Big Eels
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Freshwater Fishing
Forum Name: Freshwater Fission
Forum Description: The place to discuss all matters related to freshwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=35353
Printed Date: 05 Nov 2026 at 3:24pm
Topic: Big Eels
Posted By: liverpool lad
Subject: Big Eels
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2008 at 10:42pm
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Has there been any BIG Eels caught lately? Just curious as I am thinking of going for monster Eel with the small Rudd I killed as dead-baits. Any info on big Eel location?
Cheers ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Replies:
Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2008 at 10:48pm
I saw one in the Ngamawhahine stream last time I was there but that was about 8-10 years ago.
Is there any significance re. using Rudd?
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Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2008 at 10:59pm
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Good question. I prefer it and have had alot of succes using it. I found if i couldnt get the eel biting then the bonus would be that if perch were roamimg they would take the Rudd quickly. So I had a secondary species but I have been trying for that MONSTER Eel for years.
Most baits would work, but i love using dead Rudd. ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2008 at 11:16pm
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I think you need to tell us the area you want to fish then I'd bet a few on here would be willing to help.
If I felt the need to tangle with the THE MONSTER, reckon it would be hard to go past a Skipjack tuna frame.
Beware of Taniwha's tho, there's still one or two about.
Good luck & let us know how you fare.
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Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2008 at 11:34pm
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I would be targeting around the wairarapa and manawatu to wellington areas. I have had a couple of 9lbrs, but I know of people having run ins with 20lb/40lb monsters that smash their gear.
Thanks, I will upload some pics once I get the hang of the site gizmos :-)
------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2008 at 11:38pm
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Big eels are pretty easy to find in NZ. The Waikato river and lakes syetm has some true monsters, as does Lake Tarawera. The Mohaka eels are legendary!
I'm with Uncle... good bonito frame (or even an old rotten one is probably going to be even better than Rudd. Much more oily. As eels hunt almost totally by smell then real oily stuff tends ot be the best way. ------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier 
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Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2008 at 11:39pm
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In that area the Lower Ruamahunga, Waiohine and Waingawa all have some beauties... ------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
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Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 06 Dec 2008 at 11:43pm
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Thanks Clark :-)
Would it be any good trying the Big lower lake by the rumahunga?
Out of all the fish I have caught I have to say the Eel gives a dam fine account pound for pound. ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: Onecast
Date Posted: 07 Dec 2008 at 10:09am
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The Mangatutu [sp] near Waikeria should still hold some Big Eels.
Pulled a few whoppas using Chicken Guts as Bait.
There are still some good eels in the Ngamawhahine. One told me he remembers Uncle well.  Have Fun. Jax------------- A man is only as big as the things that annoy him RIP 'Onecast' Jax Murray |
Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 07 Dec 2008 at 11:05am
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Thanks again all, your help and comments have been excellent.
I am glad I found this site :-)
------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: doctor fish
Date Posted: 07 Dec 2008 at 4:54pm
This one chased a reasonable sized brown trout that was being played around a deep pool in the Mohaka last week attempting to smack it off the end of the line! Appeared out of nowhere looking for an easy meal.
Another large one (eel) received a rather serious percussion injury from my mates .30 cal. As it floated off downsteam, another eel appeared and started to attack it. I was amazed at how fast they can move and of course the size of them.
 The eels didn't get this one though!
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Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 07 Dec 2008 at 4:57pm
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Nice one, great pics :-)!!! ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: Shut up and fish
Date Posted: 07 Dec 2008 at 5:03pm
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Hey shut up and fish here the big eels that we have been catching lately in the wainui river have been busting us off on 50lb line and bending the hooks. Really bloody meat for bait is best with just some bread for berly and maybe just little bits of meat work good as well. |
Posted By: ThomasW
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 7:48pm
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Shot a few rabbits or possums, Skin them and put the guts into the skin bag. Then use the skin bags for berley. Really drive eels crazy. A sheep carcass also works wonders but alot more messy. |
Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 8:55pm
Eels tend to "spin" if they can & that can lead to bust-offs.
