job and will no longer be able to lavish her with some fancy gifts that she needs to achieve multiple instagram likes. But many of the eels I have caught have given me a fight far more superior to that of a bream, who after a half-hearted run will just give up without a battle as if it’s playing for the England football team. Many people claim their dislike is also due to the fact trying to handle them when unhooking leaves you looking like you have just been shooting a scene from the newest ghostbusters film, but let’s face it as fisherman we don’t expect to come back from a day’s fishing looking like we have just come from a job interview at Buckingham palace. Eels are an extremely hardy fish, they travel from halfway across the world only to be labelled a nuisance by an angler who insists on driving to his platform as he doesn’t want to walk because he pulled a calf muscle having a kickabout with Johnny and the lads. Eels are not fast growing, some can take 10 years to get to 1lb but that just makes it all the better catching a 2lb plus eel. So far this year I have only had one but what a fish it was. 4lb 10oz, caught on a jig head a complete surprise catch! On first inspection I thought I had hooked into a sunken branch until this thing starting moving like a drunk bloke at a party doing the worm to impress a girl who’s clearly going to end up going back with his less embarrassing mate. So last night I was in high spirits because I knew a few had been coming out from all the different lakes up to about 4lb. With the bake brigade out in force, and Ben with a rare day off work (!) we opted to fish Dunes, which probably produces the best eel catches. We decided to fish the deep water using one ledgered dead bait and one float fished live bait, feeding maggot to draw the roach to the swim. Within 20 minutes the rod went, one big take and a run. After a good 5 minute fight it came to the net, easily 3 and a half pound and angry as Ronnie Pickering in a traffic jam! Nevertheless a cracking fish! After that we had plenty of big runs on the ledgered deadbait but they were proving extremely hard to hook, much owing to their stiff jaw line which adapts to the environment they reside in. Will had another big take only to find nothing but a tail left on the hook. It started to get dark and soon the leger rod was off again, this time managing to hook into it firmly. Once again proving photo shy this fella at 2 and a half pound would not stay still, a slippery customer indeed. All in all a great evenings fishing, and two spectacular fish. These guys are the R-eel D-eel lol.
Why do we hate catching eels?
The freshwater eel, so slimy, so ugly, yet such a good sport. So why do the majority of British anglers baulk at the idea of catching eels? Well as a fishery manager for over 7 years very rarely do I get customers asking ‘which lake is the best for catching eels? ’ personally I enjoy catching them, sure when you get them on the bank trying to unhook them is like trying to get your ex to stay with you after she has just found out you have been fired from your job and will no longer be able to lavish her with some fancy gifts that she needs to achieve multiple instagram likes. But many of the eels I have caught have given me a fight far more superior to that of a bream, who after a half-hearted run will just give up without a battle as if it’s playing for the England football team. Many people claim their dislike is also due to the fact trying to handle them when unhooking leaves you looking like you have just been shooting a scene from the newest ghostbusters film, but let’s face it as fisherman we don’t expect to come back from a day’s fishing looking like we have just come from a job interview at Buckingham palace. Eels are an extremely hardy fish, they travel from halfway across the world only to be labelled a nuisance by an angler who insists on driving to his platform as he doesn’t want to walk because he pulled a calf muscle having a kickabout with Johnny and the lads. Eels are not fast growing, some can take 10 years to get to 1lb but that just makes it all the better catching a 2lb plus eel. So far this year I have only had one but what a fish it was. 4lb 10oz, caught on a jig head a complete surprise catch! On first inspection I thought I had hooked into a sunken branch until this thing starting moving like a drunk bloke at a party doing the worm to impress a girl who’s clearly going to end up going back with his less embarrassing mate. So last night I was in high spirits because I knew a few had been coming out from all the different lakes up to about 4lb. With the bake brigade out in force, and Ben with a rare day off work (!) we opted to fish Dunes, which probably produces the best eel catches. We decided to fish the deep water using one ledgered dead bait and one float fished live bait, feeding maggot to draw the roach to the swim. Within 20 minutes the rod went, one big take and a run. After a good 5 minute fight it came to the net, easily 3 and a half pound and angry as Ronnie Pickering in a traffic jam! Nevertheless a cracking fish! After that we had plenty of big runs on the ledgered deadbait but they were proving extremely hard to hook, much owing to their stiff jaw line which adapts to the environment they reside in. Will had another big take only to find nothing but a tail left on the hook. It started to get dark and soon the leger rod was off again, this time managing to hook into it firmly. Once again proving photo shy this fella at 2 and a half pound would not stay still, a slippery customer indeed. All in all a great evenings fishing, and two spectacular fish. These guys are the R-eel D-eel lol.
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