American Eel in Bull Shoals Lake

[MoCarp]

17 minutes ago, tjm said:

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 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.

Nope heard that as well from some "tallys' from there

[Quillback]

I bet they were in any stream around here that ultimately drained into the Mississippi (which probably covers them all) unless there were falls they couldn't get over.

[Terrierman]

1 hour ago, Quillback said:

I bet they were in any stream around here that ultimately drained into the Mississippi (which probably covers them all) unless there were falls they couldn't get over.

Everything is everywhere it can get to and compete.  So I bet you are right.  Now.  Who owes us money?

[MOPanfisher]

Now if someone catches or shoots a bull shark in Bull Shoals, I  am gonna be seriously confused.

[fishinwrench]

Saw one turn up in a seign from a minnow farm upstream of Bagnell dam.   To think of how it could have gotten there is a mind blower.

[MoCarp]

 

[Quillback]

7 hours ago, Terrierman said:

Everything is everywhere it can get to and compete.  So I bet you are right.  Now.  Who owes us money?

Your buddy Kody.

[Johnsfolly]

14 hours ago, Quillback said:

unless there were falls they couldn't get over.

In PA there was a series of falls probably a 20 foot elevation in total that we would routinely see the young eels "climbing" the rocks to get to the stream above the falls. It was a spectacular and a viscerally disturbing scene to see hundreds of eels going up those rocks.

QB - in Connecticut I had friends that would nail the eels to a tree to get the hook out. Not only were they slimey, but tended to swallow your bait. I just stopped trying to remove the hooks when I would catch one. Get close and cut the line. Probably not the best catch and release practice, but that was well before any circle hooks made the market.

I do agree with Gavin that they are good to eat. If only I had known that back in the day.

[Terrierman]

6 hours ago, Quillback said:

Your buddy Kody.

I've got one of his rods held hostage.

[tjm]

18 hours ago, Quillback said:

I bet they were in any stream around here that ultimately drained into the Mississippi (which probably covers them all) unless there were falls they couldn't get over.

40 odd years ago when I was catching them in RI and butchering them for my mother in law; I was curious enough to spend time in the library studying them - the info was that European eels and American eels both breed/spawn in the Sargasso Sea and very near to each other but do not mingle. Then the babies went back to the continents and up all the streams, often to the head waters. So, any stream than drains to the Gulf or the Atlantic likely had elvers and eels at some point. iirc the adults die after spawning.