A good sturdy swivel will fix that problem.
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Shut up and fish wrote:Posted By: Shut up and fish
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 8:58pm
| Thanks for the advice |
Posted By: michael29973
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 9:26pm
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yea good idea a swivel would work really good and i thin a stringer hook should do the job .
cheers mike
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Posted By: goosebayhunter
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 9:43pm
i use a trace on 50lb with a swivel and a groper hook and burley up the stop with middle bacon and bread any leftover meat chicken and get some lambs heart cut it inhalf and stick the big bit of bloodly meat on the end on the line and i get wopper the last one i got was as long as my mate he 5 11 ft and it was maybe the thinkness of a dive tank  ------------- globe warming,higher sea levels,more fishing spots BRING IT ON |
Posted By: michael29973
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 9:49pm
| far out thats massive!!! |
Posted By: goosebayhunter
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 9:51pm
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i think it had been in that lake for awhile now im never going swimming again in that lake ------------- globe warming,higher sea levels,more fishing spots BRING IT ON |
Posted By: Kaimoanacowboy
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 9:53pm
| Best Eel I have caught was up the back of my mates farm in the Wairarapa towards the hills from Lake Wairarapa. We gutted it and took its head off before we took it home to be smoked. She weighed 6KG with no head and no guts. That wasnt caught from a line though, we just got into the creek and hauled the ******* out onto the bank with our hands and a landing net. |
Posted By: michael29973
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 9:53pm
nah i wouldent either knowing them massive things are in there  .
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Posted By: michael29973
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 9:55pm
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nice kaimoanacowboy do you know if you get trout in that lake?
cheers
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Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 10:03pm
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5'11" is a big Eel, also a very old one.
Please be aware when catching them that they only spawn once & that's way out at sea.
After spawning, they die, so any Eel you see in a lake or river is a maiden fish.
I'm not saying Eels shouldn't be caught, just that numbers are in major decline & we need to consider that.
If they are being used ( eaten), then fine, but catching/shooting them for any other reason is poor form in this day & age.
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Posted By: michael29973
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 10:07pm
| hey uncle i didnt know that fresh water eels went out to spawn at sea do you know why they do that? |
Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 10:18pm
is probably something to do with the birds & the bees Michael, you better ask your Dad
I understand there is a deepwater canyon somewhere near Tonga where they head for but not much is known about the breeding cycle.
Whitebaiters often catch "Glass Eels", small wriggly versions of their parents that return from the sea along with the 'bait.
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Posted By: ThomasW
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 10:32pm
| The longfin eels are more at risk then the shortfin which are still quite common. The big eels are all old longfins. |
Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 10:56pm
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A few points...
Yes there are trout in Lake Wairarapa, but there's beter places to fish than that muddy hole. A little tip... some of the tributary streams directly to the lake are a flyfisherman's paradise.
Uncle, my understanding was that all of the really big old eels are barren females... someone correct me if I'm wrong but I'm sure they return after spawning but never spawn again.
Why do they spawn in the sea... same reason salmon spawn in rivers. but I'm not sure what it is.
------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
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Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 11:00pm
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You would prob catch alot of Rudd in wairarapa on fly wouldnt you??? ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 11:05pm
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Good Eel baits :-) ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 11:30pm
| If you truly want a great eel bait then Lamprey would be hard to beat!!! Gotta love that cucumber smell....and sooooooo much blood!!!! |
Posted By: Kenshin
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2008 at 11:42pm
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If you ever come up to Auckland.. Lake Pupuke has some Anakonda size Eels!! Saw a couple cruising the banks while spinning for trout. Scare the shet out of me all the time. I saw a japanese guy catch one before but not huge.. he was using bonito fillets.
------------- Be patient and calm – for no one can catch fish in anger. –Herbert Hoover |
Posted By: michael29973
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 7:42am
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hey clark
i might have to head over there and go for a fish if its fly fishing paradise
 .thanks
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Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 7:52am
Bit of light reading for you Clark
http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-animals/fish/facts/eel/ - http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-animals/fish/facts/eel/
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Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 9:40am
You'll have to find which stream I am talking about... I've already said too much...
