kiwineil Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Ok so i was fishing in 5 feet of water of a wharf in middle harbour with my 2 kids (5 and3). Small rods and servo squid as bait That means i was doing everything but fishing but still in fresh air etc what could be better all of a sudden a massive pull on my line, rod bends over etc. Only on light line and cos im in shallow water i start handlining it in .. very strong pull on other end all of a sudden i see what looks so much like an eel maybe 6 ft long, thrashing about etc. As a i wonder how i land a 6 ft eel (?) on a tiny little wharf with two midget fishermen next to me this thing solves that problem with a a huge shake, line breaks clean and I lose it . Murky waters etc. Could it have been an eel ? The water is tidal and therefore salt ... and im only new to sydney but didnt know about salt water eels ? And if not an eel what could it have been ? Am tempted to go back with big hook and a chicken carcass !! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Plenty of eels around in the salt mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wantingaboat Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Mate we caught a big dirty eel just near the spit not too long ago. Definately exist in the salt water. Smack it with a club next time you catch one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tan the fisherman Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 (edited) very strong pull on other end all of a sudden i see what looks so much like an eel maybe 6 ft long, thrashing about etc. Can I ask how thick you estimate the fish to be? Thats one big eel at 6ft. Could it have been an eel ? The water is tidal and therefore salt ... and im only new to sydney but didnt know about salt water eels ? There definitely are eels in saltwater here especially in the Hawkesbury. And if not an eel what could it have been ? Are you sure it wasnt a flathead? Did you see any colour? Sounds a little like one from your description. Mate we caught a big dirty eel just near the spit not too long ago. Definitely exist in the salt water. Smack it with a club next time you catch one. Agree - smack em hard cause they wriggle for ever - salt them up and use for bait Edited June 22, 2009 by tan the fisherman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
checch Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I wana catch a 6ft flathead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tan the fisherman Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 (edited) I wana catch a 6ft flathead who doesnt mate Edited June 22, 2009 by tan the fisherman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trapper Tom Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Hey Guys What a waste!!!!!! Skin em and smoke em. Absoluetly beatiful. Cheers Trapper T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Rock Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 (edited) Smack it with a club next time you catch one. Just wanted to go on the record as saying that you should only do this if you want to eat it. Killing an eel just because they look ugly and have sharp teeth is not the bahaviour of a proper fisherman. Saltwater eels are often resident in a particular location and, in some cases, can actually become quite tame. They're not introduced, they play an important part in the ecosystem and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Edited June 22, 2009 by Mondo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil D Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Hey Guys What a waste!!!!!! Skin em and smoke em. Absoluetly beatiful. Cheers Trapper T agree there, smoked eel, I have tried it and tastes great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tan the fisherman Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Just wanted to go on the record as saying that you should only do this if you want to eat it. Killing an eel just because they look ugly and have sharp teeth is not the bahaviour of a proper fisherman. Saltwater eels are often resident in a particular location and, in some cases, can actually become quite tame. They're not introduced, they play an important part in the ecosystem and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Agreed - they do play an important part in the ecosystem - but I hate it when they tangle up in the line etc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Ok so i was fishing in 5 feet of water .......all of a sudden a massive pull on my line, rod bends over etc. Only on light line and cos im in shallow water i start handlining it in .. ......very strong pull on other end all of a sudden i see what looks so much like an eel maybe 6 ft long, thrashing about etc. Cheers Sounds like you hooked up a six foot pike eel kiwineil.. There used to be a bounty on them around oyster leases... Pike eels are a dangerous species of eel because of their teeth......even a small pike eel pulled out of the water wouldn't hesitate to attack anything that represents a threat to it.... Cheers jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwineil Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 Sounds like you hooked up a six foot pike eel kiwineil.. There used to be a bounty on them around oyster leases... Pike eels are a dangerous species of eel because of their teeth......even a small pike eel pulled out of the water wouldn't hesitate to attack anything that represents a threat to it.... Cheers jewgaffer Thanks to all Never come across a saltwater eel and it was big enuiff that is scared cr*p out of me with 2 little kids on a tiny wharf. thus v plsd it did the right thing and swam off. Six ft may have been an exaggeration but it was big, the "neck" about size of my wrist i think and there was a mass of seething coils My 5 yr old son told the story at "news" today so at least there was some positive ! I thought he would have been more excited about the 30cm LJ he caught the next day all by himself. To quote him "I dont like leatherjackets Dad they are bum bum fish" Mate we caught a big dirty eel just near the spit not too long ago. Definately exist in the salt water. Smack it with a club next time you catch one. def wasnt a flathead mate .... entirely wrong shape Ive caught freshwater eels before and looked just like one to me ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tan the fisherman Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Kids are great when they're fishing. My 2 y/o loves it. Eels scare me too mate but a 6 foot one would made me crap my pants!! Anyway - they're out there!