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Thread: Catching eels

  1. #1
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    Nov 2007
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    Mordor (Jozi)
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    Default Catching eels

    Hi guys

    Anyone with experience of catching eels?

    Is it worth it and how do you catch them if its worth it?

    Very interesting!

    Cheers
    Troep

  2. #2
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    grahamstown and Lydenburg
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    Was about to start another thread on the same question, but saw this one which hasn't been answered yet.

    On the ' How many freshwater species have you caught", a couple of people mentioned that they had caught eels.

    Eels on fly? And would those be proper freshwater Anguilla eels? I'm sure it must be possible, could those of you who have had success please tell us about it?

    The only case I know of was a guy who caught one in an estuary on fly. It was a smallish Anguilla getting ready to go out to sea to spawn and had already changed to a silver colour...

    Thanks

  3. #3
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    Sunninghill JHB
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    Tony Kietzman has intimate knowledge on catching eels...
    Mike McKeown

    You're either fishing or waiting...

  4. #4
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    Default

    I mean on fly though...

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by clarias View Post
    I mean on fly though...
    So you know how he catches them??
    Mike McKeown

    You're either fishing or waiting...

  6. #6
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    I think Andre and Chris S have posted some old photo's and piscator records of eels down in the Cape Streams?
    Check your knots!

  7. #7
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    Jun 2007
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    grahamstown and Lydenburg
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    Max, I shouldn't have assumed that just because he did research on them....could you get some info on how?

    I had a look at one of the piscator reports- I was under the impression they were fishing with bait- but maybe not. Would they have taken a tiny nymph then?

  8. #8
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    Listen to him via MP3, you will understand... by hand, thats how...

    if you dont know where to find it, PM me.
    Mike McKeown

    You're either fishing or waiting...

  9. #9
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    Vandia Grove, Gauteng
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    I've caught stacks of freshwater eels in England - but on worms/dead fish not on fly. I hooked a Moray eel in a rockpool in Umhlanga a few years back by accident when I was flyfishing for blacktail and karanteen on a 6wt rod - don't know who got the biggest fright! As I wasn't using a steel trace suffice to say he only lasted about 5/10 seconds on the end of the line
    The more you know, the less you need (Aboriginal Australian proverb)

    Only dead fish swim with the stream (Malcolm Muggeridge)

  10. #10
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    I've never heard of an eel being caught on fly in any of the Cape Streams, only on 'bait', but I think an intimate knowledge of these creatures movements and habits is part of the key to success on fly. For example, I know from my own observations and experiences that eels become extremely active at last light and after dark. Whilst I've seen plenty of eels at last light, I've never seen one in broad daylight yet, which tells me that they are not only mostly nocturnal, but that they slink away to the deepest pools and crevices during the daytime where they more than likely find themselves deep holes to sleep in, much like bats.

    So, to target them on fly, you'd do well to start your fishing at last light, and then you need to think about your fly choice. Since they are essentially flesh eating scavengers, I wouldn't even think about offering them anything insectivorous. I would try streamers (immitating small fry), tadpole and possibly crab immitations.

    Anyway, for what it is worth I hope this helps a bit. I'd be very interested to hear of any successes in this regard
    "Innocence is a wild trout. But we humans, being complicated, have to pursue innocence in complex ways" - Datus Proper

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