If you fish many of the creeks and rivers close to Melbourne you’ll eventually catch an eel.

Most anglers don’t target eels…

… but they can get pretty big and put up a good fight…so why not be ready for them.

The great thing is that eels tend to more common than many anglers think.  If you live in the inner suburbs near a creek that doesn’t have many fish…it still might have plenty of eels.

They also like dams and lakes.

Depending on which species of eel, the short finned or long finned they are more likely to be found in running water or still water.

Long fins prefer running water, short fins prefer still water.

So if you live near some of the lakes in the suburbs, it just might have a few or more than a few eels.

I must admit I quite like catching eels…I just don’t like handling them…but that’s just me!

I’ve caught plenty of eels in the Yarra River and Plenty Creek near Melbourne and some of them have been pretty big. Once they get over a kilo weight they start to give a serious fight and they can get a lot bigger than this.

Being able to swim forward and backwards with the same force makes for an interesting tussle.

Another thing about eels is their taste. They have a rich flavor that doesn’t taste fishy …but is real good. Many top restaurants sell them so I’m not the only person who likes them!

You can catch eels at any time but they bite best at night – but if you don’t want to spend your fishing session in the dark it’s best to fish early morning and late evening as the light levels are low.

Like many of our favorite fish, eels like the warmer weather. They are most active in late Spring and Summer

Eels hide during the day so they position themselves under logs, in leaf litter, beside or under rocks and beside undercut banks….anywhere there’s cover. If you get a bait right next to these spots you’ve got a good chance of a hookup.

During the night and at low light eels will come into the shallows to feed. I have seen very large specimens swimming in less than 30cm of water in late evening as they start their night time hunting.

The gear you need has to be able to control the eel and get it off the things it wraps around.

A solid mid range rod able to handle 3 to 4 kg line with a reel to match is the way to go.

I often fish for eels in heavily overgrown creek banks so I use an old fibreglass rod that has plenty of bend and can take some punishment….this also helps fight the eel when there are lots of snags and not much water to use the drag in my reel.

Eels aren’t too picky about what they eat…but they don’t like their vegetables as much as their meat!

Scrubworms, garden worms,yabbies,bait fish, bardie grubs, even sausage, liver, and other meats work.

I usually go with garden worms and these work real well- 4 or 5worms on a size 6 or 4 hook does the job. I like to use a bait holder hook and thread the worms right up the shank to cover it. Leave plenty of wiggling ends to add more attraction.

I always use berley when I fish. I add some worms and their castings(dirt they live in) to the berley mix to get plenty of attraction in the water….this also helps bring in other types of fish into the area as well.

If you catch eels in suburban water and want to eat them you have to consider the quality of the water they are caught in. Bad quality water will produce fish that are unfit for human consumption so keep this in mind.

If you catch eels in rivers and creeks with good water quality they are well worth eating. The cooking part is easy….removing the skin is a bit harder. I use a pair of pliers to pull the skin off.

I’ve found it best to cut the skin around the head, then secure the head on a hook so you can peel the skin away. To grip the skin you’ll need something fairly strong like a pair of pliers. Then just pull the skin back and remove the guts.

Eels can be prepared a number of ways for cooking and there are a number of recipes about online. Some of them are real good!

Eels have an amazing flavor, they can be caught in a wide range of waters- especially in the suburbs and scrap hard for their size. Not a bad recipe for good fishing!