PM me when you find the cress lined spring creek with 5-6 browns sipping dries off the surface.
It was unknown 20 years ago and I've never seen it written about or heard it talked about since... a few more clues... it's about 1/2 a mile long.... and no road crosses it. ------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
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Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 9:43am
See... now this is another issue I have with those tossers at DOC.. they come along and bugger up the perfectly good stories we were raised with from the old bushmen... and they do it with facts... B****ds all of them ] ------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
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Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 10:33am
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Posted By: bazza
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 10:34am
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Peruse the site Uncle has posted & then do a search for other
sites under eels/newzealand.
Traditionally we kiwis (myself included) have undervalued the eels
we have in this country & viewed them as something for kids to kill
in the school holidays, then if a monster is caught getting their pic
in the local paper.
After reading some of the info on the sites you may (as many of us have)
change the way you regard them as they are truly amazing creatures EG
We have not only the biggest freshwater eels in the world but also a
couple of species exclusive to NZ
As Uncle says, at a certain time of development they swim all the way to
Tonga to spawn then die but even more amazing is the fact the minute
eels (think called glasslings) manage to find their way back to rivers/streams
in N.Z. It is also thought they have the ability to change sex & as uncle
states, most of the really large eels are barren females.
Regreattably the average size of eels here is dropping since intensive
commercial netting began a few decades ago, along with catch rates,
indicating stocks are definitely being depleted. I seem to remember the
heaviest recorded eel caught in NZ was 90 odd lbs.
Yes go catch one to eat by all means, but try to apreciate that they are
in fact rather unique creatures that we should value & certainly not engage
in killing or slaughtering them simply for the sake of it.
Cheers Barry
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Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 11:51am
| The coarse fishers attitude of catch and release is a perfect way to appreciate these fish...plus I would think like most other species the old large monsters are not the best for the plate anyway... |
Posted By: bazza
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 12:15pm
OMG we were wondering how long it would take for you or your cronies, to get
back to pushing the barrow of your main agenda & which would appear to be
the objective for being here.
Boring & all as it is how about you guys slink back to your own forum where you
have probably bludgeoned most of the members into your way of thinking.
If you continue on this forum to advocate the release of noxious fish
(as you do amongst the coarse fishing fraternity) & no doubt were alluding to this
time, you will most likely deservedly be banned.
Unlike your site, posters are NOT banned for having opposing views, but rightfully
so for encouraging illegal activities & flouting the regulations.
PLEASE, PLEASE for the sake of our sanity, do not reply with peurile mindles banter
designed to further your agenda, save it for your own pitiful site.
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Posted By: Snuffit.
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 12:19pm
| Hear hear Bazza. |
Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 12:29pm
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What is your problem?
Is this thread not about eels? Is my comment not about eels? Do you not think that catching them for sport and returning to the water is a good idea as every bit of evidence suggests they are in decline, I do not want to go over the same old argument, I simply made a comment that "coarse anglers" by definition generally return coarse fish (these by the way are defined by F&G as sports fish and I do pay my $100 a year for the benefit of them being such) coarse anglers can be found on both islands and in the majority of cases in areas where the dreade "K" word do not live....
Please lets not get off track and bring the "K" word into it I have no barrow to push or hidden agenda, I am happy with the law of the land and do not wish to go over the same old argument every time I post on here, I do by the way Fly fish, spin for trout, bait fish for trout and sea fish , from the beach the rocks and boat (sorry i dont dive so cant claim that one) will I get the same bull**** response when I post in the saltwater section.
And I think you may need to update your ladybird guide to noxious fish, I dont think eels are on the list currently....
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Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 12:31pm
| Oh and if you thought by my reference to larger fish of other species I was being devious I wasnt!!! I was referring to table fish nothing else....but if you think a leviathan Snapper is good eating then treat yourself to a fillet or two, personally I think they are well past their best!!! |
Posted By: bazza
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 2:56pm
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Quote
The coarse fishers attitude of catch and release is a perfect way to appreciate these fish...plus I would think like most other species the old large monsters are not the best for the plate anyway...
