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Safe Eel Fishing Rigs
With Eel welfare at the forefront of the NAC and with the knowledge that a deep hooked eel could be fatal for these fantastic creatures, we launched our Lip hook your eels campaign to promote modern Eel fishing methods which are very effective at lip hooking. Everything moves on with time and so has our knowledge to deter people from using the JS Rig and T-Bar rigs as these often resulted in deep hooked eels.
The following rigs are regarded as modern safe eel rigs to lip hook eels.
Resistance or Semi Fixed Methods
Key Points:
> Keep the trace short - 6" maximum. Typically 4"
> Use a heavy lead - Usually 3 - 4 oz
> Hook must have an inturned eye to aid lip hooking, Sizes 6, 8 and 10 are common
> Balance bait size to hook size
> Fish a tight line to the alarm and use bobbins with 6-8" drop for bite detection
> You can fish straight off the baitrunner using this method
Semi Fixed Method 1
Use with small baits, worms, maggots small pieces of Prawn, Arma mesh bags etc,
Not suitable for larger deadbaits
Semi Fixed Method 2 - Feeder Rig
Use with small baits, worms, maggots small pieces of Prawn, Arma mesh bags etc,
Not suitable for larger deadbaits
Semi Fixed Method 3 - Feeder Rig
Use with small baits, worms, maggots small pieces of Prawn, Arma mesh bags etc,
Not suitable for larger deadbaits
Semi Fixed Method 4 - Feeder Rig
Use with small baits, worms, maggots small pieces of Prawn, Arma mesh bags etc,
Not suitable for larger deadbaits
Helicopter Rigs for Eels
Key Points:
> Keep the hooklink short - Typically 3 - 4"
> Use a heavy lead or Feeder - Usually 3 - 4 oz
> Hook must have an inturned eye to aid lip hooking, Sizes 6, 8 and 10 are common
> Balance bait size to hook size
> Fish a tight line to the alarm and use bobbins with 6-8" drop for bite detection
> You can fish straight off the baitrunner using this method
Helicopter Rig 1 - Feeder Rig
Use with small baits, worms, maggots small pieces of Prawn, Arma mesh bags etc,
Not suitable for larger deadbaits
Helicopter Rig 2
Use with small baits, worms, maggots small pieces of Prawn, Arma mesh bags etc,
Not suitable for larger deadbaits
Paternoster Rigs for Eels
Key Points:
> Keep the hooklink short - Typically 3 inches - 4" maximum
> Use a heavy lead or Feeder - Usually 3 - 4 oz
> Hook sizes 6, 8 and 10 are common
> Balance bait size to hook size
> Fish a tight line to the alarm and use bobbins with 6-8" drop for bite detection
> You can fish straight off the baitrunner using this method
Paternoster Rig 1 - Feeder Rig
Use with small baits, worms, maggots small pieces of Prawn, Arma mesh bags etc,
Not suitable for larger deadbaits
Paternoster Rig 2
Use with small baits, worms, maggots small pieces of Prawn, Arma mesh bags etc,
Not suitable for larger deadbaits
BM Twig Rigs for Eels
Key Points:
> Keep the hooklink short - Typically 6"
> Use a heavy lead - Usually 3 oz
> Twig can be acrylic rod or rigid tube, but must be ~ 100mm x 3mm
> The gap between the end of the twig and eye of the hook is critical. 1/2" max or reduce to 1/4" if using longer longshank hook pattern.
> Common hook sizes are 6, 8 and 10.
> Use a Barbless hook or crush the barb down.
> Balance bait size to hook size
> Fish a tight line to the alarm and use bobbins with 6-8" drop for bite detection
> You can fish straight off the baitrunner using this method
BM Twig Rig 1 - Acrylic rod version
Can be used with small baits, Arma mesh bags or larger baits such as small deadbaits 2-3"
BM Twig Rig 2 - Inline rigid tube version
Can be used with small baits or scale hook size up to Size 6 for use with larger baits such as small deadbaits 2-3"
BM Twig Rig 3 - Inline rigid tube version - Longshank hook pattern
Longshank pattern used mainly with Worms - Reduced gap from eye of hook to twig
Ledger stem Rigs for Eels
BM Twig Ledger stem Rig 1 - Acrylic rod version
Can be used with small baits, Arma mesh bags or larger baits such as small deadbaits 2-3"
Shorter ledger stem suited for light silt or light weed
BM Twig Ledger stem Rig 2 - Rigid tube inline version
Can be used with small baits, Arma mesh bags or larger baits such as small deadbaits 2-3"
Long ledger stem version, suited for deep silt and heavier weed bottom
Feeder style BM Twig Rigs for Eels
Key Points:
> Keep the hooklink short - Typically 6"
> Use a heavy lead - Usually 3 oz
> Twig can be acrylic rod or rigid tube, but must be ~ 100mm x 3mm
> The gap between the end of the twig and eye of the hook is critical. 1/2" max or reduce to 1/4" if using longer longshank hook pattern.
