rigged eels

[seamonkey]

Is there a time and place that you would prefer to use rigged eels instead of live ones?

[Frankiesurf]

I haven't yet used any rigged eels. From what I understand rigged eels are used mostly when live eels are not available. Live is always better than dead bait.

[finchaser]

When a SE wind kicks up and blows into the night in the heat of summer. Many times along the sides of jetties, rigged eels out produce live because they don't hide and are easier to keep in the strike zone deeper in the water column.

Pros
Can be carried easily when plugging
Can be reused
Easier to carry
Smaller ones deadly when fish are on sand eels and finicky

Cons
Getting good tin eel heads
Knowing how kill and rig properly
Knowing how to brine and store so they last for a year with out freezing.

IMO from land or when jettie hopping rigged are the way to go. Live in some cases are an easy way out kinda like snagging bunker.

Then again, properly riggged sluggo's catch good, sometimes better than real rigged eels with no mess.

Either way it's all in the rigging.

[ledhead36]

Thanks for the tips finchaser. I have always used live eels. I'll have to give the rigged eels a try.

[nitestrikes]

Finchaser, excellent advice thanks for sharing.

Here is a video done on rigged eels by John Skinner of LI, noted writer and fisherman. Catching a fish on one is just icing on the cake, Ddin't even think of using them in the daytime.

[jonthepain]

cool. even has a place to click at the end to see his rigging how to.

[vpass]

Thanks for the Info. Lots of good information. The rigging video was great.

I made a rigging needle out of wire coat hangers. what I did is cut a 8 inch section of the coat hanger. Then with a hammer I smashed one end flat. Then drill a small hole for the dacron line. also sharpen the needle end with a file. Just incase you guys were wondering where to get a rigging needle.

[cowherder]

That is excellent advice vpass thank you. Smashing a hanger down and drilling in the middle for the line. You must have a lot of very small drill bits, is it a standard metal bit or diamond bit?

[nitestrikes]

John posted a video on how to rig the eels. Thought it was very informative.

[nitestrikes]

I made a rigging needle out of wire coat hangers. what I did is cut a 8 inch section of the coat hanger. Then with a hammer I smashed one end flat. Then drill a small hole for the dacron line. also sharpen the needle end with a file. Just incase you guys were wondering where to get a rigging needle.

This is a pretty ingenious trick when you can't get your hands on a rigging needle. Old school. Nice, vpass.

[albiealert]

Saw a video on Greg Mcnamara rigging and catching. Starts at 2:40

[DarkSkies]

Thought it might be time to bring this thread to the top, for some of our newer members.

[fishinmission78]

going to have to try this when the bluefish leave. Thanks for sharing.