That was an interesting day you had. I think I’m with your wife on the eels- good eating or not.
The Altamaha is finally at a good fishing level. After months of waiting I headed out and was in the water at 6 a m. I missed the best Crappie and Shellcracker fishing due to high water on the lake. Anyway, I headed to my favorite fishing spot and droped in a cricket. Within 2 min. I had a nice big bream in the boat. I knew the day was going to be a good one. I guess I was at the right place at the right time. I didn't get another bite for over 30 min. I am not a cricket fisherman, I prefer worms, but everyone told me they were catching fish on crickets so I got me a 100. I didn't think to ask where they were fishing. Come to find out they were fishing in local ponds, not the river. I sent the next 3 hours fishing the lake and finally had 17 nice keepers, all better than hand size.
Everyone putting in was heading out to the river so I headed that way too. The only problem was I had planned on fishing the lake so I didn't carry any reels. Fishing the river with poles can be done but I prefer reels. The holes I like to fish are to swift for pole fishing. Anyway, I pulled up behind the gator slide and fished the eddy below the willows. Right off the bat I had a nice channel about 10 in. long. I throw him back wanting something bigger. About 5 min later I had one a little bigger, not much, I threw him back. Then I felt a tug on the pole and as I pulled the pole up the fight was on. I knew I had a big one, I just hoped the hook didn't straighten or the line break. I worked the fish to the boat as best I could I realized I had forgotten my dip net. Oh well I would have to do the best I could. By the way the fish was fighting I knew it had to be a big one. I have caught many a big cat, both channel and flathead here. I was working as hard as I could not to break the line. It was coming up, my mouth fell open as I saw it. Would you believe, and ell. Yes and ell about 3 ft. long and as big as my arm. What the heck, they do eat good, I have eaten them a number of times in years pasted, another story I'll have to tell you one day. What was I going to do to get him off my line? Well to make a long story short, I grabbed the line with one hand, lifted his head just out of the water, with the other picked up my trusty 10-22 and put a shot through his head. I thought about putting him in the cooler, but they make such a mess and my wife don't like to see them let along cooking them. I dropped him back in the water. Turtle Food.
Well then it was back to fishing. I cut the line off the pole and retied everything and went back to fishing. Another cricket on the line and I was in business. I checked my watch and it was near dinner, I said I would go after the next bite. Well, you guessed it, another bite and a good fight with another ell. People always ask why I carry a 10-22 in the boat, ells.
Good Luck, and by the way ells do eat good.
S10CHEVY, Lookn4slabs LIKED above post
That was an interesting day you had. I think I’m with your wife on the eels- good eating or not.
Sounds like a interesting day but i don't think i want to try any eel
RESPECT THE LAND AS WELL AS THE GAME YOU HUNT!
"Life is like a coin, you can spend it any way you wish but you can only spend it once"
The hardest part of dealing with ells is getting a hold on them. When I think I will be catching ells I take along a news paper. Ells will stick to a news paper like glue. Just pull the ell up and grab it with a piece of news paper, you can either pull the hook out or cut your line.
I won't eat an eel; them slimy things are all yours. Ells, too.
Baby ones make excellent striper bait, I hear.
"Alive without breath, as cold as death; never thirsty, ever drinking, all in mail never clinking."
I pass on this one, congrats
Fried eel is one of the best tasting fish out there, nutty tasting with no fishy flavor. Gar taste good too, kinda like shrimp, but are a pain to clean.Bowfin is good tasting, but has to be eaten super fresh and hot out of the grease, or it will have a strange texture.
I have heard that gar also needs to be eaten fresh and hot or it isn’t as good? I can’t confirm this though.
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Matt Schroeder - AGFC - (877)470-3309 - [email protected]
Hats off. You’re more adventurous than me!