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CA
Most of the members on this forum are heartily sick of your diversionary
tactics of misquoting, raising side issues, towards what appears be to
cause disruption to this & other sites, which the coarsefishing site openly
states is the intention.
Yes the post certainly was to do with eels, would not have thought that
was TOO difficult to fathom & if you take the time to read back thru the
thread you will find releasing them is advocated. What is not advocated
( please "listen" this time & try extra hard to understand ) is advocating
the release of noxious species, which I doubt you can truthfully deny
being guilty of. Given the history of both your & Simon's post, it is
reasonable to assume the referenceto the release of fish infers the
inclusion of noxious species.
As for considering eels as a noxious species, who said they were?
Can only think you either read into posts issues that simply do not
exist or is an intentional diversionary tactic.
You state you are happy with the law of the land, yet it would appear
not prepared to abide by them & furthermore encourage others to do
likewise. No idea the reason you dragged large snapper into the
equation unless that was just yet another diversionary tactic.
If you cannot or choose not to grasp these elementary concepts,
then I for one do not intend to embark in another apparent exercise
in futility to explain. You are not the only one sick & tired of debating
the same issue repeatedly.
If as you state, you are here in a capacity of legal trout, coarse &
saltwater fishing then you are welcome but with respect suggest
you stay WELL clear of any mention endorsing illegal action or even
alluding to the fact.
Hope this is the end of the matter & we can all get back to being
involved in productive dialogue.
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Posted By: Kenshin
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:02pm
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Hey Bazz!! You up for a shark off the beach? Lbg boys are heading out the Takapuna tomorrow evening for the bities... bring you fly rod! We need mullet for bait. Also.. is thre any accounts of a shark even a lemon fish being cuaght on a fly? ------------- Be patient and calm – for no one can catch fish in anger. –Herbert Hoover |
Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:08pm
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Bazza
Nuff said lets get back to the fishing, Im even going to change my name so its not quite so "prevocative"
Though please dont assume I break any laws without justification, thats just not on...
Anyway back to the fishing, as lets face it we are all on the same side here are we not....I am sick of that "discussion" and wont bring it up again....so lets just leave it at that
Snapper - was simply a reference to large fish generally being past their pan best thats all, as some people say they take eels which is fair enough, dont fancy the dish myself but each to their own...all Im saying that if anyone wants to take one for the table surely the large monsters are not best for that purpose...
And just one last point.....before we move on.....If you do happen to read any of the other site you will find that I put a kybosh on junior fishing days as the proposed organisers wouldnt abide by the law, and I saw it as encouraging youth to break the law, and that is wrong I wouldnt encourage anyone to do that!!! My personal view is just that mine alone...
Anyway as above Nuff said....
So does anyone ever have a serious fish for eels? Its something I've talked about for ages but just never seem to get around to it, but Im moving shortly to a coarse fish free zone but Im sure there will be some snakes around....so maybe its time to use some of my salt gear in freshwater and try to land a living monster
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Posted By: GrizzlyKiwi
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:18pm
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ive often thought its a shame when you see people holding obviously dead 20lb+ snapper up for photo's! surely it would be better to keep pan sized fish and leave the biggies to keep on growing... back to eels though! i have heard from a few people now that Pupuke has some massive eels in there and people that have had success have used Rudd dead baits. |
Posted By: goosebayhunter
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:20pm
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you mean the pest rudd ------------- globe warming,higher sea levels,more fishing spots BRING IT ON |
Posted By: bazza
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:23pm
Yeah I have caught one on a fly Kenshin & I am sure Clark & others
here have as well, in fact I understand that even a marlin has been
taken on a fly albeit a small one.
Caught mine from my boat on the Kaipara, maybe 5 ft long, saw it take
the fly & with baited breath waited for the fight of a lifetime ......... but
...... what a dissappointment could not believe how placid it was, simply
held very unconcerned in the current ....... in frustration even attempted
various tactics to prompt it into action but to no avail. Can only conclude
maybe on a flyrod it did not even realise it was hooked, eventually cut
the trace & went back to snaps & trevally that provided far better sport.
