A nice striper caught in the surf with an eel.

Eels are sold at any shop near the salt. They can be purchased individually or by the dozen. Eels are easy to keep alive before, during and after use and are just plain deadly when it comes to striper fishing. While they occasionally work well during the day, they are most commonly used at night. Equally popular when used in a boat and 3-wayed over deep structure or cast from the rocks in the surf, they account for staggering numbers of big bass being landed every year. My ideal bait size is twelve to eighteen inches however one of my largest bass ever came on an eel that was barely eight inches long. She weighed nearly 65 pounds! It hardly seems worth the trouble for a fish that big to grab an eel so small. I must have hit her right on the nose with my offering. As with all live bait, I use a circle hook. A 5/0 or 6/0 circle seems to work the best for eels.

An eel, rigged and ready to catch big fish.

One of the benefits of using eels is that any leftover eels can be stored for long periods of time in either fresh or salt water as long as there is water in your container. A bucket with a lid and just enough water to keep them wet works fine for a few days. For longer periods of storage, a larger container with an air pump is ideal. On one particular year we were having an outstanding fall run and I had several dozen eels stored in my basement. The weather pattern changed drastically and the fall run was over for me. With an aerated tank in the basement, I was able to keep the eels alive until I started fishing again in late April. If you don’t have a pump, they will be fine with regular water changes. If the water becomes discolored or begins to smell, change it out. Regular old tap water is fine for them. However, if you choose to store them make sure you have a secure lid. They are the Harry Houdini’s of the animal world and can escape through the smallest of openings.