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooklineandsinker Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 To quote him "I dont like leatherjackets Dad they are bum bum fish" that would be a great sig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david88 Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I believe it was that big. A few months back in balmain i caught an eel on a ganged pillie, i guessed it to be aprox 1.4m long and bloody thick. i dont even know why i tried getting my gang hooks back, after 5 mins of dodging its teeth and trying to hold its head i gave up and cut the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squid hunter Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 yea sounds like a bit slimey eel they r a great bait.. but if they get on your boat carpet its disaster regards Squid Hunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwineil Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 Kids are great when they're fishing. My 2 y/o loves it. Eels scare me too mate but a 6 foot one would made me crap my pants!! Anyway - they're out there!! great idea - see below !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humkyle Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 i once got bitten by an eel, whilst putting a fish back in the water.. i was standing on a rock in the water, n instead of just chucking the fish back, i placed in back, damn eel sprung out from under the rock i was n grabbed my hand ... gave me some nasty cuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daleyboy Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Just wanted to go on the record as saying that you should only do this if you want to eat it. Killing an eel just because they look ugly and have sharp teeth is not the bahaviour of a proper fisherman. Saltwater eels are often resident in a particular location and, in some cases, can actually become quite tame. They're not introduced, they play an important part in the ecosystem and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Spot on ... Greenies would love to use those sort of comments to ban fishing! But for those who do keep eels for eating or bait ... quickest easiest way to stop en wriggling - bash the end of their tail as that is where the nerve endings are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winfield Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Should have gave it wasabi it works on seagulls .............thanks tan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wantingaboat Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 It took all my control to not reply to this earlier. I suppose those greenies that think my behaviour was bad before will go nuts at this but i hope i am entitled to my opinion. "Saltwater eels are often resident in a particular location and, in some cases, can actually become quite tame. They're not introduced, they play an important part in the ecosystem and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect." That makes me laugh. There are many things out there that play an important role in a system that i am sure you have got rid off before. Are you people telling me that you have never sprayed a cockie or a fly with bug spray???? SHAME ON YOU! Get a grip people. I put back pretty much all the fish that i catch, apart from what i am going to eat, as i do care about the ecosystem. I stand by my earlier comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimJ Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Neil I think that we may have caught your mystery eel mate. Last night in the Harbour on half a Slimey, swallowed my mates 2 10/0 hooks. It actually fought really hard and took a fair bit of drag. Was very close to 6ft long and pretty heavy. Not sure what type it was, thought Moray at first but its hard to tell(for me). heres the link to a dodgy phone video I took, of some guy helping to untangle its tail. Cheers, Simmo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwineil Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 thats impressive .... very impressive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bowers Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Hi The name is Jim Bowers, this my first post. Viewed the eel. Notice on the footage how there is a slight curvature in the bottom jaw along with the fin configuration and also the singleness of colour (no apparent mottleness, stripes or spots) also if you noticed or looked in the mouth you would have seen a single row of needle sharp teeth running down the centre of the top jaw. A couple months or so back on the tv show iron chef, pike eel was the main ingredient because of its popularity as an expensive delicacy in Japan. This eel is 100% pike eel. I've caught many, my advice is either don't handle pike eels at all or handle these eels with care. Regards Jim Bowers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick59 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 ive caught them in narra lake big as my dingy which is 6ft long ugly mean looking things i just cut my line no way they are coming in the dingy with me peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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