Was not targeting sharks, was hoping for a kingi so was only using a
nylon leader but the shark was so docile it did not severe that with its
teeth.
Cheers
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Posted By: goosebayhunter
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:26pm
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with eels i sometime go downand get the fatty one and frezz it for bait i havent use the baIT yet has anyone use ell for bait i know its slimy what will fish touch it ? ------------- globe warming,higher sea levels,more fishing spots BRING IT ON |
Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:31pm
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Ok, the topic seems to be on track now--lets keep it that way.
It's about eels & eels it will be about.
Any deviation & the topic will be locked,
thanks.
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Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:34pm
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Ive never used eel for bait here in NZ, back in the UK it was a "last resort" bait for other eels or pike, never tried in the briney though.....
Slightly off topic an old bushman told me they are good for starting a fire in the bush because they are oily...if thats true then I guess the oil would make it a "decent?????" bait...
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Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:34pm
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I plan on returning all the Eels I catch, but as we all know how greedy they can be and quite often down the hook deep. I have heard about Eels disolving the hook after time, is this true or just an old tale. Would it be best to take the deep hooked bleeding ones home to put to good use?
cheers ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:36pm
| decent presentation and indication will remove all but a very few deep hooking situations... |
Posted By: goosebayhunter
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:39pm
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so i will stick to softies not eels has anyone catch eels of softbait i think normal bait is better for big fish tho ------------- globe warming,higher sea levels,more fishing spots BRING IT ON |
Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:42pm
Easy solution, use a re-curve or circle hook & the eel will be hooked in the corner of the mouth ( most occassions)
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Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:45pm
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Good tip Uncle! ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: ThomasW
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:56pm
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I have never used eel for bait but know of a few people who rate it highly. With regards to deeply hooked eels, they would be the best ones to keep because the chance of survival must be reduced. But in my experience eels are so easy to catch you do not even need to use a hook. |
Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 3:56pm
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Im having problems posting up a pic :-( i have done what you guys have said in an other thread, but, it just times out and then it takes about half an hou for me to be able to get back to the forum :-(
Sorry a tad off subject, but i have some very nice Eel pics (big eel)
Heeeelp ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 4:01pm
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Keep trying lpl.
If no success, e-mail pic's to me.
bill.georgie@ wave.co.nz
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Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 5:26pm
Here's lpl's version of an eel & 'tis a bluudy good one .
 |
Posted By: ThomasW
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 5:31pm
| Thats a big mud worm. I might go down and give my ones a feed. Have not gotten them excited since last summer and since then there has been a couple of massive winter floods which removed most of the soft sediment. Hope the big old ones are still about. |
Posted By: Kenshin
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 5:45pm
now thats an EEEEEELL!! well done LPL  . Thats almost the same size I saw in lake pupuke by the Pump house. I've caught a couple of good size ones while fishing off the rocks.. not freshies though.. I hooked 6 in a row in one night.. I might have chance upon a colony of em. All released.. but god theyre ikky slimy b4stards. ------------- Be patient and calm – for no one can catch fish in anger. –Herbert Hoover |
Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 6:29pm
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I had better admit before people get the wrong idea... that is not me, I wish it was, but Im a tad better lookin than him :-)
Mighty fine eel though, wish I could catch one like that!!!
hey thanks very much uncle, my computers playin up :-( ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: Shut up and fish
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 6:41pm
| Any one been eeling in the wainui or hutt rivers |
Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 6:45pm
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I havent..yet... but intend on doing so very soon.
