Being an avid angler, with experience at provincial level in both Rock and Surf and Freshwater Bank angling, as well as being semi-retired, I spend every spare moment of my time doing some kind of fishing in the Eastern Cape. Fishing has been my passion since I was 18 months old, and as my wife says: She accepts that she comes second in my life, she cannot and will not compete with the waters that I so dearly love.

The author with an eel of 14kg. "This fish broke my heart. I gave it (alive) to an eel research farm. It died within 24 hours. It will never happen again..." - author

In recent years, largely because of my involvement with competitive freshwater angling, and the fact that I run my own freshwater fishing safari operation in the Eastern Cape, I have come into contact with eel fishing and fisherman. This has stirred something in me and has awakened a new obsession. I am by no means an expert but have learned fast, and have chalked up a few creditable catches in the recent past. I’m hooked and strangely most of my clients do not want to do anything else after their first exposure to this form of fishing.

To start with, eel fishing is wild. Here night fishing becomes and extreme sport. Where the baboons in the cliffs start screeching as the leopard in the bush behind you grunts along it's way, and the warthogs knock your pot over and steal your supper. You won't find tame dam or resort comforts here.

Rocky pools in the major river systems, far from crowds and noise are the place to seek out our quarry. It's hard on the body and ruthless on your fishing tackle but yet very easy once you are familiar with it.

I fish for eels mainly in the Fish-, Kei- and Sundays river systems but they are present in all the rivers flowing eastwards along the East coast as well as their tributaries. Eels do not require a lot of water and I have seen numbers in the smallest of mountain streams. They are also present in the major dams along these waterways but are difficult to target because of the abundance of other species such as catfish that get to the bait first. Eels are ambush predators that use structure such as logs or rocks to hunt from. It is therefore necessary to fish for them in areas where there is plenty of structure present. They are mainly nocturnal, especially the real big ones, but are often caught during the day when the rivers are dirty and flowing after rains.

Eel fishing is at it's best from October through to mid April. They appear to hibernate during winter and it is not worth targeting them then. The best time to catch them in the rivers is after heavy rains when the water is dirty and flowing strongly. They will even bite in eddies and sheltered bays when the river is in full flood.The dark moon times of the month are also by far the most productive.

I mainly fish for eels in the Fish- (left), Kei- (right) and Sundays river systems. Two typical eel holes / habitats

I know the St. Lucia guys will tell me I don’t know what I am talking about, but effectively there are only 3 species of freshwater eels in our waters. The African long finned eels which are most common but not very big rarely getting bigger than 4kg. The Mozambique mottled eels that are most common in our area and attain a size of up to 25kg. The largest is the African mottled eel that is rare in our area and grows to an enormous size. The biggest I have seen is one of 34kg caught in the Gamtoos river.

How do we fish for eels

To catch eels you need sturdy tackle. I use a stout 3 metre Purglass sea rod with a Penn 505 loaded with 17 kg Maxima marine green line. I attach a short leader of about 2 metres of 0.80 mm nylon. I use a sliding sinker that is attached to a swivel with the thinnest nylon I can cast. My hook trace is 1mm nylon. I do not use wire as many others do, and I seem to get more bites. Hooks vary in size depending on the bait being used, but must be strong. Trebles are highly effective but I will not use these as I adhere to the principles of catch and release.

Bait varies, but by far the best is live bait or crabs. Remember NO FROG may be used as bait in the Cape Province. The long fin eels and smaller specimens of the others readily eat earthworms but if you’re looking for the big ones then the old saying: ”The bigger the bait the better” really counts. I like to use live springers or moggels that I catch with a cast net in the shallows away from where I am fishing. These I rig the same way as you would rig livebait for garrick in the surf. I use a 6/0 hook behind the head and a sliding 4/0 near the tail. My sinker is heavy enough to keep the bait at the bottom. I always try to cast to the head of the pool or right up next to some visible structure. Depth is relative. Eels can be caught in the shallowest of water but the biggest and most will always hang out in the deeper waters of any specific pool. This could be 10 metres or it could be 2 metres. That is why the heads of the pools are always better as they are generally silt free, thus deeper and also all the food washes in here.

All you need to do now is wait. Try not to get any light on the water and keep noise to a minimum. Remember you are fishing close, sometimes right at your feet. I always set up my camp jut a short distance from the water's edge thus creating as little disturbance as possible.

The eel's bite is slow but deliberate. Extreme patience is the key to success. The fish will pull the line tight with maybe even a few 'squacks' of the rachet. Then it will give slack and so it will rock to and fro. At this time take hold of the rod and put the reel on free spool. Feed line until you feel the fish moving off with purpose. This can take up to half an hour. Only then do you strike and the fight is on. The eel has tremendous power in its tail and should it get this around structure its “game over” so the secret is to move the fish out of its comfort zone as quickly as possible. Strike hard and crank with all your might, keep the fish moving. Once it breaks surface it will thrash around with the whole length of its body. Don’t relent, just keep pulling. Many anglers gaff the fish but this kills them. Where possible try to slide them up the bank or else if not possible put a large scoop net behind the fish when it is spent, touch it on the tail with the net and it immediately doubles back into the net. Hold the net as high as possible and get as far away from the water as fast as you can.

Eels are known to be very slimy and extremely difficult to work with but if you take the fish firmly behind it's head with a damp towel it will lie still enough to remove the hooks. Should the hooks be set too deep cut the trace off as close to the mouth as possible. Of all the fish I’ve ever caught I have never come across a single one that can rid itself of swallowed hooks as easily as what an eel does.
Do not put your fingers in the fish’s mouth as it will crush them with ease. Despite what others may tell you, freshwater eels do not have razor teeth to bite you. But they have hard powerful jaws to crush their prey along with small rasp-like teeth to hold it. Even if you get your hooks back change the trace after each fish as they eventually chafe right through the thick nylon.

Eel fishing is different, it cannot be compared to any other form of freshwater angling but the rewards are great. You get home rejuvenated, not exhausted and despite what the purists may think or say, to me, it is by far the most powerful fish in our freshwater systems. No other local freshwater fish can put up the fight of an eel on the tackle we use to catch them with.

As a table fish they are also probably the most sought after of the local species. The smaller fish are apparently delightful to eat while the bigger ones are apparently oily and less tasty. I’ve never tried it. If I wanted to eat snake I’d catch a puff adder, it’s much easier!

Both eels weighed more than 6 kg

Now that I’ve given you a bit of insight into eel fishing I hope you’ll go out and give it a try. Should you wish to come on an outing with me please do not hesitate to give me a call. After all October is just around the corner.