as i said......once!

 

Great to hear that Snapper can still be in spot, may have just been fishing the wrong tide (low)

 

Cheers for replies

Eels and snapper are often caught in the same place, mate. One thing though, if an eel gets to your bait first, it probably means the snapper aren't around or aren't hungry, as it generally takes eels longer to sniff out a bait than snaps. However this doesn't mean the snaps won't come on the chew in 30mins time, so it isn't a reason to pack up.

As to safety, congers seem to me to have the same kind of teeth as freshwater eels: more for grasping and tearing than for cutting or crushing. If one bites you, I would guess you'd get graze-like injuries. I doubt it has the tools to remove your finger or any part of you. They don't seem too focussed on biting anyway.

Releasing them is usually pretty simple, especially if you happen to have longnose pliers. I have a leatherman tool which does the job. You just grasp the hook by the shank and reverse it against the weight of the eel, and it should drop off into the water. With hooks like those used on the snapper snatcher, the eel should be hooked in the corner of the mouth, making this release very easy.

However if you can't see the hook, cutting it off is the best option. 

If you catch a moray, I would cut him straight off as soon as you get him near. I've tried retrieving the hooks from these, but they tend to tie a knot in their tail and move it up their body (this is how they rip pieces of meat off large dead animals). This causes an ungodly tangle, and the eel's chances of survival are limited.

 

I caught it on a snapper snatcher line. Didn't really want it (thought it was a big snapper when reeling in)

 

Am I perhaps fishing in the wrong spot? Are snapper still found where eels are? Was I right to just cut my line instead of removing the hook? - Have heard of peoples fingers being bitten off!