I have caught some real good ones in those little canals under the whirikino bridge, just as you go into Foxton. Some monsters by foxtons old flax mill, that is were the dump is and offal refuse... no wonder there has been monsters caught fishing near the offal dump :-) ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: Shut up and fish
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 6:46pm
| I rekon |
Posted By: Nightfox
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 7:04pm
| Came across a huge eel on the farm i work on.Took my daughter out shot a rabbit and tied on a piece of rope.Had about 7 eels turn up then this huge monster turned up.One bite and he had the whole rabbit in his mouth and just the feet were hanging out of his mouth.He would have gone at least 1.5 metres long.I will get sum pics of him when i get sum time to do it. |
Posted By: Contract
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 7:23pm
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I don't think eels of this size are at all "uncommon"
I was on a farm up mangawhai way a few weeks back. The locals feed them.
We chucked some slops in the stream and about 2 minutes later, you could hear them coming upstream for their tucker.
We followed the stream dow a ways and we could see these "monsters" fighting their way through the shallows to get to the food source.
All Bu#l SH#T aside, there would have been 20 eels fighting over the scraps. 3 of them would have been BIGGER than the one in this photo. I am 1.8 mtrs & they were all longer than I was tall ! These are all eels just living in small farm streams. There was no "river" as such. I think, you just have to know where to look
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Posted By: michael29973
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 7:26pm
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Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 8:19pm
Think your onto it Contract location is key and the streams probably good as no one has netted it to death!!!
The real question is how the bloody hell you land one on rod n line....
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Posted By: Hairy Little Dwarf
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 8:59pm
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I remember seeing a pic of some woman who was bitten on the back of the thigh by a SI eel while swimming. For a start, the mouth fitted over the thigh muscle and the widest part of the 'V' would have been easily 5" across. The Taniwha exist.  ------------- The Dreaded Shark-Eating Man! |
Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 9:06pm
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So its a bit of wreck fishing from the river bank!!!!
50lb class harness tied to nearest tree and a landing net the size of a small country..and as for getting jook out....think it can stay in!!!
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Posted By: goosebayhunter
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 9:35pm
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if you realy want big eel my grandma went to lake brinner in the south island and when see was sitting half off a half inflated raft she got attacked but a massive eel. i have seen a fisherman logbook and photo of a huge eel what i was in some museum and the eel was as big as ther 16 ft boat. i seen it and there was like 7 men standing around it. ------------- globe warming,higher sea levels,more fishing spots BRING IT ON |
Posted By: bazza
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 10:37pm
Reminds me of a time I was fly fishing the Arnold, which is the outlet river from
lake Brunner & met up with a spin fisher who was very friendly, as is inviarably
the case with most West Coasters. In the course of the very enjoyable
conversation that followed, he related a very amusing incident that could well
have had a far from amusing ending.
Apparently quite a few years back he with a mate had been fishing the river
& as it was summer were wading in shorts in water just over knee deep. He
was wearing sandshoes whilst his mate had chosen to wear sandals over
white nylon socks & as they are very prone to doing in water, the socks had
worked their way down so quite a bit of them were now flapping out the
front of the sandals.
Apparently a monster eel found the flapping white lurelike object, irresistable
& took a nip at the flappy part just missing the toes enclosed. On feeling this
the guy, as we all surely would, reacted instinctively by pulling his foot back,
which in turn startled the eel causing it to back off pronto but without releasing
its grip & rotating as they do, which then bound everything up tight. This
ensured the eel & the angler were firmly attached to each other, engaged in
a tug o war with each trying frantically to pull in opposite direction, to return
from whence they had come, admidst much threshing, splashing, slipping,
sliding & mutual panic.
The eel being in it's natural environment appeared to be getting the better of
the contest, much to the consternation of its' human counterpart, when his
mate came to his assistance, helping to even up the odds.
I forget the final outcome, as by this time I was having trouble containing my
supressed laughter but either the sock & sandal came loose, or the eel had
managed to untangle itself, but either way it left two very traumatised anglers,
one of them particularly ashen faced, making their way back asap to the river
bank.
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Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2008 at 10:50pm
| LOL great story! I read one about somoenoe in a car crash waking up in a ditch with something having a nibble on their leg....I'll try and find it... |
Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 7:44am
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Great little story :-)
Most people think Eel are scavangers, BUT, I bet they take loads of live-bait and live animals if the chance arises.....