> Common hook sizes are 6, 8 and 10.
> Use a Barbless hook or crush the barb down.
> Balance bait size to hook size
> Fish a tight line to the alarm and use bobbins with 6-8" drop for bite detection
> You can fish straight off the baitrunner using this method
BM Twig Rig - Worm Feeder - Long shank hook pattern
BM Twig Rig - Maggot Feeder - Wide gape standard hook pattern
BM Twig Rigs using wire - Dead bait / Livebait rigs
Key Points:
> Keep the hooklink short - Typically 6"
> Use a heavy lead - Usually 3 oz
> Twig can be acrylic rod or rigid tube, but must be ~ 100mm x 3mm
> The gap between the end of the twig and eye of the hook is critical. 1/2" max or reduce to 1/4" if using longer longshank hook pattern.
> Common hook sizes are 6, 8 and 10.
> Use a Barbless hook or crush the barb down.
> Balance bait size to hook size
> Fish a tight line to the alarm and use bobbins with 6-8" drop for bite detection
> You can fish straight off the baitrunner using this method
Deadbait BM Twig Rig 1 - Using wire
AFW Micro supreme coated wire in 26lb BS can be used to tie the hook on using a 3 turn blood knot and a double overhand loop for the quick link connection.
This rig is ideal for use with deadbait sections. Tail end hooked through the tail root or heads hooked through the nostril.
Deadbait BM Twig Rig 2 - Using wire
AFW Micro supreme coated wire in 26lb BS can be used to tie the hook on using a 3 turn blood knot and a double overhand loop for the quick link connection. Standard braid has been whipped onto the back of the hook knotless knot style and heatshrink used for a neat presentation.
This rig is ideal for use with deadbait tail sections. Push a baiting needle through the tail root and pull the hair through, secure in place with the ledger stop.
Corkball Livebait Twig - Using wire
AFW Micro supreme coated wire in 26lb BS can be used to tie the hook on using a 3 turn blood knot and a double overhand loop for the quick link connection.
This rig is ideal for use with small livebaits. Baiting needle pushed through the tail root and hair pulled through, securing in place with ledger stop.
Dyson Rigs
Key Points:
> Use a heavy lead, typically 4oz to prevent the rig bouncing about on a take
> A large sub float prevents the rig collapsing and helps improve bite detection
> Rig tubing can help eliminate tangles & provide the feel of a 'snick' when setting the rig, this provides confidence that the rig is not tangled
> Keep the hooklink short and use a 100mm x 3mm twig on the trace
> When using a twig, you can, if you want add a short boom section which increases the anti tangle properties further. No twig - No Boom section, you must keep it short.
> When using a twig remember to set the gap between the end of the twig and eye of the hook according to your hook pattern.
> Balance bait size to hook size, 6's and 8's are common sizes.
> Fished with braid, this rig is super sensitive, but use a bobbin or rollover for bite detection and investigate every bleep as the eel can sink back down to the lake bed after taking the bait, resulting in shorter lifts of the bobbin or rollover
Dyson Twig Rig - Acrylic rod or inline twig can be used
This rig is ideal for use with small deadbaits, worms or pieces of prawn.
Dyson Feeder Rig
A large sunken float modified with a swimfeeder fitted in the top. This rig is ideal for use with small head or tail dead bait section, worms or pieces of prawn. No twig present, so keep the hook link super short. typically 3" max and fish with sensitive bite detection investigating any bleeps.
Float fishing set-up for Eels
Key Points:
> Slider float set to the exact depth, so that when the lead weights resting on the bottom move, A lift bite is detected
> Use a 100mm x 3mm twig on the trace, acrylic rod or inline twig
> Remember to set the gap from the eye of the hook to the twig according to your hook pattern.
> Balance bait size to hook size, 6's and 8's are common sizes.
Eels are rare... So fish for them with care..!!
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