Eel identification

[Finished Business]

Caught a couple of these prawn burglers this summer. Can't seem to find out what they are.

Anyone know?

Cheers

*Note - Eel was released with a belly full of prawns....he quite successfully emptied our entire trap lol.

 

[firelight]

not sure what kind of eel but it's going to be easy for him to get a lip ring now, lol.

 

[adanac]

Looks like a Giant Wrymouth, have gotten a few over the years but usually on the west coast. Where abouts are you getting these? http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/bottomfish/identification/wrymouths_eels/d_gigantea.html

 

[Finished Business]

Thanks for the ID Adanac. Im pretty sure you nailed it.

It also goes by Bering wolf eel as well apparently....but a Wrymouth it is for sure. They were caught on the central coast of BC

 

[Last Chance]

I have prawned and crabbed a LOT, and have never seen one of those things.. What did you end up doing with him? Crab bait?

 

[GDW]

Ohh ohh I know! I know!

They are called "Hali bait".

 

[sammyslabber]

I have prawned and crabbed a LOT, and have never seen one of those things.. What did you end up doing with him? Crab bait?

>>>>*Note - Eel was released with a belly full of prawns....he quite successfully emptied our entire trap lol.<<<<


....& if it was a Brotchie Ledge rock sausage....

 

[Finished Business]

I have prawned and crabbed a LOT, and have never seen one of those things.. What did you end up doing with him? Crab bait?

Just sent him back down. Prawning was good for us so he lived to eat another day. The second time he may have not been so lucky!

The face on him was very unique. We related it to an old wise man lol. Here's a pic from google that shows his face a little better.

I wasn't sure what it was, or if it was safe to touch (kept thinking electric eel) but i ended up handling him. Very snake like, he tried to wrap around my arm...

I've read that Eel is very good eating. It had plenty of meat

 

[sammyslabber]

>>>I wasn't sure what it was, or if it was safe to touch (kept thinking electric eel) but i ended up handling him.<<<

We swim in a slower stretch of a creek outback of the finca in Los llanos; apparently, Caymans, snakes ,electric eels and rays like to hang out there...
the women & the hired help freak every time we go for a swim...the men laugh and throw rocks to scare them off before they swim ... the cautious gringo waits a couple of minutes to see if the coast...

 

[Capt_Ed]

we caught lots of wolf eels in my 35 year commercial career and never ate one . They did go for bait though and worked well. When I ran the lodge in the Charlottes we caught a few and ate them and they ate very well. Although those chefs could deep fry cardboard and make it taste good.

 

[mbowers]

we caught lots of wolf eels in my 35 year commercial career and never ate one . They did go for bait though and worked well. When I ran the lodge in the Charlottes we caught a few and ate them and they ate very well. Although those chefs could deep fry cardboard and make it taste good.

Wolf eel is excellent. Too bad retention is closed.

IMHO the predator in the trap probably ate a few prawns but more importantly he kept any more prawns from entering. I had phenomenally better shrimp catches this fall by reducing the size of the trap opening with a zip tie to about half. Before the zip tie I'd get one loaded trap (100+) and three traps with a few (15) but also some crabs or starfish or sculpins (usually with antennae sticking out of their lips). After I reduced the entrance size to just big enough, all four traps were loaded (100+) and no predators!