Whats your opinion? ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: goosebayhunter
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 7:49am
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hahaha went we went down to stuweit island we shot a deer and got the little 10ft dingy and towed it around the open ocean and came back into shore we seen huge shark the biggest i have ever seen some of them were bigger that the boat my mate who was in the boat as soon as the boat hit shore he lept 6 feet in the air and 100m up the hill ------------- globe warming,higher sea levels,more fishing spots BRING IT ON |
Posted By: Shut up and fish
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 8:20am
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Far out |
Posted By: Hairy Little Dwarf
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 9:33am
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...Then there was this time at Band Camp, where we were bushcrashing to our favourite trout spot. As we got close to the river we ran up against a huge windfall that was too high to climb over so we had to work our way around. After another 15 minutes we got to the end and as we started to walk around the end my mate noticed it had fins! True. Really. ------------- The Dreaded Shark-Eating Man! |
Posted By: GrizzlyKiwi
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 10:16am
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I wonder if adapting some of the techniques they use for catfish in spain might work with eels here! im sure the Waikato would hold some absolute monsters! this looks to be the basic rig with a suicide hook as you would want to hook them in the mouth for catch and release.  |
Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 10:48am
Certainly not a suicide hook in yout diagram sbeehre .
I'd suggest that's a kahle.
Suicide hooks are well capable of gut hooking, I think a circle or re-curve would be more appropriate.
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Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 10:53am
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That looks the ticket but it needs some very specialised trace material if you are going to land one on rod n line, they use very high tec braids for the pussys over there...but wire would be a good choice.
Its not really the terminal end which is the problem, as everyone rightly says these things are not exactly hard to hook, just throw some meat in and they will be onto it! Its the rod n reel end which causes the issues, the cat guys are using very high end gear 5lb+ tc That is why I keep coming back to using sea gear, boat rods will obviously stand up to it but are IMO too short to give control when fighting in enclosed waters...
And then comes the Landing Net.....I know some will say simply drag em up the bank but I like to treat the fish with respect particularly if I intend to put these snakes back to fight another day....what size of net would you need.....
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Posted By: bazza
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 10:54am
Hmnnn, Of course we believe you HLD, who could fail to find that plausible??
Ever thought of becoming a politican mate?
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Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 10:55am
| Just checked the Lumberjack picture...that net must have 72" arms!!!!!! |
Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 10:57am
Anyone remember seeing that Japanese Fishing boat getting taken out by the "subamrine" apparently it turns out that was an angry long fin on the way to spawn....
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Posted By: GrizzlyKiwi
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 11:00am
ok thanks mate i just assumed it was a suicide hook |
Posted By: GrizzlyKiwi
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 11:02am
so what do you reckon would be the way to go? decent carbon fibre surf casters? 12" + etc etc |
Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 12:09pm
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I could land a big eel on my 12ft coarse rod, the main problem is not so much the rod, its the line and trace that will make up 96% of the impending result.
If I used say 15lb mono, to a 30lb trace line I could still get away with using a light bendy rod, the line would pretty much take care of the situation and the rod would have a fair bit of give ;-)
But in all accounts, if all else fails just use a boat rod 30lb to 50lb and winch that sucker in and oh, dont forget the reel seat belt hahahahaha!!!
At the end of the day it all comes down to personal preference. ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 12:12pm
| Would love to see a 12ft coarse rod stop a 30lb eel heading for a snag.... |
Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 12:16pm
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Hahaha, I have an article about a chappy that fluked a 30lb Pike on a 18 hook 6lb odd line and yes, coarse rod. He landed it, and there any hundreds of cases of these big fish on coarse rods.
So it can be done ;-)
I can find the article if you like ;-) ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: liverpool lad
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 12:19pm
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An 18 hook is finer than a pin :-) and a bit bigger than a match head, so yeah, can be done!! ------------- WE ARE TOP AND LOVIN IT!!! |
Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 12:36pm
nah, I think we can live without it
Just goes to show how soggy those big pike are..
