any fishermen among us

[MrKrinkle]

aye, local ponds big enough for near 25kg catfish. well, they're the biggest I've caught so far

[mpsj]

I'll bite on this thread. Fish for pretty much any freshwater species that's edible. After all the years I still find fly-fishing for trout the true essence of fishing.

[barney_b]

My favorite private fishing hole just closed for the season as they dumped in 800 channel cats. They're feeding them daily to fatten them so they last over the winter. Kind of bummed about it. What I'm casting wouldn't interest them anyhow.

Would love to do some stream fishing. The spring can't get here soon enough!

Cheers

[M_C]

I just want to fish for Eels (UK) but it's catch & release only now, I believe?

[Shaun]

I'm a terrible fisherman but I try. Going to va beach with my dad this weekend. Usually freshwater but every now and then I try saltwater

[barney_b]

I just want to fish for Eels (UK) but it's catch & release only now, I believe?

Pardon my ignorance here but why? Are eels a part of your diet typically? I've only ever eaten eel in sushi joints

Cheers

[Mac]

I just want to fish for Eels (UK) but it's catch & release only now, I believe?

Yeah they are. 30 years ago they were all you could catch, now they are pretty damn rare

Listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species
UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Species
On the OSPAR list of threatened and/or declining species and habitats
Species of principle importance for the purpose of conserving of biodiversity under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006
Protected under the European Eel Regulation (European Commission) No 1100/2007 and the Eels (England and Wales) Regulations 2009

Pardon my ignorance here but why? Are eels a part of your diet typically? I've only ever eaten eel in sushi joints

Cheers

Jellied eels are a Cockney (London Area) speciality

[Herbitual]

I only fish for tench (and crucians) these days so I've had my fair share of eels. Gawd knows how you're supposed to successfully release them. I doubt I've ever properly unhooked more than 1 in a 100.

Easily my least favourite coarse species.

Tench, however:

[LewisR19]

I only fish for tench (and crucians) these days so I've had my fair share of eels. Gawd knows how you're supposed to successfully release them. I doubt I've ever properly unhooked more than 1 in a 100.

Easily my least favourite coarse species.

Tench, however:

She’s a beauty, Herb. Haven’t fished in a few years but I’ve done my fair share of sea/river/lake fishing.

Eels are the hardest fish to unhook I’ve ever come across! I did stumble upon a old bloke one day and said the key to get them off the hook is to dab them with your lit cigarette, but that’s just cruel

[Herbitual]

Ridiculously cruel, but I dare say it works, Lewis. A slightly less brutal technique is to lay them upside down in a little trench - they're passive then. TBH, that's not the problem for me. Eels just sit quietly on the bottom and swallow the baited hook without ever moving the float (if you're laying on) or quiver tip and the hook ends up about 10cm down. Nothing more you can do other than cut the line.

And they bite like bastards, too.