American Eel in Bull Shoals Lake

[mojorig]

Another one of those head scratchers on how did it get in Bull Shoals Lake. They are somewhat common in many of the rivers in the state including the White River. American Eel only spawns in the ocean but spend some of their life cycle in freshwater. 

http://www.ktlo.com/2018/06/26/potentially-record-setting-eel-caught-in-bull-shoals-lake/

[Ham]

American Eel. Never caught one. Hmmm

[MoCarp]

caught them all the time from the mobile delta....got to be someone brought them up for bait

[Fish24/7]

I love Bull, so many mysteries !  

[Dutch]

I've caught fish with eels on them in Bull but none even close to being that size.

[Terrierman]

15 minutes ago, Dutch said:

I've caught fish with eels on them in Bull but none even close to being that size.

Those would be lampreys.

[Quillback]

I have caught them on worms in New England.  You haven't lived until you wrestle with an eel trying to get your hook out.  The phrase "slippery as an eel" is so true.  

Had a high school buddy whose grandfather was Portuguese, his grandad would fish with his buddies on the Charles river at night in December for eels.  Old country tradition to have eels for Christmas dinner.

[Gavin]

Eel is good eats. Just ask for the Unagi at the Sushi bar if you want a taste..

[Terrierman]

47 minutes ago, Quillback said:

I have caught them on worms in New England.  You haven't lived until you wrestle with an eel trying to get your hook out.  The phrase "slippery as an eel" is so true.  

Had a high school buddy whose grandfather was Portuguese, his grandad would fish with his buddies on the Charles river at night in December for eels.  Old country tradition to have eels for Christmas dinner.

I've caught them on worms in the Osage river.  They will slime everything!

[tjm]

I've caught them on worms and on flies in the Narragansett Bay drainage and in the Bay itself on squid and sand worms.  Their slime is not only slick it preserved the color of my new dungarees where it touched them through countless ships launderings.  Faded pants with a streak of new looking blue snaking around the calf. I skinned them and rolling in ashes makes them easier to handle. Lemon Joy is your clean up friend.

My uncle told me they came up the Elk River and he could remember them in Little Sugar Creek before they built Pensacola Dam. We would probably still have them if there had been a fish ladder constructed.  An older guy down by Elkins told me they used to come up the White as well. Both those guys are dead now and so it's hearsay, I reckon.