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Posted By: fozzie
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 12:38pm
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As a kid growing up in Taranaki we had the Patea River running through our farm, for years cockies cowshed effluent and the waste from several dairy factories were pumped straight into the water, it really was quite disgusting. Remember going out with a commercial eeler first time they set nets in our river,every net came out chocker, some of these eels were absolute monstors. There was a dutch guy in Stratford that used to smoke them and export them to Holland, he used to take them from the commercial eelers.
You know eels will live out of water for a fair while, at times we used to come across them in the paddocks at home, if there area dries up, they are able to move across land to find new water to live in,bloody freaky thing to see when they do that. Pretty amazing creatures really. ------------- Dont take life too seriously.....no one gets out alive any way. http://www.legasea.co.nz" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: MANUTD
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 12:39pm
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Yes no denying it can be done, but a fluke non the less and I dont recall Pike swimming backwards or heading for every hole in sight...
Just to put things in perspective of what we are talking about here....
This is a large coarse fishing caught eel at 7lb 4oz
http://www.rdaa.co.uk/Mark%20with%207lb%208oz%20Eel.JPG - http://www.rdaa.co.uk/Mark%20with%207lb%208oz%20Eel.JPG
This is a 20lber (like to see a coarse rod land this)
http://www.cmsac.co.uk/membersinaction_files/P1060031.JPG - http://www.cmsac.co.uk/membersinaction_files/P1060031.JPG
And this is a 30lber.....now yes accepted a total fluke of nature may see one of these landed on "normal" coarse gear or even normal carp gear....but really???
http://www.cmsac.co.uk/membersinaction_files/DSCF0832.jpg - http://www.cmsac.co.uk/membersinaction_files/DSCF0832.jpg
And this is a 40...dont think it would swim straight into ya landing net.......
http://www.fishing.co.uk/data/articlez/hg01002-7051.jpg - http://www.fishing.co.uk/data/articlez/hg01002-7051.jpg
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Posted By: upstream
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 1:21pm
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It's always amazing what a big response a thread on eels gets. Everyone has an eel story of sorts.
I must admit that they give me the creeps. I know they're harmless and all that, but they are just so damn sneaky and menacing. last season I had an eel trying to grab a trout that I was releasing out of my hands. I had to stand on its head before it would back off. They also have this habit of bumping up against your legs, particularly when night fishing.
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Posted By: bazza
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 1:47pm
Yeah, to a good idea to strap trout to your waist when night
fishing any of the Rotorua lakes as could be in for an unpleasant
surprise when shining the torch down after feeling a few tugs
from the trout.
Can remember night fishing at Lake Rotoiti (Sth Is.) had caught
a fish which I buried in the sand a couple mtrs. or so from the
waters edge, as you do to keep them safe from rats & suchlike.
Was amazed when returning to the spot later to see a large eel,
out of the water digging down into the dampish sand to get to
the fish. It was really determined & took quite a bit of effort to
discourage it enough to get it to return to the water. besides
was not long after having heard the story about the "white sock"
episode, so could have been lacking a certain amount of motivation.
Guess the scent of the fish must have been transmitting thru the
wet sand into the lake edge.
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Posted By: Hairy Little Dwarf
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 2:50pm
  I would imagine a rag with a few drops of fish oil and tied off to the bank would be a great drawcard for these fellas. Had an eel out of a rocky stream while bivvied up in the bush last year - cooked in the embers it tasted like salmon. Absolutely superb. the clean envirnment makes a heck of a difference to the taste. ------------- The Dreaded Shark-Eating Man! |
Posted By: Darryl
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 5:46pm
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Talking about eel stories:
A few years back, a mate of mine was cleaning a gutted trout in the river and he stirred up a bit of sediment in the water.
The next thing he knew there was an eel latched onto his finger, and it didn't want to let go of its meal. I think that eel became airborne pretty quickly!
I didn't see the eel, but i heard him - it wasn't that big but it drew blood and left a few graze marks.
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Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2008 at 5:50pm
I've got a few eel stories but seeing as they date back to last century, I'll stay quiet
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